From fifo to a new life in Paraburdoo (continued) That week together was fraught with expectation and disappointment as we struggled to reclaim a sense of normality, and in the blink of an eye I was driving him back to the airport for his next stint away. FIFO is often perceived as a ‘lifestyle choice’ but in our case it was not out of choice but out of necessity since alternatives were thin on the ground. A 2011 federal inquiry into FIFO practices revealed that one in three FIFO workers quit within a year and with good reason. FIFO isn’t for everyone, so the mantra goes, and negative outcomes such as mental illness, substance abuse and marital breakdown have been well documented. Dr Lorraine Sheridan, a psychologist at Curtin University recently commented on the issue: “The available empirical evidence indicates that the FIFO lifestyle can take a social, emotional, and even physical toll on families…loneliness, stress overload and isolation (can occur). Similar problems can exist in military families, but they tend to receive far greater levels of support and preparation from the employing organisation.” But it’s not all bad news; families with older children seen to cope far better. One friend tells me her husband is ‘a better husband’ on FIFO, and appreciates his family far more than he used to. For those who manage to make it work for them, it can be a rewarding way of life – at least financially – since FIFO salaries tend to be significantly higher than their city-based counterparts. For young people looking to get ahead, it can offer a wonderful opportunity to not only save money but climb the career ladder. For our family FIFO was emphatically not working and was starting to take its toll. The children were becoming distant towards their father, who in turn was struggling to feel part of the family. I was sinking into a lonely depression having my husband rationed to one week in four. Then serendipity stepped in – as it so often does in life – and out of the blue my husband was offered a position in Paraburdoo.
People are friendly and there’s a sense of community which barely exists in modern life any more … The Calvey children enjoy the freedom of a Pilbara lifestyle. Photography by Julie Glover
The prospect of reclaiming a normal family situation was too good to resist, and we positively leaped at the opportunity. And so we packed up our lives into a truck and a car, and made the 18 hours drive north; a fascinating and arduous journey through a shifting landscape which couldn’t make up its mind; rolling hills and blackened trees gave way to red rock and scrubby bushland as we sped through the Tropic of Capricorn and towards our new lives. We’re grateful that towns like Paraburdoo and Tom Price exist, since for many FIFO workers, relocating their families to mining towns where they work is out of the question. Tanya Jones, another local resident who has four children between 10 and 16 and whose husband has worked on FIFO for a decade, moved from Perth to Paraburdoo last June and tells me, “I wish I’d done it ten years ago… the only reason we didn’t until now, is because being residential simply wasn’t an option where he was working.” And that’s the crux of it; the infrastructure in many of these remote mining towns is not capable of sustaining these families.
Page 3 | Inside Ashburton | May–June 2013
The news that Rio Tinto and the Shire of Ashburton are planning to develop and improve facilities and services in the areas of Paraburdoo, Tom Price and Pannawonica, is very welcome and will not just improve life for those already resident, but will attract many more families to the area. It’s a move in the right direction, and sends the message that both FIFO workers, their families and the mining communities they work in, matter. Like FIFO, small town living may not be for everyone. For us it is perfect; the children can walk to school and play out until dusk, with no need to be taxied around for arranged play dates. And despite the remoteness of the area, there are plenty of opportunities, you just need to dig around a little and use your imagination. People are friendly and there’s a sense of community which barely exists in modern life any more. Basically we have moved to 1962 with broadband! With the new initiatives in place, life in the Pilbara can and will improve, giving many families who are currently on FIFO the opportunity to live together in these vibrant and developing communities. By Claire Calvey