21 October 2025

Rhyannon Paterson: Thriving in Coal Handling and Mentoring at Whitehaven

Since joining Whitehaven more than five years ago, Rhyannon Paterson has built a rewarding career in coal handling and production supervision.

Originally from the Blue Mountains, Rhyannon’s early years were spent moving across Australia; from South Australia to Perth, Melbourne and finally Tamworth, where she’s lived since she was seven. “We moved to Tamworth to be closer to family. It gave us a stronger connection to our grandparents and a sense of stability.”

Before entering the mining industry, Rhyannon worked in payroll and cash handling at Woolworths. A conversation with a family friend who was a Superintendent in mining opened the door to a new opportunity. “The job sort of fell into my lap,” she recalls. “It sounded interesting, and I thought, why not give it a go?”

Starting out as a trainee operator with Programmed at Whitehaven’s Werris Creek mine, Rhyannon quickly found her stride in coal handling, learning the ropes on the dozer and loader. She joined Whitehaven as a permanent employee, progressing into supervisory roles at the coal handling plant and now works as a Production Supervisor at the washery. “It’s a dynamic role. I work closely with logistics and mine planning, manage train blends and forecasts, and lead crews across production.”

A typical day involves inspections, planning for operators, liaising with logistics and mine planning teams, and managing hazards as they arise. She oversees four production crews and coordinates with contractors on specialist tasks. She credits the supportive team environment for helping her grow. “Everyone’s been really welcoming. If you’re new, it can be a bit daunting, but the team is always ready to help.”

Mentorship has played a key role in her career progression. Through the WIMnet mentoring program and guidance from her former Superintendent, Rhyannon has developed strong leadership skills. “I was lucky to have a fantastic mentor. He invested a lot of time in helping me grow,” she said.

“This year I’m doing my second round of WIMnet mentoring and my mentor’s also very good. He’s very experienced with washeries and understands the context of it.”

Looking ahead, Rhyannon is keen to continue developing her skills and one day hopes to have the opportunity to step into a Superintendent role. “I’d like to do some further study to support that goal. I really enjoy mentoring and training others. It’s something I’m passionate about.”

“Whitehaven has given me so many opportunities, including a lot of training and development, which you don’t get in every industry. For that I’m very grateful.”

When asked what she likes most about the mining industry and her role, Rhyannon said, “I love that every day is different. There’s a different challenge. There’s always something new to be learned and it really keeps you on your toes which I like.”

Her advice to anyone considering a career in mining?   “Don’t let your own insecurity or not believing in yourself get in the way of getting stuck into mining, cause if you put your mind to it, you can do it.”

Whitehaven is committed to supporting women in leadership roles. In FY25, the representation of women across our operations was 21.7% and women held 24.1% of all leadership roles. You can learn more about our approach to gender diversity and inclusion in our 2025 Sustainability Report.

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