The resources boom is luring more and more country men to take up lucrative positions in the mining industry and that means increasing Outback employment opportunities for grey nomads … and for women.
In the past five years, the number of people – mostly men – employed in mining has risen from 117,000 to 161,000. The changing landscape has had a very noticeable impact. Here at www.thegreyomads.com.au, for example, the number of advertisements for help wanted at cattle stations and bush-based businesses has surged over recent months (with most vacancies filled within days).
And, according to the Daily Telegraph, about half the 120 station hands employed by cattle company S. Kidman and Co. on its stations are now women. Kidman spokeswoman Jane McCauley told the newspaper the number of female applicants for stock work had jumped in the past four years. “Generally, we employ people who want a long-term position in the Australian beef industry because we spend a lot of time training people,” she said. “We have senior female employees in our stock camps who could go on to take leading hand or overseer positions and one has recently been promoted to head stockperson.”
Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows more females are employed in farming than 20 years ago, and females make up a much higher proportion of total employees. While horse-riding and quad bike experience is clearly required for many station jobs, vacancies are also being created in subsidiary and supporting positions.
In 1984, there were 254,400 men and 46,300 females employed on Australian farms compared to 171,900 men and 49,200 females today.
