The Perth Thread

[Teriyakicat]

How long ago are we talking?

Hmmm.. Now I'm giving away secrets that I haven't told anyone before- but about 20-30 years ago.

Hubby's Meeka- Kal mines are present day but Kanowna, Paddington, Lady B etc were 20-30 years ago as well.

 

[Kram]

Hahaha! Tucked in shirts? Guess it's to stop the loose shirts flopping into anything.

I had holes in the back of my shirt and pants, too, from acid leaking out of my battery but was too stingy to buy more. Got a comment or two from WMC's Roy Woodall (was a director at the time) to my boss who just laughed it off. Seeing as the company didn't buy my clothes, I decided I wasn't going to get new King Gees/Stubbies every time I got a hole in them. Plus I was a bit of a rebel back in those days.

Which smelter are/were you at? Kalgoorlie/Kambalda. I guess there are lots more around these days- I don't keep up with that stuff anymore.

Kalgoorlie, only went out to the concentrator in Kambalda couple of times.

 

[Teriyakicat]

Kalgoorlie, only went out to the concentrator in Kambalda couple of times.

Did you live in Kalgoorlie or was this after FIFO started?

My boss's wife gave birth to her 3rd/4th baby in their car outside the Ni smelter on their way up from Kambalda to Kalgoorlie hospital. I'm glad I had my first 2 in Kalgoorlie and the others in Perth -I'd have probably not gone far out of my driveway before having a couple of mine!

 

[Beerfish]

That looks like a huge cheesy English muffin behind you! You're making me hungry!

Where are you?

Do you mean right now or where was I mining?

Hmmm.. Now I'm giving away secrets that I haven't told anyone before- but about 20-30 years ago.

Hubby's Meeka- Kal mines are present day but Kanowna, Paddington, Lady B etc were 20-30 years ago as well.

Wow. That's a long time. 8 years was all I could handle. Having a desk job might have helped but I never did really.

 

[Teriyakicat]

Do you mean right now or where was I mining?

Both- if you don't mind telling

Wow. That's a long time. 8 years was all I could handle. Having a desk job might have helped but I never did really.

I worked as a geo so there was a fair bit of desk work but I spent a lot of time out bush as well- which was a bugger for following footy, playing sport etc.

 

[Kram]

Did you live in Kalgoorlie or was this after FIFO started?

My boss's wife gave birth to her 3rd/4th baby in their car outside the Ni smelter on their way up from Kambalda to Kalgoorlie hospital. I'm glad I had my first 2 in Kalgoorlie and the others in Perth -I'd have probably not gone far out of my driveway before having a couple of mine!

Lived there in 06.

lol I sent my bogan mate a text the other day giving him shit how he would come food shopping with us in Coles up there drinking a can of Jack Daniel's in stubby holder so it looked like soft drink

 

[Teriyakicat]

Lived there in 06.

lol I sent my bogan mate a text the other day giving him shit how he would come food shopping with us in Coles up there drinking a can of Jack Daniel's in stubby holder so it looked like soft drink

Did he ever go out drinking in Skinny Park with the boys there?

 

[Beerfish]

Both- if you don't mind telling

I worked as a geo so there was a fair bit of desk work but I spent a lot of time out bush as well- which was a bugger for following footy, playing sport etc.

Leinster mining.

Right now standing in my back yard in east freo in a TSHIRT and SHORTS having a BEER, roasting some chinese BBQ pork for dinner and listening to Skyhooks on vinyl. It doesn't get much better than this.

 

[BALKAN]

Classic WA conversation going on here.

I was in Melbourne over the weekend, almost forgot that the sky is meant to be blue.

 

[Kram]

Did he ever go out drinking in Skinny Park with the boys there?

No ha, seen it visiting in the 90s but they had actually cleared up that little 'problem' by the time by the time we lived there.

 

[Teriyakicat]

Leinster mining.

Right now standing in my back yard in east freo in a TSHIRT and SHORTS having a BEER, roasting some chinese BBQ pork for dinner and listening to Skyhooks on vinyl. It doesn't get much better than this.

Living in the 70s??

Haha. Watch out the Fun Police don't come and check the thickness of your sunscreen and make you put on your SPF 40+ long sleeved shirt!

When were you at Leinster- and did you live in the SMQ or have a house in town?

I remember my first arrival there- rocked up to the SMQ to the curious looks of many dark neighbours hanging out in the nearby park/oval. We had only 1 in Kambalda and it was a bit different to the SPQ there.

 

[Teriyakicat]

Classic WA conversation going on here.

I was in Melbourne over the weekend, almost forgot that the sky is meant to be blue.

It IS the Perth thread

We are very very lucky- best weather in the world, IMO.

 

[Spirit Level]

I worked as a geo so there was a fair bit of desk work but I spent a lot of time out bush as well- which was a bugger for following footy, playing sport etc.

Did you study Geology at uni?

And if so how easy did you find a job after you graduated?

 

[Teriyakicat]

Did you study Geology at uni?

And if so how easy did you find a job after you graduated?

I did- double majored in Geology with Mining units. After my 3rd year- as was the case for the previous year's graduates- there weren't many jobs around, so we all dipped back in for another year (Honours- with the previous graduates who'd stayed to do honours staying on to do Masters and PhDs).
The following year I was lucky to catch the beginnings of another gold boom and was offered jobs at Mt Isa- which fell through- and with WMC in Kambalda, which I ended up taking.
Getting a job with a big company was probably the best thing I did because I got to do a wide variety of jobs plus had some really good people training me.


Have you started a course or just thinking of starting one? The nature of the beast is very cyclic so the best thing you can do is get as much "marketable" stuff under your belt as you possibly can at Uni, then get as much relevant experience as you can during vacations - even if it's just sitting in an office in the city filing maps and dealing with paperwork. (I assume you're looking at hard rock geology, not environmental or palaeontology, etc?) There are analytical laboratories who take students, also surveyors, etc. or you can do a TAFE course or get your HR licence or something like that just so you can get a foot in the door and make contacts.

 

[Spirit Level]

I did- double majored in Geology with Mining units. After my 3rd year- as was the case for the previous year's graduates- there weren't many jobs around, so we all dipped back in for another year (Honours- with the previous graduates who'd stayed to do honours staying on to do Masters and PhDs).
The following year I was lucky to catch the beginnings of another gold boom and was offered jobs at Mt Isa- which fell through- and with WMC in Kambalda, which I ended up taking.
Getting a job with a big company was probably the best thing I did because I got to do a wide variety of jobs plus had some really good people training me.


Have you started a course or just thinking of starting one? The nature of the beast is very cyclic so the best thing you can do is get as much "marketable" stuff under your belt as you possibly can at Uni, then get as much relevant experience as you can during vacations - even if it's just sitting in an office in the city filing maps and dealing with paperwork. (I assume you're looking at hard rock geology, not environmental or palaeontology, etc?) There are analytical laboratories who take students, also surveyors, etc. or you can do a TAFE course or get your HR licence or something like that just so you can get a foot in the door and make contacts.

Yes I'm in my second year at curtin, focusing on straight up geology (rather than the palaeo stuff).

Been looking at vac work all year, you think theres a massive advantage in doing that?

 

[Teriyakicat]

Yes I'm in my second year at curtin, focusing on straight up geology (rather than the palaeo stuff).

Been looking at vac work all year, you think theres a massive advantage in doing that?

If you can get vac work, do it. Yes, massive advantage in getting experience in the field. Take whatever you can get cos there'd be hundreds of people looking- if not thousands. Apply to all the major companies and anyone in small companies that you might know of. Get your resumè together and pop it into any place you can think of. And go and chat to any lecturers you might know who you think will help you. Be prepared to go anywhere and do whatever they want. Once you've got your foot in the door it's easier the next time around but it's getting the foot in that very small crack that's often the hardest thing.
Western Mining used to take heaps of vac students from all fields of study in Kambalda when I was there. Also BHP. Maybe apply to the big companies first- I've been out of the business for a long time now and some of the companies I used to know aren't around anymore but I'm sure you get what I'm saying. Or try any of the big iron ore companies.

 

[Beerfish]

When were you at Leinster- and did you live in the SMQ or have a house in town?

For most of the 00's. Always FIFO. Was lucky enough to have the same room for pretty much the whole time.

 

[Teriyakicat]

For most of the 00's. Always FIFO. Was lucky enough to have the same room for pretty much the whole time.

I was well gone by then.

Yah, having the one room is great.

 

[crownie]

sure it is no melbourne but the women here are gorgeous and very accommodating. but it is best enjoyed by living here rather than holidaying.

Melbourne ain't great and i agree with and experienced the bolded part

 

[crownie]

Where'd you go outside of Perth, Crownie?

away from the cbd i actually meant but off the top of my head i went to fremantle, rottnest island, cottesloe and i enjoyed the vibe of walking around leederville on my way to watch a WAFL game.

 

[gaskin]

So apparently the first part of the 'Gateway WA' project is open a year ahead of schedule and $50m under budget.

http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/wes...ialSF&utm_source=PerthNow&utm_medium=Facebook

 

[Teriyakicat]

So apparently the first part of the 'Gateway WA' project is open a year ahead of schedule and $50m under budget.

http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/wes...ialSF&utm_source=PerthNow&utm_medium=Facebook

Well, THAT would be a first, wouldn't it?

I enjoyed the fly-through. have been there quite a few times now and the traffic flows beautifully... until I have to get back on the Roe and it's banked up for 3 light changes on Tonkin Still, I guess there are a few wrinkles still to be ironed out and that might be fixed sometime in the next 10 years.

 

[kfc1]

The free-flow link from Tonkin into Roe is part of the project

 

[Teriyakicat]

The free-flow link from Tonkin into Roe is part of the project

Maybe there is more to be done? It's only in the past few months that I've experienced delays like that, though it used to be terrible along the whole length of Tonkin past Roe years ago. They just need a longer slip lane because the left lane of the off ramp extends way out into Tonkin itself.

 

[kfc1]

Yeah its still being built. You can see the massive bridge on the left as you approach Roe on Tonkim