Interesting to read all this good on yas all 'round.
I work in mining (prior to that for a small manufacturing company) and have spent some time up north and was keen to get out. I managed to find an identical role in Orange - where my partner had lived - so we got away from there albeit still working at a mine. I heard a lot of things about mining before I got in the game and much of it is true. The "good cash in them mines eh?" attitude was right, but the industry's been destroyed by it. I lived in an 8000-strong town that had a sign on entry saying "A PROUD UNION TOWN" as you drove in and then in the next, the town was built by the company that opened the mine in the late '70s.
The number of affairs, divorces, unhappy singles and disgruntled people blew me away. The work, honestly, is good. Big gear, expensive installations, big wallets, corporate roles, interesting maintenance and investigation techniques - there's nothing boring about if you like equipment or getting dirty. But it was all so money-driven by many workers that people lost sight of how lucky they were and as soon as they were getting paid well, someone up the road would offer more. They'd move or accept a different roster, and get more cash. Then do overtime. Then move again. Then go out as a contractor etc. etc. Once you're in, it's hard to get out.
If you wanted more money, you could get it. And that's what people do. Well I was getting sick of everyone whingeing about how there wasn't enough ice at the go-line or their truck's AC wasn't cold enough. I was supervising 10 engineers and planners and I found out I was the lowest paid and was probably the happiest, so I was done. Took a reasonable pay cut and moved to Orange, where I'm still well paid but struggling a bit paying off a house, raising 3 kids, buying clothes for my wife and trying to sneak some grain orders in between. On the plus side we have a selection of schools, I'm playing hockey and touch in big comps again, there are shops when I need to buy things, and people around who aren't there for the cash. They're there to live.
I caught up with an electrician today and he said it was his last day. First thing he said was "it's not as much cash" and I said "if you want the cash, you can chase it. Why are you moving?". He said his wife and family made the trip up here for him, and she was sick of it and they wanted to go back home where their family was. Spot on, can't think of a better reason to move.
I'm still looking to get out of mining and will, and have my eyes set on what my wife and I call "home". I'm just waiting for the right job opportunity. And, sadly, my personal dream is - shock! - to open my own brewery. I know where I want it and I reckon the demographic's there. I'm 'only' 32 now so hopefully like some of you blokes, in 20 years' time you will be dropping past my brewery on the Murray border asking for a sneaky pint of my finest stout. A man can dream huh?
