Future Qld Resources: Woman miners share insights on TikTok

The rising female stars of the mining industry are taking to social media to lift the lid on what it’s like living in Queensland’s most rugged territory. SEE THE TIKTOKS

FIFO worker and TikToker Hayley Campbell. Picture: Adam Head

The rising female stars of the mining industry are taking to social media to lift the lid on what it’s like living in Queensland’s most rugged territory – and how they spend their hard-earned cash.

From what the food is like on site to sneak peeks of the sleeping quarters and luxury overseas holidays, chronicling the day in the life of a miner on platforms such as TikTok has become its own subgenre.

This story is part of The Courier-Mail’s special Future Queensland: Resources series that reveals the truth about the contribution the much-maligned resources industry makes to Queensland. You can read all of our coverage here

Sienna Mallon, a 27-year-old final product and logistics superintendent, has amassed more than 160,000 followers on TikTok and 58,000 on Instagram.

She completed a bachelor’s degree in agricultural science, and was working as a fertiliser specialist in Victoria before moving 24 hours away to cent­ral Queensland two years ago.

Since accepting a job in Moranbah, 200km southwest of Mackay, with an added $100,000 pay bump, Ms Mallon has been able to pay off her student debt and put more into her retirement fund.

@hayley_gram

Does any first years feel the same? Absolutely loving the change though, had such a great week 🥹 ⚡️ #fyp#fifo#mining#apprentice#apprenticeelectrician#miningtok

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“My financial goals have not necessarily been about saving or property. I don’t actually ­really care too much, but I do care about my student debt and my superannuation,” Ms Mallon said.

“When you earn in the tax bracket that we earn, I con­tribute $20,000 a year to my HECS debt.

“So I’ll have almost   paid off my $100,000 debt by the end of this year, and then our superannuation is obviously really significant.

“Women are historically seen not to save that much for retirement, but most women in mining my age have double the expected super than what they would have if they were in the city.”

Ms Mallon has been working in the industry for more than two years, and had opted to live on site as part of her contract for $50 a week.

She said hundreds of people had reached out to her from her TikToks, and had noticed an increase in young people filtering into her workplace.

“I get around 30-50 messages a day,” Ms Mallon said.

“There’s an increase in a ­desire from young people to come, I know it’s a really difficult industry to get into, but once in, it’s not that hard to stay in or move around.”

Ms Mallon said working in the industry was not “forever” but she would reap the benefits for a few more years.

@siennamallonn

Why do big cars have a chokehold over me. @Muscle Nation (DC: SIENNA) #landcruiser#mining#qldmining#miningtok#residentialmining#79series#australia#79serieslandcruiser#79serieslandcruiserv8#musclenation#suppliments#aussie#bonnet#shortqueen

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“I know it won’t be forever. The money is good (and) the ability to travel … I booked Bali the day before I came out here,  because I could afford to,” she said.

Hayley Campbell, another TikToker and an apprentice fly-in-fly-out electrician in central Queensland, has been in the industry since she was 18. The now 32-year-old has worked as a caterer, cleaner, bus driver, breakfast cook on a rig, trade assistant and now a first-year apprentice.

As a first-year apprentice in the mines, Ms Campbell will earn around $70,000 in her first year, and said in her second year she could be making more than $100,000.

“They pay for your tools, your uniforms and PPE, and all of your training and certs that come with it – anything to do with working at heights,” she said.

Ms Campbell splits her time between Moranbah and Brisbane and her love for travel is  self-funded from her time working in the mines.

“I really enjoy FIFO, I like the lifestyle,” she said.

“I’ve just been to Bali. I’ve got a trip coming up in October, I’m going to Nepal with Habitat Australia.

“I’m volunteering and building a house for a family. And then I’ve got a trip coming up to go to Fiji.”