Who are you and what do you do?
My name is Kellie Malone and I am a warehouse operator at Broadmeadow Underground Mine in Moranbah.
When did you start in the mining industry and what was your first job?
I started in 2017 as a contractor for Workpac at Goonyella Riverside in the warehouse as an operator. After five months, I transferred to Broadmeadow Mine Warehouse. I was a contractor for three and a half years and accepted a permanent role in 2020.
How different is your job now to what you wanted to be when you were a kid?
When I was a child, I always wanted to work with children or be an interior designer. I studied at TAFE for two years and completed a Diploma in Early Childhood. I then began a Bachelor of Arts at university, hoping to become a child psychologist or youth counsellor. While raising my young family, I worked a range of jobs including a telephone surveyor, childcare worker, admin, bar manager and courier.
What’s a usual day at work entail?
A typical day working in a warehouse on a mine site is mostly structured, practical and safety focused. It’s not just ‘moving boxes’ it’s a key role that keeps the whole operation running. It can be a reactive job and physically demanding.
What’s the best thing about your job?
The people. Working closely with the warehouse team and other departments. The team environment is a big plus as everyone relies on each other to keep things running safely and efficiently and that camaraderie can make long or tough days feel more manageable. We also see a lot of faces come to the warehouse and so I have built memorable relationships with a lot of people on site. Then there’s the resilience it builds, qualities that carry over into every part of life.
The worst thing?
I’m not getting any younger, so the physical side of the job can be challenging at times, but at the end of the day it’s also rewarding to achieve 100% of our core tasks safely each shift.
What’s the biggest challenge you’ve had to overcome?
I’m OCD so working on a mine site with dirt and coal dust and knowing that it can’t always be clean is a challenge. I still take pride in a tidy work environment and hold myself to a high standard.
What’s something about your job that would surprise people to know?
I am also a trainer assessor and pass out competencies for new starters for forklift, light vehicle and escorting on site.
What’s your best advice for people entering the industry?
There are a lot of different skills to learn in the warehouse, and it can’t all be picked up at once – it can take months or even years. I’m still learning new skills every day, and our procedures and policies can be complex at times. Having good computer skills and being prepared for physical work in different climates will put you in a strong position.
The mining industry gets more than its fair share of criticism. What is your view of our industry and the impact it has?
Having the opportunity to work in the mining industry has been a positive step for me and I believe the mining industry offers opportunities for people of all ages and genders to gain new skills and trades. It’s a vital part of our community, but our community depends on more than just mining jobs to survive. Moranbah has seen both growth and downturns over the years, and the cost of living can be challenging. Without other industries and community roles, our town wouldn’t exist as it does today.
