This was one of my entries into the Snowden Photo Competition for 2009. Unfortunately, I didn’t make a placing or make it into the exhibition. Perhaps next year. This was a familiar sight for me over summer as I was working FIFO over the summer of 2008/2009.

This is the township of Leinster as seen on the morning of fly-in day, the start of a working week. A lot has been said about FIFO and its effect. What’s FIFO? It’s an acronym of Fly-in/Fly-Out where workers of an organisation are flown in to work for a period of time and then flown out for R&R while another crew is flown in to take their place. It’s a common system in place in the Western Australian mining scene. Rosters vary across industries and sites.

It’s not a lifestyle for everyone and at times, it is far from easy. I have to admit to being selfish when I accepted the job over summer. I hadn’t discussed it with anyone. I just went out and did it. I wanted to get back out on site working after completing a Graduate Diploma in Extractive Metallurgy just as the global economy was grinding to a halt. not the world’s greatest timing on my part but then again, I didn’t go into the mining industry for money. It’s been part of my life for so long, I don’t know any different.

Would I be so selfish in the future? No. I have been discussing the real possibility that FIFO work is on the horizon with a close circle of trusted friends and letting others know of my plans. While I know it’s going to result in missing out on special occasions and not being around as much as I would like to, this is something that I want to do.