WEDNESDAY 22 NOVEMBER     RV1

Low 40’s.

There were only 4 company men working here now, 5 at RV2, with some subbies at both sites.

Had a minor vehicle collision on site this morning. P’s son was going out on the morning plane, but for some reason before he left, went to jump start his dad’s vehicle,  still in gear. It jumped forward and hit the Canter. Minor damage. Unfortunately, the FMG Safety Officer, from Hedland, who we’d had some issues with, every time he visited the site, was here at the time. He was an officious little man whom nobody liked. He then saw the lad working on the forklift for a few minutes, whilst waiting for John, wearing his casual gear and thongs. Safety man reported it, of course. So A, who was in charge here, had to deal with the lad. I had to deal with the FMG man – lucky me!

Another variety of reptile around camp – funny shaped little fellow.

J took P’s son to the morning plane and then collected R and M and another of the company men, from the midday plane. Then he had to go back to Hedland to collect two subbies from the afternoon plane, which was late. So he was away for much of the day, and booked up some extra work hours at night.

The company guy John collected from leave, was told to stay at RV1 to help with the tail end incidentals. So he had to take the Canter to RV2 to collect his gear. While he was down there, he fixed the phones – which had gone u/s again – following instructions given to him by the comms company before he left RV1.

M and R were to move to RV2 now – more cleaning and unpacking for M.

There was a gas problem with the vegetable coolroom refrigeration unit.

A – in charge at RV1 – was convinced the beer garden would not meet the Shire regulations, and that some wall would have to be removed.

The temporary bubbler cooler units installed in the ice room now appeared to have worked to cool the water enough for the three ice machines to now be churning out sufficient ice cubes. A win, at last!

TUESDAY 21 NOVEMBER     RV1

Mid 40’s. The heat just went on and on.

Lots of oddments were being worked on about the camp.

The roller door for the wet mess would be made in Adelaide and a transport company would bring it here.

Tonight, seven of the Pod 2 rooms were used by Spotless – the first of the rooms in that Pod to be used, apart from ours.

SPQ unit made up for occupancy

The sewer firms was training the two bosses about the sewer and water. Bet they loved that!

A company would be in to surface the sports court here about 11 December, and at RV2 about 18th.

Sports court ready for surfacing – taken from high up

I had to call the Shire Inspector to clarify how much open space – as opposed to walls – was needed for the beer garden – because of people smoking. Could be an issue because the decks came with a certain amount of wall holding up the roof! If they head to be replaced with open beams or something, that would be a big hold up.

Beer garden decks just placed – too much wall?

John did two trips to Hedland. When these involved the Acco tiptruck, it got pretty uncomfortable because it had no cooling system. At least the Bongo Bus had air con.

The gensets went down again in the morning, for a while and again in the afternoon. I could see more breakdowns of electrical equipment looming! Spotless was concerned about how the gensets would cope when there was a full camp, instead of only a third full,  as now. They were also worried about what the fuel usage by them would be then. Thank God that bit of equipment was nothing to do with our contract.

I went down to RV2 again, to do the office work down there. Quite enjoyed the drive – I found the country interesting, although many wouldn’t. The phones and modems appeared to be working alright there, now.

BB went to Perth, with P.  Two of the more experienced workers were left in charge at each site. Several of the men were on leave break from RV2.

At RV2 they had to order in two big truck loads of water to fill the pool because the water was not connected there yet. One of the men came down with heat stroke.

A problem was found at RV2. All the newly installed office modules had to be re-lifted to comply with correct step height. It took 3 men 6 hours to do that. The electrical conduits would have to be altered as a result. This was another K stuff up – he should have realized that the ground at RV2 was more sloping than at RV1 which affected the steps needed.

Reptiles were adapting to the camp – nice home under that path!

SATURDAY 18 NOVEMBER     RV1

Again in the low 40’s and humid. There was a storm in the late afternoon.

The head FMG man from Hedland had a meeting with BB at RV2. They were really putting pressure on us to have the Pod 2 rooms here available for Spotless to fully make up. They said the rooms must be in use for tomorrow, because they were expecting forty people in for some sort of ceremony to mark the signing over of the camp (which hadn’t fully happened yet!). Guess that was the original schedule?

Site management office – with lots of air-cons!

The fence around the kitchen loading dock area was being built.

The electrical company men were off on a leave break. Just when we really needed someone to deal with little electrical problems and finish things off in Pod 2, there was no one here.

A man arrived (via airport and John) to fix the sewer issues. The pool installation man also arrived in.

Two of our storage containers were shifted to RV2 on the second company semi. That, with its driver L, had been based here since we started moving buildings to RV2, with L helping out about the place when the truck was not in use.

BB’s Landcruiser had two flat tyres – one when BB was driving, one when L was driving it on some errand.

The mechanic was back – again – and serviced the bongo bus.

John did two trips to Hedland. Reckon he could drive that road in his sleep.

Camp gas supply

BB asked me to go down to RV2 and do any work that was needed at the office there, since S was out on leave.

I drove our Truck down there. Got to see the traffic controllers mandated by BHP, still at work down there. Sitting in their vehicle at the track corner, waiting for the occasional truck. What a boring job.

It struck me again how much drier, rough  and bleak RV2 seemed, compared to RV1.

There wasn’t much to do, apart from trying to make some order out of the mess that K created out of anything paperwork. I prepared a couple of letters that BB dictated – was quite impressed with my keyboarding speed, if I do say so myself.

Heat stress was an issue at RV2, and I could see why, especially since several of the men were working on installing veranda roofs. BB was letting the men knock off an hour early because of the heat. There were major storms around there yesterday and today, with heavy rain having fallen between RV2 and the Hillside road – I’d driven through lots of puddles and there was water over the road in a couple of places.

Despite the rain, there were several fires burning in the area, and a heavy smoke haze

Fires to the north at RV2

I brought back path lights for RV1 – they had fetched up down there on one of the trucks.

Dusk in camp – no path lights yet.

TUESDAY 14 NOVEMBER     RV1

Conditions today were most unpleasant. Lots of dark cloud built up in the afternoon, there was thunder, rain at night, and a strong smell of smoke around.

R left in the morning, to see the FMG head man in Hedland, then drive on to Broome.

Stage 1 was signed off on today. It took just eight weeks to do all that – amazing. So Pod 1  could  be occupied, and the kitchen/mess serve meals, and the admin office function. This meant that there was accommodation for more than 100 people to actually work on the railway construction nearby.

Lay down area converted to carpark. All vehicles to be left here and camp occupants to walk in to their rooms

The whole idea behind the construction camps was that the railway builders would not have to go too far to reach their work site – only about 50kms maximum, each way. At the Hedland end, such workers were accommodated in a town camp, like those building the port facility for FMG. At the mine end, there would be a camp for the mine that would be a temporary base for rail workers. And then, in between at about 50kms intervals, were RV1 and RV2. When the railway was built, the plan was for our two camps to be demolished again and removed, except perhaps for part of one that would be a base for rail upkeep staff, like Redmont Camp was for the BHP crews. R had said he thought this would be part of RV2, not here. So, at this stage, all the buildings we were putting in still belonged to our company – in effect, they were on lease to FMG. That was going to be a lot of buildings for our company to eventually re-use, or sell, I guessed. But that was a few years away yet.

Finishing off the First Aid Centre and ambulance bay – later found to be too low for the ambulance to get under!

Some of the men were “landscaping – tidying up the site, spreading gravel at the sides of the paths so there was not an abrupt drop.

The most worrying emerging issue was that the ice machines were not functioning as they should – either not working at all, or producing a minimal output. I was told to phone around – distributors, manufacturers, whoever, and see what could be done. I spent hours  on the phone to places as far afield as Perth and North Queensland. I stressed that the water coming into the machines was hot – it took some doing to convince the men I spoke to that this was not intentional, and that it was the cold water supply that was hot! I found it hard to believe this was the first time there had been such a problem. Several people said they would think about it and get back to me.

Spotless reported some broken toilets in Pod 2, faults with smoke alarms, locks and keys. I dreaded the ongoing litany of faults. But they were only doing their job. They gave a big list of faults to P, who was now in charge here. I phoned and booked a glazier to come and replace a window in a SPQ unit in Pod 3, that had been broken in transit here.

Swimming pool change rooms; gym; wet mess

One of the odd little buildings that had been puzzling me when they came in turned out to be a small set of toilets for outside the kitchen. As the set up was happening today, it was found that the two toilets in the female part were cracked – probably happened in transport. So now John would be buying toilet bowls!

The genset refuel took 3 hours.

John did two Hedland trips – a load to the tip and later met the late afternoon plane, to pick up the guy from the sewerage installation company, come to fix the problems with that. We were continuing to move plant and gear to RV2. There was a real sense of things coming to an end, here. At RV2, they had started doing verandas on the SPQ dongas.

Approval was FINALLY granted for us to move into RV1 accommodation, by the FMG person at Hedland. However, short term subbies and those transiting overnight to/from RV2 had to keep using the Fly Camp. That would make our workers here happy, after putting up with less than optimal conditions at the Fly Camp.

A fuel tanker arrived about 6pm to fill the large genset tank. It should then go on to automatic operation and fuelling, and be the responsibility of the Spotless managers. We would be very glad about that!

When we finished work for the day, finished packing up our gear at Fly Camp and towed the van up the road to RV1. A milestone event for us! We had decided we would park the van up at the end of Pod 2, where we could pull it in against the verandah. We had been allocated two adjacent rooms there by Spotless, but could continue to sleep in the van, if we wished. But we now had a bathroom each – I was in heaven! We plugged our power lead into an outlet in one of the rooms.

So we could have the van there, to keep it secure. But it was a long walk to the mess, and to my office – right down at the other end of the site.

Our van parked outside our Pod 2 rooms

Would like to report that I had a long, luxurious shower before bed – but in reality it was a fast one. The water coming overland from the bore in an uncovered pipe got very heated along the way, and had not had long enough in the holding tank to cool down much. No need for the hot water tap – the cold tap provided water too hot for comfort!

SATURDAY 11 NOVEMBER     NORTH POINT CAMP

Into the mid 40’s again.

It was becoming a really frenetic effort to get this Village done. We had 13 people working on this site now, plus 2 from the A/C firm, 1 electrician and 3 other subbies

My office work was steady in the morning – with much interruption from bloody Spotless managers. In the afternoon – after HO was closed – I got onto Pod 3 serial number collection and got about half done. Was quite pleased with my effort.

Spotless reported that the dishwasher (industrial strength) was faulty.

Kitchen and the problem dishwasher

The fire safety company – whose quote, incidentally HO had freaked out about – came and tested the fire hose reels, brought the extra extinguishers that were needed and plastic bags to cover each extinguisher in the place – something else I would never have conceived of. They were the only company in the region doing this sort of work. The guy spent most of the day doing all that stuff.

Refuelling those gensets took 5 hours today! Later, came word that FMG had arranged for a fuel tanker to assist with this.

John had a Hedland trip. He brought Brickie back – his semi was still in dock in there, having some repairs done.

Clothes lines were set in cement for each of the 6 laundries. The ice room was set up, the plumbing and electricals connected and the big ice making machines installed. They did not work well – perhaps heat affected?

The ice room and its proper functioning were essential for this place. Before the rail work crews  headed out, each morning, they would fill insulated drinking containers with ice cubes. These would melt through the day and provide them with cool drinking water – and they would drink a lot in these temperatures. No ice meant no work!

Hole dug for swimming pool. More of John’s mesh work – and post hammering-in work!

Hole dug for swimming pool. More of John’s mesh work….and post hammering-in work!

We were very weary by the end of the day, and the end of our working week. It was very nice to relax in the relative cool of the van, with a bottle of wine – our weekly treat.

MONDAY 6 NOVEMBER     NORTH POINT CAMP

It was the usual busy Monday morning in the office – as HO fired up after the weekend.

The cement company was supposed to deliver concrete to us on Saturday, but it had not come. I had to phone about that. They said their girl was not at work and they couldn’t get the details! I said my boss would be even unhappier with them than he already was. They rang back and said it should be here by 11am! It was.

Had a to and fro phone conversation with the maker of the office modules about the missing air cons. He thought we were meant to supply them. I checked with HO who said it was his role. I phoned him back to say that and then batted the whole thing to HO to sort out.

Three men from Spotless arrived, and there was a large delivery of goods for Spotless – two truck loads.  A bit quick off the mark, I thought.

Truckloads of stuff for Spotless

John took a load of rubbish to the Hedland tip.

Pilbara country

My routine afternoon was interrupted when one of the men – T – was injured. An angle grinder wheel disintegrated and a piece cut into his leg – quite deeply. Well beyond my first aid skills – and equipment. I drove him over to the neighbouring Wodgina Mine, where the paramedic stitched and dressed it. The lad was admirably stoic. I waited outside the first aid room. It took a while. Back at the site, T decided he would go back to work!

I then had to write up an Incident Report for HO.

John and R decided that we would have a little Melbourne Cup Day party tomorrow. John would run a sweep on the race. Whilst in Hedland, he did a shop for food and drink supplies – spent about $220. The plan was that the men would stop work, listen to the Cup broadcast, have finger foods and soft drink, then resume work. It was assumed by both men that I would somehow organize the preparation of the food! The logistics of trying to heat up cocktail frankfurts and party pies and the like  with only one small and feeble microwave oven would be a challenge…..

Back at camp, I managed to sweet talk the cooks into letting me use their kitchen facilities tomorrow.

Fly Camp at night

Got some more serial numbers from Pod 2 done.

BB and boss lady arrived at Fly Camp well after tea. They had tried to come all the way on the BHP Rail Access road and somehow gotten lost.

THURSDAY 2 NOVEMBER     NORTH POINT CAMP

Sunrise at Fly Camp

John was put up on the forklift to take aerial photos of progress to send to HO. The scale of the place was such that this was the only way to obtain a clear idea of progress.

Infrastructure being established – water plant, gensets near it, sewer plant centre rear

Watching John on high

8 more dongas were moved south.

Loading up with buildings for RV2

S and I had a discussion, requested by HO, about Xmas and timing in relation to workers flying out for their break over that time. She intimated that she and N might not want to return after the Xmas break for the rest of the RV2 project. I thought she was finding the conditions hard – and having to do the cleaning work. She certainly did not like having to associate with some of the men – I didn’t blame her there! I said that we could fly back and do the last few weeks, if necessary, as long as we  (a) were  home for Xmas, and (b) got the van out before any cyclones. We would not be prepared to leave it here over the holiday break! So, she now knew all that and could use it in any discussions she night have with her friend, boss lady. However, I did think that N was quite keen to come back though  – think he was finding the work interesting. I wondered who would prevail. He had been sent to RV2 to help down there all day but had to come back at night, partly due to room shortages down there and partly because there was no way S would stay alone here at night.

I had to send an email to HO for John. He had discovered that the meter on the FMG provided fuel tank at the Fly Camp was very inaccurate – like out by 80 litres in 200, and not in our favour. Since the company was being charged for fuel used for its vehicles – and ours – this must be addressed.

The quote came in from the fencing people and I forwarded that to HO. I also had to organize a quote from a fire safety service company – the only one in this part of the Pilbara – to come out and check and tag the fire extinguishers that were on each of the buildings, in the kitchen and around the place in general. That was a lot of fire extinguishers! By regulation, it had to be done. They would also need to supply more of same.

My son phoned about 5pm. Was great to hear from him. They had just bought my grand daughter her first school uniforms for next year – she was growing up fast.

MONDAY 30 OCTOBER     NORTH POINT CAMP

Yesterday, work had started on putting the verandas onto the Pod 3 dongas, cleaning the kitchen/diner, and fitting out Pod 2. The hole for the swimming pool was dug. The water pipe from the bore to the village was being laid, in the scrub beside the road.

During today, 8 SPQ’s were moved from RV 1 to RV2, and another 5 arrived directly from down south.

A lot was happening at RV1 now. The kitchen, Pods 2 and 3, the ice room and the first aid room were all areas of work.

John had a trip into Hedland for supplies.

The Acco got another flat tyre.

R was busy on the phone in the morning, trying to track down the errant truck with its load of steel, that had been supposed to be on the road from Darwin yesterday. Truck was still in Darwin. Its driver had spent Saturday night in jail – drunk and disorderly! The Darwin manager bailed him out yesterday – and then he had to sober up before he could drive. R was really steaming! Not only did we not have the steel, but we were a truck short for moving dongas to RV2. Decided I did not want to be within earshot when Brickie finally arrived!

News came through that the first swimming pool had been fabricated – in Alice Springs – and the second was under way. Both pools were expected to be installed in mid November.

In the late afternoon, there was a massive hail and rain storm, with quite strong winds. The building site got really muddy – nasty red mud. The track back to Fly Camp was very wet, with water over the road. There was even a little puddle in the river channel – one small pool. When we got back to camp, after work, found that in the strong winds, the small tarp on our van was torn and the bigger one on the other end was blown off. We took them both down. Inside the van was all dry – lucky really, because we’d left the back window of the van open, under its tarp. There must have been just enough protection….

BB turned up, late in the evening. He had been expected earlier, but had two flat tyres on the Landcruiser, on the way up from RV2, where he’d been to check on progress there.