2 September 2024

Wonderful turn out for Whitehaven Coal Community Open Day in Boggabri

Around 1500 residents and families from across the region turned out to Boggabri Showground on Saturday for Whitehaven Coal’s annual Community Open Day.

The event brought together people from as far as Coffs Harbour and Tamworth to enjoy an exciting day of free activities, kid’s rides, market stalls and entertainment, as well as information stands for the community to learn more about the coal mining industry.

Whitehaven Coal’s Managing Director and CEO, Paul Flynn, attended the event and said it was a fantastic opportunity to say thank you to residents, local businesses and the broader community who continue to support Whitehaven and its operations in the region.

“Our Community Open Day is one of the most important days on our calendar, and I know it’s one that our people and members of the community look forward to every year,” he said.

“It’s an opportunity for Whitehaven to bring everyone together for a fun family day out while giving back to the community.

“We’re incredibly proud to be a part of this community and we recognise the significant role we have to play as the largest employer in the region to support locals and local businesses.

“We’re especially proud that 75% of our workforce live in the towns around our operational footprint in the Gunnedah Basin – it’s great to be able to share today with them and their families and friends. “

The open day included a full schedule of activities, with families enjoying jumping castles, pony rides, face painting, snow cones, amusement rides and entertainment, as well as market stalls and food vendors.

The guided bus tours of the Maules Creek mine were particularly popular once again, with the community jumping at the chance to get a behind the scenes look at how a working coal mine operates. Attendees at the showground were also given an insight into Whitehaven’s mining processes, with a number of employees on hand to talk about different aspects of the operations and a range of machinery on display such as haulage trucks and excavator buckets.

Local emergency services were in attendance, including the State Emergency Service, Fire and Rescue NSW and the Rural Fire Service. Whitehaven marked the occasion with a special presentation to the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service.

“We were delighted to present the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service with a contribution of $50,000 to support the organisation as it continues to provide an essential service to the community,” said Mr Flynn.

Whitehaven’s contribution to the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service adds to the more than $1.7 million the company and its employees have donated since the Tamworth service was established in 2000.

“We believe the benefits of our operations should be seen and felt locally – last year alone we spent over $660 million here in north west NSW via salaries and wages, local businesses and suppliers, and community investment,” added Mr Flynn.

“We look forward to continuing to work closely with the local community for decades to come.

“Thank you once again to everyone who came along to our 2024 Whitehaven Coal Community Open Day, it was great to see so many familiar faces, local businesses, suppliers and vendors taking part.”

We will be uploading all of the photos from Saturday to our Facebook page over the coming days so make sure you check them out.

 

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