Published in the September 2013 Australian Longwall Magazine
He has been fortunate enough to have worked with essentially the same company for all his career – albeit under different logos – State Mines, Elcom, Powercoal and now Centennial. He has worked at mines including Wyee, Munmorah, Newstan and Mandalong. He is qualified as a mine surveyor, deputy and undermanager. A keen and sought-after soccer player in his younger days, he is still passionate about the game, while adding golf and travelling to the mix.
What is your earliest mining memory?
My early memories of mining are of when I was a trainee at Wyee state mine. Going underground at the start of the shift with the whole shift heading down in the set and then piling into the dolly cars behind the locos. The camaraderie, laughter and hustle and bustle.
What made you choose mining as a career?
I didn’t really choose or focus on a mining career initially. A neighbour and close friend of the family, Bernie McKinnon, suggested it was a good industry to get into. Several friends who I went to school with had already gone into the mines as well. I subsequently applied when the opportunity came up and eventually got a start (after they employed all the other decent candidates) with the State Mines.
When was your first underground visit?
First underground visit was at Awaba state mine in 1980 just after I started as a trainee surveyor. I remember very clearly rattling around on the electric locos and walking around trying to work out which way was which. Some say I am still trying to work it out.
What was your favourite job in a coal mine?
Favourite? I have enjoyed all the different jobs I have had. There are a few different ways to answers that from job satisfaction/challenge aspects of different jobs. For me the most enjoyable part of all my jobs has been the people I have worked with. Most satisfying has certainly been as a longwall superintendent.
There have been many other enjoyable, interesting and challenging times when surveying and as an undermanager.
What was your least favourite job?
Without doubt sitting in front of a computer doing admin work.
Who, or what, has most influenced your mining career?
Bernie McKinnon – obviously for directing me into mining in the first place but then as the manager at Wyee when I was there as a mine surveyor. I had been in surveying for a lengthy period of time and probably not as focused on a career in mining at that stage as I should have been (with other distractions like soccer etcetera). He subtly nudged me and suggested I should start pursuing mining officialdom as a career path and get my deputy’s and undermanager’s certificates. Which I subsequently did and ended up where I am now.
What do you consider your best mining achievement?
I don’t really consider myself as having really achieved anything major, other than being lucky enough to have really enjoyed a lengthy career in the industry without any injuries.
What do you see as being the greatest mining development during your career?
The improvement in technology and safety systems throughout the last decade or so has been fantastic.
I think also the cultural change in attitude to safety has been most significant – as we all know that changing that culture is one of the most difficult things to do.
Do you hold any mining records?
Unfortunately I can’t really claim any personal records but certainly being part of the great longwall team and management team at Mandalong to become highest producer in NSW and second-highest in Australia in 2011 was a great achievement.
Though I do have the distinction of having the worst longwall ramp-up ever at Mandalong – but also the best.
Do you have any unfulfilled ambitions?
Other than a week on a deserted island with Heidi Klum (I won’t hold my breath with that one) – no.
What was your most embarrassing moment in a coal mine?
Many and varied but one in particular early in my career comes to mind. Working in a single entry roadway on a maintenance day when it was all pretty quiet. As I was walking past a shuttle car the tyre blew out big time about a metre from me. Noise and dust everywhere. I thought the world was falling in on me I ended up curled up in the rib waiting for it to come in – much to the amusement of my offsider.
What was your scariest time in a coal mine?
As above.
What is your worst memory of coal mining?
Mine closures and seeing guys get seriously hurt at work. At one particular mine on my shift during pillar lifting a large goaf fall sucked the miner driver back in toward the goaf and the continuous miner (with the head running) and jammed him under the shovel causing him major injuries. He was lucky to some extent but never worked in the industry again.
Do you think that the day of the fully automated remotely operated face is near?
That time is getting closer but I can’t see it in the near future and certainly not while I am around. While there has been some great technological advances there will still be a requirement for human input or intervention.
What major improvements would you like to see on longwall operations?
From a safety point of view (and hopefully not too far away) – the implementation of a fully functional, practical, proximity detection system on a longwall face that does not inhibit production is something that I would like to see.
