The music world is mourning the loss of Rob Hirst, the powerhouse drummer and founding member of the iconic Australian rock band Midnight Oil. Hirst passed away peacefully at the age of 70, nearly three years after being diagnosed with stage three pancreatic cancer in 2023.
A ferocious engine room and creative force
Rob Hirst was far more than just the band's timekeeper. Forming Midnight Oil in 1976 alongside school friend Jim Moginie, Hirst was the driving force behind the group's ferocious, politically charged sound. His drumming was the band's relentless heartbeat, but his creative contributions extended much further.
He was the co-writer of lyrics and melodies for many of Midnight Oil's most anthemic hits, including global smash Beds Are Burning, The Dead Heart, Short Memory, and Forgotten Years. In his 2024 memoir, bandmate Jim Moginie described Hirst as Midnight Oil's "engine room, onstage and off," noting he was "brash, funny and super intelligent, contrary to the clichéd view of drummers."
A courageous battle and advocacy
The band confirmed Hirst's death in a social media statement, writing: "After fighting heroically for almost three years, Rob is now free of pain - 'a glimmer of tiny light in the wilderness'. He died peacefully, surrounded by loved ones." The family requested donations to pancreatic cancer charities Pankind and Pancreatic Cancer Australia, or music industry charity Support Act.
In 2025, Hirst spoke publicly about his support for voluntary assisted dying, a choice he was eligible for in New South Wales. "Why should you have to die in terrible, drawn-out pain?" he asked. "When you’ve had this amazing life – a life like I’ve had – why should end-of-life be so horrific when there’s an alternative?"
A prolific musical life beyond The Oils
Born in New South Wales in 1955, Hirst received his first drum kit after surgery for a benign leg tumour at age 12. His musical journey with Moginie began in 1972, leading to the formation of the band that would evolve into Midnight Oil after singer Peter Garrett answered a newspaper advert in 1975.
Beyond Midnight Oil's 13 studio albums, Hirst was a member of several other groups:
- The Ghostwriters (with members of Hoodoo Gurus)
- The blues group Backsliders
- The experimental Angry Tradesman
- The surf rock band The Break
Midnight Oil took a hiatus in 2002 when Garrett entered politics, reuniting in 2017. Hirst is survived by his wife Leslie Holland, their two daughters, and his eldest daughter, musician Jay O'Shea, with whom he reunited in 2010 after she was adopted at birth.
Reflecting on his life in 2025, Hirst remained characteristically positive: "It’s been absolutely better than anything anyone could ever ask for... if my life is attenuated by this tiny little tumour that threatens to do me in, then I will still consider myself incredibly fortunate." His thunderous beats and passionate songwriting ensure his legacy will burn brightly for generations.
