MinRes is set to begin construction on two resort-style accommodation villages that will set a new standard for the fly-in, fly-out lifestyle in Australia’s mining and resources industry.
We recently placed an order for 750 rooms at our Onslow Iron project in the Pilbara, with each spanning 45 square metres of living space – three times the size of traditional FIFO accommodation.
The apartment-like rooms will feature a queen size bed, separate ensuite, laundry with washer and dryer, kitchenette, lounge, big screen television with video call function and a balcony.
Each pair of rooms – known as a “pod” – will be linked by walkways and configured like a resort, with shared gathering spaces, barbecue areas and places for quiet reflection.
The resorts were designed to prioritise the health and wellbeing of our workforce, with the aim of encouraging more women and couples to work on Australia’s newest iron ore project.
An Olympic-size swimming pool, indoor fitness centre and gym, café serving barista-made coffee and a recreation building with cinema, golf simulators and pool tables are among the features.
There will also be multi-purpose courts for basketball, tennis and volleyball, a football oval with goal posts, cricket nets, a mini golf course, a fitness park with outdoor gym facilities and a wellness loop with running track.
The restaurant will serve an al a carte menu and have alfresco dining. This secure, community environment will also prioritise safety by including enhanced security measures such as CCTV.
Our Chief People and Shared Services Officer, Bronwyn Grieve, said:
“Our people are the foundation of MinRes’ success and that’s why we’ll give them the best FIFO village experience in the sector.
“As the race to attract and retain the best talent intensifies, we know our focus on workplace wellness will help set us apart.
“We’re rolling out resort-style accommodation villages across our long-life mine sites, starting with our landmark Onslow Iron project.
“The accommodation and amenities at Onslow Iron will set a new standard, helping to change the FIFO culture and contribute to the project’s success.”
Subject to satisfying conditions, construction will start at the 500-room Ken’s Bore Resort in the first half of this year and then continue in the second half at the 250-room Onslow Resort.
Onslow Resort is located close to the town site to integrate with the local community. We will also build 10 four-bedroom homes in Onslow to attract more families to relocate to the town and become a part of the community.
The Onslow Iron project will ship around 35 million tonnes of iron ore per year from mid-2024, creating an estimated 2100 construction jobs and 6300 indirect jobs during the construction phase.
The resorts were designed by Milieu Creative, the same architecture and design studio behind MinRes’ state-of-the-art headquarters in Osborne Park.
Opened last year, 20 Walters Drive set a new benchmark for workplace wellbeing, including subsidised restaurant and café, 1000 square metre fitness centre, wellness centre and creche.
The plan is to roll-out resort-style accommodation to MinRes’ other sites in Western Australia, starting later this year at the Mt Marion lithium operation near Kalgoorlie.
All employment opportunities for Onslow Iron will be listed on the MinRes Careers website: https://careers.mineralresources.com.au/
