Three decades strong: Gary’s remarkable MRM journey
McArthur River Mine (MRM) is celebrating 30 years of operation and Gary has been with us from the beginning.
In fact, Gary's connection to MRM began even before the mine existed. Moving to Borroloola two years before construction began, he put his hand up for an opportuity when jobs were offered to local community members.
A metal fabricator and welder by trade, he secured his first role at MRM in 1995 as an Operator Maintainer.
His connection to the region runs even deeper than MRM.
Through his grandfather, Gary has a connection to Yanyuwa Country, the land on which MRM's Bing Bong Loading Facility operates.
It’s a connection that has quietly shaped the way he shows up for both this place and its people.
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Gary during his early years at MRM.
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Gary and his coworkers during the mid-2010s.
Over the next two decades, Gary worked across almost every area of MRM from the Concentrator to underground crushing and primary grinding through to flotation, reagents, thickeners, filtration, the control room, and in supervisory roles.
In 2011, he spent 18 months operating haul trucks in the Mining department before returning to Metallurgy in the Concentrator. In 2020, Gary stepped into a mentor role for our trainees in Metallurgy, before moving to Community Relations in 2022.
Today, as Advisor of Indigenous Community Development, he supports the Local Language Employment Program, helping Indigenous people from the Borroloola region gain skills and employment at the mine.
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Gary during his trainee and mentor role in the Concentrator.
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Gary holding his first contract offer from 1995.
MRM is also part of Gary's family story. He and his partner lived on site and their two children, Rachael and William, in the early 1990s. Due to the remoteness of their home Gary's children completed School of the Air while living at MRM. A unique childhood setting which William later returned to complete his electrical and instrumentation apprenticeship with the mine.
Anyone who has worked at MRM knows Gary. His frankness, humour and willingness to help others make him someone people naturally gravitate toward.
Gary isn’t just part of the team - he’s part of the MRM story.
Congratulations, Gary. Thank you for your ongoing contribution to the team.
Here's to 30 years and counting.