Today, our Northparkes Operations celebrated 30 years of operations. An official ceremony was held onsite with The Hon. Courtney Houssos MLC, NSW Minister for Natural Resources, unveiling a plaque to commemorate this important milestone in the history of an outstanding copper and gold mining operation. Our Northparkes General Manager Rob Cunningham, who joined Northparkes himself in 1994, was Master of Ceremonies.
The Bogan Billa Cultural Dance Group acknowledged the magnificent country on which we proudly gathered, performing dances passed down over generations. Our Managing Director and CEO, Lawrie Conway extended a warm welcome to guests and recognised Northparkes’ longstanding Joint Venture partner, Sumitomo - represented by Romina Bratton and Jiro Uesugi - whose commitment to Northparkes dates to 1992. We were joined by Phil Donato MP, Member for Orange, Parkes Shire Council Mayor Neil Westcott, neighbours, community members and our employees – who, as everyone agreed, are what make Northparkes great.
Lawrie Conway said, “As a business and a community, we are united here today by a combination of assets and attributes: Northparkes is a quality, long-life copper-gold asset; we have a clear focus on safe, reliable operations; shared care for and commitment to community; and a bold vision for the future.
"Your collective presence is greatly valued and is one of the key attributes that makes Northparkes unique; and that is, a strong sense of place and community. We recognise the value we safely create together is vital for our continued success as a company and as a community.
“Today we celebrate three decades of operations. Given Northparkes’ location in one of Australia’s most prospective copper-gold belts, its long history of successful discovery and growth and talented, committed people, I look forward to seeing what the next decades hold, and beyond," concluded Lawrie Conway.
Many stories were told, with respects paid to the past and hopes shared for the future. A highlight was hearing the recollections of Tony Melhuish and ian rowe who have each worked at Northparkes for 30 years.
To everyone who has contributed to the Northparkes story: thank you for the part you've played in today's milestone and, most importantly, to our dedicated Northparkes employees.
