Barrow Island

McGeezerr · 08-04-2014 7:08pm #1

Anyone have any experience of working on this island ?

pete4130 · 08-04-2014 9:16pm

I nearly went there to work. From what I've heard it's pretty remote, a dry island (no alcohol at all). They are strict on safety. Other than usual work camp facilities (en suite room, food provided, rec room, gym) I doubt there's much else to do.
From google maps satellite view you can see the airport, the works etc...
Should be good money though.

Oh, plenty is Mosquitos too seemingly.

minzabud · 09-04-2014 1:57am

Friend of mine has been there 2 years, tough going he's on 27 and off 9 I think.

catbear · 09-04-2014 2:07am

I was talking to guy working there, he says he could only do it for two years max or go insane.

NBTD · 09-04-2014 6:29am

Have been working on Gorgon project since September 2010, spent the first couple of years on the island, then worked in the supply chain in Dampier from Sep 2012 - Sep 2013.

back in the office in Perth now - what do you want to know?

From earlier posters
not a 'dry' island; you are allowed 4 x mid-strength cans / day
no mozzies to talk about - heaps of flies, ticks etc
Extremely strict HS and especially E rules. It is a Class A nature reserve
Very restricted in what you can do, where you are allowed go (not even allowed step off the edge of the road, etc as the Project limited to the amount of land it is allowed to disturb
Camp has all mod cons - all-weather sports pitches, basketball courts, cricket nets, swimming pool, etc

catbear · 09-04-2014 6:42am

Sounds more like a prison camp with wages.

NBTD · 09-04-2014 7:02am

As per most FIFO work, it is a place you go, keep the head down, and count down the rest of your stint.

The rewards are monetary - salaried staff get up to 40% uplift while working away. Lots of people do FIFO for a couple of years to pay off debts / save the deposit for a house.

Wages staff get much higher rates than they would elsewhere, working conditions are very good (despite the 40deg+, H&S is monitored v closely so you will not spend long in the sun without a break) and there are all sorts of overtime, penalties etc available

Peregrinus · 09-04-2014 9:27am

catbear wrote: »

Sounds more like a prison camp with wages.

Yes, but such wages!

aido79 · 09-04-2014 12:05pm

Peregrinus wrote: »

Yes, but such wages!

A lot of the guys I work with refer to it as treasure island for that reason.

Slideways · 09-04-2014 2:01pm

The Gorgon Project: 4 grand a week, to play hide and seek..

McGeezerr · 09-04-2014 7:00pm

NBTD wrote: »

Have been working on Gorgon project since September 2010, spent the first couple of years on the island, then worked in the supply chain in Dampier from Sep 2012 - Sep 2013.

back in the office in Perth now - what do you want to know?

From earlier posters
not a 'dry' island; you are allowed 4 x mid-strength cans / day
no mozzies to talk about - heaps of flies, ticks etc
Extremely strict HS and especially E rules. It is a Class A nature reserve
Very restricted in what you can do, where you are allowed go (not even allowed step off the edge of the road, etc as the Project limited to the amount of land it is allowed to disturb
Camp has all mod cons - all-weather sports pitches, basketball courts, cricket nets, swimming pool, etc

Thanks for the reply glad to hear from someone with experience.

I am just wondering how would I go about applying ?

What kind of jobs are available ?

How intense is the work and if worse came to worse it wasn't for me could I just leave ?

Also, I presume it counts towards regional work ?

Arriving in Perth in two weeks from Ireland, taking the plunge and the nervs are kind of kicking in now !

minzabud · 09-04-2014 10:48pm

The chances of getting up there on a whv would be quite slim id imagine, lot of applications for any position I went through the first round of the recruitment process for a trade assistant job with kentz if you want to check them out.

McGeezerr · 09-04-2014 11:11pm

minzabud wrote: »

The chances of getting up there on a whv would be quite slim id imagine, lot of applications for any position I went through the first round of the recruitment process for a trade assistant job with kentz if you want to check them out.

Yeah my cousin recently got called for a saftey or fitness test I think. Through Kentz too. Unfortunately, I have no qualification so it slims my chances further.

McGeezerr · 09-04-2014 11:30pm

Was looking into it there though it seems alot of work doesn't require a qualification.

NBTD · 10-04-2014 8:02am

McGeezerr wrote: »

Thanks for the reply glad to hear from someone with experience.

I am just wondering how would I go about applying ?

What kind of jobs are available ?

How intense is the work and if worse came to worse it wasn't for me could I just leave ?

Also, I presume it counts towards regional work ?

Arriving in Perth in two weeks from Ireland, taking the plunge and the nervs are kind of kicking in now !

TBH, it is next to impossible to get onto the Project without relevant experience, and by that they are looking for Oil & Gas, FIFO, Australian experience.

As someone else already said, WHV will also slightly count against you - they know you can only work for a max of 6 months - they will spend a bit of money training, inducting, kitting you out and would rather do that on a permanent resident who is likely to hang around for longer.

That said, it's not going to do you any harm submitting your CV. Recruitment site is here http://www.gorgonjobs.kjv.com.au/

This site will direct you to the different contractors who are on the island. Depending on your background, you will probably be looking for a TA (trades assistant) or General Operative role.

Work isn't that strenuous, however the heat will take time to get used to. You will be out working in 40+ sunshine (30deg in winter)

pete4130 · 10-04-2014 8:18am

a WHV will probably be your downfall. I know when I went out to Curtis Island, Bechtel/Connoco Phillips had issue with me being on a bridging visa, which is a rolling 3 month visa. The larger companie want someone with at least 6 months of a visa remaining. This takes out WHV applicants straight away. Like others have said, there is no harm in applying.

The heat here in Central QLD can get pretty hot in summer but from speaking to guys who have worked out in WA, it's a bit more extreme out there.

mandrake04 · 10-04-2014 9:42am

There's always services, someone has to clean the toilets and resupply the tampon machines for the lady miners.

Slideways · 10-04-2014 11:10am

mandrake04 wrote: »

There's always services, someone has to clean the toilets and resupply the tampon machines for the lady miners.

That's not a very constructive comment. As was already said, inductions to barrow take the guts of a month and they are unlikely to go that for a short term employee.

A guy I know went there as a EWP mechanic, a month for inductions. He's doing a 10hr day on 26:9 and it's grossing $305k

I'll stick with my 8:6 in the Pilbara

pete4130 · 10-04-2014 1:10pm

Slideways wrote: »

That's not a very constructive comment. As was already said, inductions to barrow take the guts of a month and they are unlikely to go that for a short term employee.

A guy I know went there as a EWP mechanic, a month for inductions. He's doing a 10hr day on 26:9 and it's grossing $305k

I'll stick with my 8:6 in the Pilbara

It's very constructive actually. On Curtis Island, the cleaners, or "peggy's" as they are called were on $42 per hour plus penalties and were pulling in $3000-$4000 a week, much more than I was on as a sub contractor with a University degree. I would have gladly cleaned toilets for their money.

McGeezerr · 10-04-2014 1:41pm

Thanks for all the information guys. I am going to go a head and apply when I get settled in properly. My cousin said he will try pull a few strings if he makes it also.

Is there anywhere similar to barrow island on or offshore that would provide the same wage, facilties etc. ANd that would be fine with people on a WHV.?

aido79 · 11-04-2014 9:51am

McGeezerr wrote: »

Thanks for all the information guys. I am going to go a head and apply when I get settled in properly. My cousin said he will try pull a few strings if he makes it also.

Is there anywhere similar to barrow island on or offshore that would provide the same wage, facilties etc. ANd that would be fine with people on a WHV.?

There is probably nowhere in the world that you can earn the same money as Barrow island without having a really good set of qualifications and experience. The unions are pretty strong on Barrow island and don't even like the idea of 457 workers being there so they are definitely not going to like whv's there either. It would cost a company around $10,000 to get an employee up there so it would not make much business sense to employ someone who has no experience in such work and who can only stay for 6 months but its still worth a shot no matter how small your chances of getting a job there are.

ifeelill · 11-04-2014 4:34pm

McGeezerr wrote: »

My cousin said he will try pull a few strings if he makes it also.

Thats the only way you're going to get anything there unless you have some experience. Im a graduate and I've been in Australia since November still nothing in the construction industry, getting sick of WA tbh thinking of heading east as the market seems to be a bit more buoyant.

McGeezerr · 13-04-2014 10:28pm

ifeelill wrote: »

Thats the only way you're going to get anything there unless you have some experience. Im a graduate and I've been in Australia since November still nothing in the construction industry, getting sick of WA tbh thinking of heading east as the market seems to be a bit more buoyant.

Im landing to a job in construction but it is just grunt work really. 200 dollars a day which isn't too bad I suppose.

Really do fancy barrow island or something similar to save up money.

mandrake04 · 14-04-2014 1:05am

McGeezerr wrote: »

Really do fancy barrow island or something similar to save up money.

The soup lines in Perth are full of WHV dreamers, a real skill and a real visa is your best bet these days.

McGeezerr · 14-04-2014 1:23am

mandrake04 wrote: »

The soup lines in Perth are full of WHV dreamers, a real skill and a real visa is your best bet these days.

I know plenty of people who have done well for themselves without "real skills".

mandrake04 · 14-04-2014 5:28am

McGeezerr wrote: »

I know plenty of people who have done well for themselves without "real skills".

So have I, but thats just not as easy these days as it was a year or so ago.

Skills and a unrestricted work rights gives a far better chance of getting what your asking, if it was as simple as being unskilled and having a holiday visa then everyone would be at it.... would they not?

I'm not say its nigh impossible but it's long odds, some people are just lucky like the jammy bugger who won $40M lotto last week.

IrishLad2012 · 15-04-2014 4:30pm

McGeezerr wrote: »

I know plenty of people who have done well for themselves without "real skills".

I know a few lads myself who done 'well for themselves' but most of them had a skill, i.e. digger driver, carpenters, electricians, mechanics. Most of the Irish who you meet in bars around Perth on any weekend, will tell you about Johnny who is making x amount on a mine job 'Up North'.
The reality is some lads are lucky and get in with a good crowd or someone who is well established out here and get them in but don't think that you will walk into any mine job, especially not a Barrow Island job, for every job there advertised there is about 100+ applying.

IrishLad2012 · 15-04-2014 4:44pm

McGeezerr wrote: »

I know plenty of people who have done well for themselves without "real skills".

Also I have added the link to apply direct to Gorgon for jobs.
http://www.gorgonjobs.kjv.com.au/

Barrow Island

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