Some careers are measured in years – Bruce Winn’s is measured in draglines and friendships, built shift by shift over four decades.
When Bruce arrived at Curragh Mine in 1986 as the 486th person ever hired, the mine was in the middle of a major expansion, and in many ways, so was Bruce. What followed was a remarkable journey from service person to supervisor, underpinned by an unwavering commitment to learning, to his workmates and to the job.
Bruce joined Curragh in 1986 alongside 14 other service persons and operators, arriving at a site that had just built DL303 and was growing fast. Starting as a service person, Bruce quickly began working his way through the full range of mobile plant equipment: grader, dozer, loader, shovel and scraper with the dream of being a Dragline Operator. For anyone working in the mining industry in the late 1980s and early 1990s, that was one job that stood above all others.
In 1992, after years of building his skills across the fleet, Bruce began his dragline traineeship. It took eight months of dedicated training before he was ready to sit in the seat of DL303. Even following that, the first month was a lesson in patience with only a few minutes at the controls at a time. Bit by bit, hour by hour, the machine became familiar. Over the years that followed, Bruce would operate all five draglines at Curragh spending around six months on each machine. It was a comprehensive education and one that gave Bruce an unmatched understanding of how Curragh worked at its most fundamental level.
For 15 years he served as a relief supervisor, stepping up to lead crews while never losing touch with the work on the ground. In 2024, that long-standing contribution was recognised with his appointment to a full-time supervisory role; a fitting milestone for someone who has dedicated virtually his entire working life to Curragh.
One of the things that defines Bruce’s career is his attitude toward new equipment and new challenges. Throughout his time at Curragh, he has been willing and eager to take on any new piece of equipment that has come to site, and he has worked hard to maintain those skills over the years. With 295 skills to his name, even now he still steps onto the dragline from time to time, because some things once learned are never forgotten.
With 40 years in the seat and having witnessed some of the most challenging and memorable moments in Curragh’s history, Bruce has more than a few stories to tell. But if you ask Bruce what has kept him at Curragh for nearly four decades the answer isn’t complicated: it’s the people. Those relationships are what makes a career like his possible.
Bruce Winn’s career at Curragh is a testament to what collaboration, accountability, respect and a drive for excellence can build. Congratulations, Bruce, on this remarkable milestone. Thank you for everything you have given to Curragh Mine, and to your workmates.
