The coal mining industry supports thousands of jobs directly across NSW and indirectly through businesses both mining related and not. Jobs and livelihoods are supported by extension of the industry at the corner shop, the petrol station and the local pub.
Jonathon ‘Jono’ McTaggart is the Commercial Manager at Keldan Commercial and one of the owners of The Royal at Muswellbrook, one of the most beloved pubs in the mining town.
The mining industry has been a key driver in both of those businesses not only coming to life but growing into what they are today.
“It started out by doing some maintenance in the agricultural space mainly at horse studs in the Upper Hunter and then Keldan evolved into a little bit of mining with support to start the Mount Pleasant mine in Muswellbrook which is where the mining arm of our business kicked off.
“It grew from there. The mining industry is integral to our business, and we’ve grown into what we are today because of it.”
Keldan has close to 200 employees right across NSW and Queensland providing trade services for the mining and heavy industry sector.
95 per cent of their business is mining related.
The Royal Hotel is historically significant to Muswellbrook, being the site of the first block of land sold in the town in 1834. Licensed premises have operated on the site since 1835 until 2017 when the pub was closed.
Jono and Daniel Kelly leased the hotel in 2019 with the goal of providing more accommodation options for the town. The Royal reopened in 2020 with Jono as the licensee right amid the pandemic restrictions.
Despite the challenges they’re still operating to this day, and very successfully.
“We cater for everyone, but the mine workers are integral to our business. With the roster cycle they’re on we don’t have a typical “weekend trade” from Friday night across the Saturday and Sunday. Some people are having their weekend starting on a Tuesday, so we have consistent trade right through the week.
“The mines give us that consistent trade through the door,” said Jono.
Jono is a strong supporter of the mining industry and its future in Muswellbrook and beyond.
“It isn’t going away overnight. A lot of people listen to the media hype, but the real story is that mining companies are still investing in equipment and people will have jobs for another 20 years or more here.
“The global need is there for coal too so the financial security for Muswellbrook is looking good. It’s a huge contributor to us financially here at The Royal, Keldan, for the guy who owns the corner shop and to the State Government’s royalties.
“Coal Australia is doing a great job in raising awareness of the industry locally, statewide and across the country.
“We needed a group to come out and spruik the positives. People only know what they know and if they aren’t told the whole story they’ll never know.
“We are in a financial bubble really because we are lucky to have mining, people are fortunate to have a better income than the average Australian which means they can go out to licenced venues. If we were a small rural community without mining, the local hotels wouldn’t be as popular, because people simply wouldn’t be able to afford it.”
| Jono’s story isn’t unusual, it’s a story that we hear from so many people living and working in coal mining communities right across Australia. Reach out if you want to share your story or join the coal community and help forge Australia’s future at www.coalaustralia.com |
