Success At Last

Gday all,

Well, today makes my 1 month anniversary of being unemployed, and depending on your point of view it’s either very sad or a top effort.  However, after a few weeks of trying I have finally succeeded in finding and securing a job.

Last Monday I made one last attempt at work in Perth and was offered a job with Veolia operating a vac truck.  My main role would have been cleaning out storm water drains and other pipes by way of running a cctv camera down the pipe then clearing the blockage using high pressure water and vacuuming the gunk up.  The pay wasn’t too bad but I had to turn the offer down as they couldn’t guarantee me constant work at that time.  So that evening I found myself having to make the rather difficult call of leaving my fantastic beachfront view of South Fremantle for the red, dry dirt of Kalgoorlie.

After yet another night in the bush, I rolled into my old caravan park in Kal early Tuesday morning, and as luck would have it my old donga was available.  Even though the price had nearly doubled since my last visit 5 years ago, I had no hesitation.  The old shoe box was just how I remember it and other than new personnel the caravan park was pretty well the same also.  It was a rather funny feeling settling in again, almost like arriving back home after a long trip.

So, with my previous knowledge of the layout and system for finding work I was confident that it wouldn’t take long to find work.  By week’s end I had three jobs offered to me all operating excavators and loaders which is what I was after.  Deciding on the best one over the weekend, I was up bright and early this morning and pushing for the job.  After a brief interview I secured the job and although I have been placed at the bottom of the food chain (driving dumps trucks) it shouldn’t take to long for me to progress as the mine site is about to start running 3 crews instead of 1.  The other advantage that this positions offers is that there is a grader and D10 (big bulldozer) on site which I should be able to learn and get experience on.  These are the two machines that I have never operated and once I know my way round them many more doors will open for me.

After a long day today of running around organising things I am finally able to retire for the evening.  Tomorrow I have a medical booked in and then on Thursday I will do the induction for the mine site.  Then with a bit of luck I will start earning some dollars on Friday.

That’s about all I have to report for now.  Am enjoying having four walls and a roof over my head, even if it is a bit cramped, and I have made a new group of friends here in the dongas, even if they are a bit rough.  Maybe that’s why I fit in?!

Till next time.  Cheers