Developing Pilbara Cities
The well documented impact that Fly-in Fly-Out (FIFO) work has on family, community and mental health are not going to go away. Distance, isolation and loneliness are just three of the many sacrifices a worker makes when committing to this form of well-paid work.
Community sentiment towards FIFO workers has always been mixed. Some will begrudge the attention and focus the media has on the wellbeing of these workers for the kind of money they make. Others, particularly those who have lived this kind of work, are sympathetic to the sacrifices the men, women and children make each and every day.
If you could take FIFO out of the working equation then you might have a safer, more productive, happier workforce. The accommodation and housing that has been on offer has until recently not been that of the standard we would expect in Perth. Times are changing up north and there is a real community and family lifestyle being built at the door of our mining sites.
The Pelago development in Karratha has changed not only the landscape of the Pilbara city but it has given it something to be proud of, to enjoy and a new energy. The locals both on a commercial and community perspective have embraced and welcomed the change. Take a moment to view a recent video looking at the difference the development in Karratha has made and what Port Hedland has to look forward to.
The Anchorage development in Port Hedland is going to be similar in appeal but smaller in scale. A new marina, shops and apartments are what the city needs to shake off that image of ‘dongas in a dust bowl’. These developments and the support from the local community are inspiring. The sacrifice for workers from all sectors of moving north is being minimised and even celebrated with the amenities, the weather, the community and the future of the Pilbara Cities growing in a modern way, and a way that protects the mental and physical health of workers and their families.
Businesses, government and industry trying to attract quality people to the North won’t be able to use the standard housing or accommodation as an excuse anymore. One less hurdle to seeing this important region becoming the gateway to our mining, tourism and food bowl industries.
