Working in the mines

[danicatim]

I have a question about working in the mine and thought that you ladies might be able to help me

We are looking at relocating from Adelaide to nth QLD for hubby to get a job at the Bowen basin mines. He is a qualified diesel mechanic, and is looking at doing a 7/7 roster.
So what I'm wondering is, if we moved to a mining town near the mine site he'd be working, would he just come home after a shift or would he have to stay at the camp on the mine site for the whole 7 days?

[lala77]

Deleted

[Cupcake85]

If you lived in a local town he would be home every night. However, unless he can get a job that includes housing for the whole family it wouldn't be worth it due to the price of rentals. You would be looking at a minimum of $1200 for a house (and that's if your lucky).

[angelsfromheaven]

Hi Dani,

We relocated to a mining community and we also pay rent here we own where used to live and the place is still vacant, so we pay rent and a mortgage and we are FAR FAR better off! Rent is expensive yes, but you have to expect that in a mining community, we don't pay $1200 though! :-S we pay $500 per week and that's pretty standard around here for a 3 bedroom home. Our home is air conditioned fully fenced and not tacky or feral looking it's quiet a nice neat and tidy home.

He will come home after work yes! Which is a massive bonus to have him home everyday me and the kids used to stay in the house where we owned and he would be residentially based near the mines on a 4 on 4 off roster so didn't see him much once every 3 months cause flights in and out are bloody expensive and alot of mining companies will bargain with you in the contract for FIFO whose going to pay for the flights etc.

We love it here - were in the far northwest QLD there's not much here, but enough, it's slower paced lifestyle, and I have my gorgeous husband home every 4 days so he can be part of school events sports etc, it's a fantastic lifestyle, and for anyone thinking about doing it relocating to a mining community I would highly recommend investigating it thoroughly! My DD is in a lovely little private school, and there are alot of people around here in the same situation relocated their families for the mines so it so so easy to make friends!

Good luck whatever you decide to do, I am never going back to where we own our house now we are about to buy a 2nd home up here and keep the other as an investment. Ive never been happier to have my family back together and I would never let my husband work FIFO ever again, (my personal experience of course) not when we can be with him he works 4 on 4 off so we get him home every night AND he has 4 days off at a time we get loads of family time! So much better than a 5 day a week 9-5 job!

[SassyMummy]

DP's currently at the mines, and has said it's VERY expensive to live in the mining town nearby - and I've heard similar about other mining towns too...

[angelsfromheaven]

DP's currently at the mines, and has said it's VERY expensive to live in the mining town nearby - and I've heard similar about other mining towns too...

I think it depends where you move to I guess, certain things out here are a bit dearer but with the wage DH is on and to have him home everyday we are so much better off. I know rent can be expensive in popular cities too. There's not that much difference out ere not where we live and hubby's great wage makes up for it by a million! And I love having him home each night

[danicatim]

Hi Dani,

We relocated to a mining community and we also pay rent here we own where used to live and the place is still vacant, so we pay rent and a mortgage and we are FAR FAR better off! Rent is expensive yes, but you have to expect that in a mining community, we don't pay $1200 though! :-S we pay $500 per week and that's pretty standard around here for a 3 bedroom home. Our home is air conditioned fully fenced and not tacky or feral looking it's quiet a nice neat and tidy home.

He will come home after work yes! Which is a massive bonus to have him home everyday me and the kids used to stay in the house where we owned and he would be residentially based near the mines on a 4 on 4 off roster so didn't see him much once every 3 months cause flights in and out are bloody expensive and alot of mining companies will bargain with you in the contract for FIFO whose going to pay for the flights etc.

We love it here - were in the far northwest QLD there's not much here, but enough, it's slower paced lifestyle, and I have my gorgeous husband home every 4 days so he can be part of school events sports etc, it's a fantastic lifestyle, and for anyone thinking about doing it relocating to a mining community I would highly recommend investigating it thoroughly! My DD is in a lovely little private school, and there are alot of people around here in the same situation relocated their families for the mines so it so so easy to make friends!

Good luck whatever you decide to do, I am never going back to where we own our house now we are about to buy a 2nd home up here and keep the other as an investment. Ive never been happier to have my family back together and I would never let my husband work FIFO ever again, (my personal experience of course) not when we can be with him he works 4 on 4 off so we get him home every night AND he has 4 days off at a time we get loads of family time! So much better than a 5 day a week 9-5 job!

Thanks for all the replys
angelsfromheaven, its nice to hear a good experience from someone.
Personally I dont think I could cope well with Dh doing FIFO. I would rather be stuck in a little mining town all together. I guess its just trying to find the right one that accomodates all of us and has good schools and facilities for the kids

[Cupcake85]

If you are looking near Moranbah/Dysart (central to a lot of the mines in that area) then you are looking at at least $1200 a week, Blackwater is $750 +, Collinsville is a lot better ($400ish).

I'm referring to towns close to open cut mines as that is what my DH does, underground might be better.

[angelsfromheaven]

If you are looking near Moranbah/Dysart (central to a lot of the mines in that area) then you are looking at at least $1200 a week, Blackwater is $750 +, Collinsville is a lot better ($400ish).

I'm referring to towns close to open cut mines as that is what my DH does, underground might be better.

Hooooly heck! Yeah we only pay $500 a week hubby wage is great, he works underground in metaliferous so it's alot safer than underground with coal. I don't think I'd like to pay that much to live in blackwater, mind you blackwater is alot closer to everything than out here , and coal does pay better than metaliferous.

[angelsfromheaven]

Move out here! Lol they're alway after diesel fitters, and there a huge shortage of electricians too