Peter “Zoom” Oram never imagined he’d become the bloke people looked to when everything was on the line, when the smoke was thick, alarms were sounding, and there wasn’t time to think twice. Back in 1985, he was just a teenager trying to figure out what came next after school. He didn’t have a plan, just a name to follow and a pair of steel-capped boots to fill.
“My father was a miner, and I just followed him into the industry,” Peter said.
“He started out at Blackwater and ended up at Capcoal Mine.”
What began as a way to earn a living became something much bigger. It became a career built on steady hands, sharp instincts and a deep sense of responsibility for the people working beside him. Forty years on, Peter’s legacy runs through rescue tunnels, safety training rooms, and the next generation of miners he’s helped guide along the way.
Ten years into his mining career, Peter took a step that would shape everything that followed. In 1995, he joined the Capcoal mines rescue team. Not for recognition or competition trophies, but because he wanted to be ready.
“Back then, we were offered training in first aid every few years, but I wanted to make sure my skills were always up to date. Joining mines rescue meant I could stay sharp and be better equipped to handle emergencies.”
The team he joined wasn’t just enthusiastic. They were exceptional. They’d won state, national and world titles. But what stuck with Peter was the way they trained. The pride they took in getting it right. And the way they brought others along with them.
“There was a member, Chris Gately, who had been a firefighter in the Australian Air Force. He was so good it seemed like a fire would put itself out whenever he walked past.”
Peter matched that energy with his own. He became a volunteer ambulance officer for 12 years. He wanted the real-world experience to go with the training. He wanted to be ready when it really counted.
“I always wanted to be the best I could be at what I did.”
Even with all that preparation, nothing quite compared to what he saw at his first rescue competition.
“There was a loud bang in a workshop. People started screaming, there was fake blood everywhere. Grinders, oxy torches and other tools were making a racket. The rescue team walked in, and the assessor told the captain to lay down – he’d just had a cardiac arrest. The team had to deal with all this carnage without its leader. I remember thinking, I could never deal with this.”
That day stayed with him. But so did what he saw next, a team holding it together, working through the noise and pressure.
“I’ve learnt that with the right training and good people around you, you can achieve even seemingly impossible outcomes.”
Over time, Peter became one of those people others looked to. Calm. Capable. Steady in moments that would shake most. He stepped into mentoring roles, coached new team members, and started to lead in ways that didn’t come naturally at first.
“I’m usually laid back and pretty casual, so to lead is not normally in my comfort zone. That’s actually where the nickname Zoom came from, in classic larrikin sarcasm, the opposite of my laid back nature.”
Mines rescue didn’t just give him skills. It gave him direction. Over the years, he’s become a training assessor, a safety rep and, more recently, took on a three-month stint as rescue coordinator.
“The industry has evolved so much over those 40 years. There’s always been something new to learn, something to challenge me. That’s what’s kept me interested.”
He now works in the Coal Handling and Preparation Plant at Anglo American’s Capcoal Mine, where variety keeps him on his toes.
“Things have just bubbled along, and that’s suited me. There’s always a new challenge.”
Peter’s also witnessed big changes in the way rescue is approached. Fire science has evolved. Toxic exposure is better understood and better managed. Drone technology has entered the scene, giving teams new tools to assess a situation from every angle before making a move.
“Smoke is seen as a fuel now, not just a by-product. We know how toxic it is. And drones have added another layer. We can get a full picture before we even step into a scene.”
But while gear and methods have changed, the heart of mines rescue hasn’t.
“I’ve had a lot of mates in both open cut and underground mining. They say the underground environment makes them a tighter crew, and I reckon that’s what we’ve got in rescue. You depend on each other.”
That sense of trust, that bond, is what has kept Peter committed year after year. He still remembers the days when Capcoal was winning everything in surface rescue competitions.
“My goal has always been to get people to that standard. To be the best they can be.”
And while the work is serious, he’s never lost the enjoyment.
“It’s a really rewarding experience. And it’s actually fun too. You get to put out fires, jump off buildings, climb through tunnels and cut things up.”
Mining isn’t just Peter’s career. It’s part of his family story. He met his wife Peta in Tieri. She now drives trucks. Their youngest son Christopher has just graduated from Monash and works in a coal lab in Middlemount. His eldest, Aidan, is a grader driver at Capcoal and part of mines rescue too.
“It’s been really enjoyable doing something so fulfilling together.”
Peter’s never been one for awards or attention. But he takes pride in knowing he’s been someone others could count on when it mattered.
“You just get in and do it. I’ve enjoyed being able to help when something’s unfolding. And I’ve really enjoyed coaching others.”
Now, with decades of experience behind him, Peter’s focus is on encouraging others to put their hand up.
“Our highly skilled mines rescue teams are fundamental to our commitment to safety. It’s about having a capable skill set and the readiness to deploy when it matters most.”
He knows not everyone comes from the same background, but that’s exactly the point.
“We need people who are passionate about helping others and want to be part of a team. We need people from all walks of life. There’s so many skills and backgrounds that make up the team we have now, not just mining. Everyone has a superpower.”
And for Peter, that’s what makes the job worth doing. Not just the challenge, but the chance to do it together.
