More than 100,000 mine workers across Australia go through the highs and lows of being a FIFO worker. It can be an exciting, adventurous way to work in the mines, but it also brings with it some challenges including everything that comes with being away from your loved ones and your home.

Vicky Pellowe jumped on a flight to Western Australia in 2013 and found herself taking a job as a FIFO worker.

She worked at a few different sites around the Pilbara for the first 18 months and then secured a position on the Wheatstone Project.

That’s where Vicky stayed for nearly five years working in several roles including Site Services Coordinator, Admin Team Lead and facilitating the Indigenous Traineeship program.

“That’s the beauty of a FIFO career, you do a million things because there is never enough of you. You all just get stuck in. It was great, it was a very diverse workforce, I worked with some amazing people and I had some incredible experiences.

“I experienced the highs and the lows of FIFO, sometimes it’s great but sometimes it is tough. That’s just the rollercoaster that is FIFO life. It also gave me some real opportunity to do a lot of work within the FIFO mental health space,” said Vicky.

Fast forward to 2018, Vicky is 33 weeks pregnant and returning to Perth full time, while her husband continued his FIFO work in the Pilbara.

“Having experienced FIFO work myself, we thought naively that we knew what to expect – that it would be fine, me at home with bub and my husband still working away. We were wrong, it was a whole new ball game!

“Being a new mum when you have a FIFO partner is life changing. Like a lot of FIFO families, we migrated to Western Australia for a better life, but it means leaving behind your support networks and loved ones elsewhere.

“I was diagnosed with post-natal depression when my daughter was five months old. It was the perfect storm of all the things you don’t really think about because it isn’t a traditional work/home lifestyle.

“It took me a while but eventually I started to think, ‘why is there so much talk on site about mental health but there doesn’t seem to be anything at home for FIFO families?’

“It is 100 per cent needed on site, I will advocate for that forever, but it’s a half-baked cake. These workers are flying to site and if they are feeling stressed, depressed or anxious, it’s often related to being away from their family or things happening at home. While there are mental health supports in place to help the workers on site, there’s nothing at home for the families left behind to keep things running.

“I saw countless posts from other FIFO families on social media platforms looking for advice but finding solidarity and sympathy, rather than solutions and support services.

“So, I decided I really wanted to do something for FIFO families. I thought about it for a while, then our son was born, and earlier this year I thought I will never have time so I might as well just start!”

In April 2024, the not-for-profit ‘The FIFO Family Project’ began.

The aim is to provide a solution to the lack of support for FIFO workers and their families and the mission is to support every FIFO member of the family, every step of the way.

So far, there have been 14 meet ups for FIFO families in Perth.

“All of the events are free to attend and held at family-friendly venues. They are completely judgement free and casual; you just turn up in whatever capacity you feel on that day.

“Some attendees walk in tense and anxious because they don’t know anyone, and they don’t know what to expect. Then they start talking to other FIFO families and you see them relax and realise they aren’t the only ones feeling how they feel.

“It’s all about shared experience and connection. I see ‘The FIFO Family Project’ as a proactive and preventative organization. We’re really focused on education, information and support, focused on providing a preventative approach to some of the well-known challenges surrounding the FIFO lifestyle.

“No one is more invested in your mental health and you getting home safely than your family. Your crew support you at work, of course, but if we support the family at home too, it all works together for a stable and safer workforce overall.”

At the moment Vicky is only running the community meet ups in Perth, but the goal for 2025 is to organise meet ups in Queensland and NSW, and any other communities in Australia who are keen to get involved.

“Ultimately, the goal is to have this foundation of community connection wherever it is required or needed. It is a very simple model, and while there is a lot of work behind the scenes, essentially, we can run it anywhere with volunteers around Australia.

“Connection to overcome isolation, is the first part of that proactive step towards supporting mental health. Coming together, sharing an experience, creating those bonds to support you through this lifestyle, are all core foundations for supporting FIFO families, that will also have knock-on effects to improve the mental health of the partner working away on site too,” explained Vicky.

The FIFO Family Project isn’t just about in-person meet ups, Vicky has started to introduce free online webinars that can be accessed by anyone, anywhere, on things like sleep support for FIFO families and other topics specifically related to the FIFO lifestyle.

The FIFO Family Project is just beginning…

If you are in NSW, QLD or any other state and you are willing and interested in volunteering to help set up meet ups in your area for FIFO families, reach out to Vicky via: https://www.thefifofamilyproject.com.au/

FIFO Family feedback on in-person meet ups in Perth: “If I hadn’t found you and The FIFO Family Project Meet-Ups when I did, he would have 100% quit FIFO and we would have moved back home by now.” “I feel like just because The FIFO Family Project exists, I’m not on my own…just knowing there are people out there in the same boat trying to adjust is comforting.” “Love the meet-ups and I can’t wait for the Knowledge Hub to go live! I’ve been desperate for some more info for so long but there never seems to be anything out there specifically for us FIFO Families.” “…I think yesterday was the first time she became aware that some other people’s mummys/daddies etc. do the same thing as hers…and made it a bit more normal…that was just through hearing us talk amongst ourselves! So thank you for creating the space for that.”