Hey all,

I have worked on site in the mining industry for years, and I've also spent about a year working in mining recruitment (reviewing applications, screening candidates, deciding who would be submitted to site and for which company they may be best suited). Posted something similar a while back and got a heap of messages, so figured I'd do it again since a lot of people are still trying to figure out how to get their foot in the door.

If you're trying to break into mining and don't know why your applications aren't landing — drop a comment or DM me and I'll give you honest feedback.

Happy to answer general questions in the comments too.

Every week there’s another post. Someone thinking about "giving FIFO a crack" like it’s just another adventure. Like it is something you can try for a few months, post about online, and move on.

That is not what mining is. Especially not FIFO. It is hard work. It is serious work. It is work that needs to be done properly or people get hurt.

The crews out there every day know what it takes. Long swings. Broken sleep. Heavy gear. Rough weather. Missing things back home you do not get a second shot at. They do not post about it. They do not chase likes for it. They just get it done.

Turning mining into some sort of lifestyle brand cheapens what these people actually do. It lowers the standard. It chips away at the respect the job demands. And when people who are not built for it burn out, they are the first to turn around and call it "toxic." Maybe the problem is they never respected it to begin with.

Mining is not for everyone. FIFO is not for everyone. It is supposed to be hard work because it matters. It is supposed to be taken seriously because safety, lives, and livelihoods depend on it.

I am not here to scare anyone off. But if you are thinking about it, think about it properly. Come in for the right reasons or do not come in at all.

Respect to the ones who show up, do it right, and keep the place standing. You know who you are.

G

Hi fellow long term mining fraternity. I don't want to come across as a sook or weak. This is hard for me to type. I'm on my own 60 years old and been fly in fly out around Australia for 25 years. I've seen it all. The violence, the purple circle, the harrassment, the special treatment, crappy food, bed bugs and dangerous conditions. I've also seen the most incredible sunsets, beautiful mountain ranges, indigenous art and killer electrical storms. I've worked with kind, caring and passionate workmates who have eachothers' back and can laugh and cry together through divorces, death and redundencies. So here's my issue. It's 9.50 a.m. I'm on my last day of rnr, I'm on my 2nd coffee,I do not drink, smoke or take drugs, but my hands are shaking, I can't leave the couch. I haven't slept since I flew In. I can't get dressed, can't pack my cabin bag, can't move. The thought of going back to that mine is overwhelming me. I just can't drive to the airport today, park in the usual spot, board the Dash 8 and go through swing. I'm fried, my brain is fried. I've never felt this way. My head hurts and I collapse in tears. Am I a sook ? Am I a whimp ? I feel if I Fly Out today, I'll break down. I feel like a failure, like I'd be letting my crew down, is it just me who feels like this ? I feel alone, please help

Enhanced by AI but I’ve included the original 35mm scanned photos. They were from the Lake View gold mine on the Golden Mile taken with a self timer on the camera.

Anonymous account for obvious reasons.

I got offered a camp job but I am hesitant to take it as my friends in the industry mentioned that they have to do a pre employment penis inspection and also random inspections due to health and hygiene reasons at the camp.

I want the job but I am nervous I might fail my pre-employment inspection. Does anyone know if these are really a thing?

I am a recruitment advisor in WA , working for one of the leading companies in mining recruitment Australia wide.

If you are looking to get in the industry, or even find a different job, PM me for advice. I can even do up your resume for success.

The camp I'm at has inadequate amenities. The gym is far to small for the amount of workers staying here and the laundry rooms are always bottlenecked. Many of us are having to wait until late at night (8pm onwards) to get a workout in or to do our washing. This obviously isn't ideal when we have to get up at 4am. The gym in particular is always packed mornings and evenings. It's a multi billion dollar construction site so there's no shutdown crews here. The job is set to go on for years and they're only adding to the number of workers. We work 3:1

We keep raising this issue with management and they absolutely do not care. The union delos aren't having any luck in resolving this either. I've looked into the act and it states that adequate facilities is a requirement by law. They have a duty of care and this is a psychosocial and fatigue issue. It's hard enough to get worksafe out here for all the other safety breaches on site so I doubt this will be high up on their priority list.

Does anyone have any insight as to what can be done?

For all the new FIFO starters thinking the mine will sort you out, a heads up - the gear in the camp rooms is usually pretty rubbish. Pillows, blankets, the cheap thermos they give you - it’s not great, and a lack of proper sleep or a good hot cuppa can really take its toll on a long swing.

Lake View and Star gold mine Kalgoorlie-Boulder WA. Did 13 years of this all over Australia. I heard PPE requirements have changed somewhat lol

Been tryna apply for entry level roles for months now and had no success. Done a coupla trainings. Upskilled myself too. Wondering what everyone's experiences have been when they got their entry level roles.

[edit] Looks like it's better to relocate to where the jobs are. Which makes sense.

Has anybody from out of state been through this and travelled to where the mines are to apply?

Hey mates,

A little while ago I shared FIFOS.LIFE—a free passion project aimed at helping FIFO workers. To build on that, I've put together a searchable directory mapping out all currently operating Aussie mine sites and who actually operates them- called FIFOMINES.SITE.

Today, I just pushed a massive update that I think the community actually needs: Site Ratings.

Let’s be honest, site conditions are a lucky dip. You might get a brand new donga and great food, or you might end up with dial-up Wi-Fi and dry chicken. I want to build a "Glassdoor for FIFO" so people know exactly what they are walking into before they take a swing.

You can now search up your site and drop a quick 1-5 star rating on the stuff that actually matters:

• 🛏️ Camp Facilities / Rooms
• 🥩 Food & Mess
• 📶 Wi-Fi & Connectivity
• ✈️ Travel & Logistics
• 🦺 Safety Culture

The fun part: I added a little easter egg to the UI. Once your rating goes through, your site's icon on the map will physically flash to show the data has updated.

If you're on site right now (or just got off swing), I’d hugely appreciate it if you could jump on, find your site, and drop a brutally honest rating. Let's see if we can get the map flashing.

* Updated on 14/03/2026: Photo update for site review now comes alive!! Jump on, find your site, and drop a photo update.📸

** Updated on 15/03/2026: Thanks for ppl who participated at early stage and the site needs more brutal comments to populate the insights database!! Now I have activated the comment section please jump in and keep the data rolling!!

**Updated on 10/04/2026: Site Referral tab is soft opening, completely free and employees whom provide referral services will get verified prior to get in contact with any users, enjoy!!

Hey team,

​Currently doing an 8/6 roster (day/night split) as a production operator in the Pilbara. The 6 days off fly by ridiculously fast once you factor in travel days, laundry, and recovering from night shift, but the annual package is solid.

​I’ve been approached by a contractor offering a 2/2 (2 weeks on, 2 weeks off) role on a slightly lower hourly rate, which works out to about a $15k–$18k hit on total annual earnings compared to my current setup.

​For those who made the switch to 2/2: did having 14 clear days off in a row completely change your work-life balance? Did you regret taking the pay cut, or is the extra time with family/hobbies worth every single dollar?

The contract stated we work from 6-6

The crew I was with wanted to leave camp at 5 (it's a 7 minute drive to site). We would start work at 5:15.

After 1 day of doing this, I refused to ride with them and I organised a ride with another crew who would leave at 5:20. Also contacting HR immediately notifying them of my plans and my issues.

We still would arrive at 5:30 and work from there but it was my best option

I immediately started logging the exact times I would leave and start work and I took photo evidence of each days I would work.

HR and the company ghosted me for a week and I heard nothing up until now. They terminated me because I was "late for work"

Want to know your guys opinion on the matter, I personally think I have a strong case and I want to go to fair work for unfair dismissal.

Edit
Comes under General protection NOT unfair dismissal

Genuinely curious whether you’re a drill operator or site manager:

1. What’s one ‘facepalm’ leadership decision you’ve witnessed? (e.g., ‘Made us redo safety training but ignored faulty equipment’)
2. Why do you think they screwed up? (No training? Out of touch? Fear of corporate?)
3. What would’ve fixed it? *(Be brutally honest‘A 5-minute convo with the crew’ or ‘An AI that told them they’re being idiots’?).

No judgement just researching how to prevent these fails. Best story gets Reddit gold!

240v of a good time. Great start to my last week.

I’m looking for some sort of side hustle to do during my week off on a 2/1 roster. Preferably something that can still earn money while I’m away. Just curious what others do to get ahead and earn extra cash, use it as a tax write off and replace the mining income eventually.

The local pub has

They’re