On Thursday the 25^th of September 16 grade 9 and 10 students from Parklands High visited Savage River to learn about careers in the mining industry.

The day was cold and wet, it was literally hailing while getting off the bus at Savage River!

Students learned about Grange Resources, and the career histories of some of the employees there.

We then got onboard the 4wd bus for a bit of a tour of the mine site.  Seeing the sheer size of the pit was pretty amazing, as was the size of the dump trucks.  The CAT 777, which is the “little” dump truck on site, still carries a hundred tonnes of weight and is wider than a road.  Students got to climb up on a CAT 789 which is the main truck used on site, and carries two hundred tonnes.  These are very impressive pieces of machinery. 

A highlight was driving on the truck simulator, used to train new operators before they drive the trucks for real.  Those students interested in a career as a mechanic or fitter also found the workshop and maintenance areas super interesting.

After too short a visit we had to get on the bus back to Burnie.

Overall, this was an excellent day out.  Big thanks to Miss Wescombe and the Smith Family for organising the day, and especially to Grange Resources for their hospitality.