PicoBlog

My two alarms chirp, harp and piano play. I stumble around in the dark for a few moments, lights on. It's 4am and I'm back in the land of the living in rectangular dongas, dry and wet messes, 6am flights to the desert, 12 hour days, rosters that sound more like basic fractions (2/1, 8/6, 3/1) hi-vis uniforms and flies. Lots of flies. Welcome to a day in the life of a mining fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) worker.

The day starts in the dark and it's humid. First stop is the dry mess to get crib food for the day ahead. There is a blur of yellow and orange shirts adorned by men and women of all shapes, sizes and ethnic backgrounds. The mining industry is a multicultural hub that has always attracted opportunistic seekers of their fortune since the early days of the first gold rushes.

A breath test is completed by all workers to see if any of last nights booze is still in the system, before boarding the bus to site. Most of the passengers steal an extra 25 minutes sleep or glue their gaze to their phones. The oddballs like me stare out over the red dirt, spinifex, bewildered wandering cows and enormous dump trucks that lurch along like gigantic yellow dinosaurs on steroids, as the most orange sunrise ever desired starts transmuting the night sky into a technicolour glory.

We arrive at site and the crew gathers. “What's the plan today boss?” 'Fuck all - we've got a crib day - they haven't even started to run the plant down yet for us to work on'. I once went on a 4 day shutdown and didn’t leave the lunchroom due to delays. I've heard stories of guys being on site for weeks and not actually doing any work. As a contractor flown in to do maintenance, the plant needs to be shut down and isolated. There is more paperwork and permits required than a North Korean checkpoint. There are lots of work hold ups and you get good at waiting, watching movies and eating. When it's finally go time though, it's full steam ahead - the workers often sweating more than you thought was humanly possible in 45 degree celsius, baking heat, while trying to avoid eating/inhaling the friendliest flies you'll ever meet, working in an intensely hostile high risk environment.

The mines are full of eccentric characters young and old. Cryptocurrency speculators, sports betting superstars with a ‘foolproof’ system, failed business owners and lots of regular, well meaning and hard working folk who are aiming to better their financial lot for themselves and their families.

I heard of one bloke in his late 60s, still working away diligently to support his 4th wife. When asked why he keeps getting married? "What can I say, I am Italian.. we love". I worked with a cabaret performing drag queen at one site who even put on a show for all the staff at an event to show off his/her unique set of skills. I've known plenty of guys to work a 2 week roster, before flying straight to Bali for 2 weeks to live on their time off. What the mining life gives to people is options. You can earn as much as possible for a shot at comfort and security, or use the high income 12 hour days to enable lots of freedom, flexibility and travel.

Many are attracted to mining for the lure of riches, but a high proportion never hit those riches, just a very comfortable lifestyle and sometimes a new addiction (alcohol, drugs, gambling, hookers). Judging by the airport car park full of new looking Toyota Hilux utes, Toyota Landcruisers and the occasional Audi or Merc, there is plenty of money coming in and lots going out the door on flashy, underutilised toys.

There is often complaints amongst the workers about the quality of the food, but I've always found it to be good. You can eat from the buffet or head straight to the grill where a chef will cook you a steak, piece of fish or chicken to your liking. Needless to say, I eat more than my fair share of chef grilled steaks when on site and always feel grateful that someone has prepared and cooked for me, while others clean up my dishes. Living the dream.

Nowhere is it more obvious than a mining camp what your habits are. Six beers every night and plenty of tasty carbs will reveal a fuller figure. Hitting the gym regularly will display muscles popping out of your work shirt. You really can choose whether to use the time away from home to get healthier or less so. Seemingly everyone's vaping at every opportunity. Plumes of apple or blackcurrant smoke hang around site like fruity, nicotine fart clouds.

Mining is more than an industry, it's a way of life for many. It's one hell of an experience for sure. Some don't last more than a week or two. Others become somewhat institutionalised and attached to the mining behemoth with some golden handcuffs, as that $150k plus salary becomes a minimum to pay for an overloaded consumerist lifestyle.

Mining has traditionally been a male dominated industry, but in recent years, more women have come to claim their share of the financial rewards too. While this has eased the overburden of testosterone in most areas of mining, working out on the dusty fixed plant area is still the domain of the joking, swearing blokes bloke. The final frontier of the Aussie larrikin lives on here in mining.

If you are looking for a job, then mining isn't for you. If you are looking for a lifestyle and a front row seat into an experience that 99% of the world never get to glimpse at, while seeking dollars and some spirit of outback adventure, then come join the FIFO club.

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