2016 Graduate follows in big brother’s footsteps at WASM

Josh Chiat Kalgoorlie Miner Monday May 8

Fifty years ago Max King graduated from the WA School of Mines, ahead of a career that saw him become a lecturer, one of the most respected prospectors in the State and a pioneer in the local drilling industry.

In fact he literally wrote the book on drilling — the Australian Drilling Industry Training Committee’s Drillers Manual to be precise.

But there were few more special moments in the mining industry for Coolgardie’s King than on Friday night, when his youngest brother David graduated for the first at the same ceremony his 1967 graduating class was honoured.

David, the youngest of 10 children born to acclaimed local historian and Kalgoorlie-Boulder Walk of Fame award recipient Norma King, was just five when former Amalgamated Leaseholders and Prospectors Association president Max graduated.

Now he holds a diploma all of his own, a graduate diploma in Mineral Exploration Geoscience awarded at the WASM graduation ceremony at the WMC Conference Centre on Friday night.

The mine foreman, who works at Pantoro on the Nicholsons Find Gold Mine near Halls Creek, said his journey started with fish fingers at his brother’s prospecting leases in the early 80s.

“He used to get me out to dig all the holes for him. He’d offer me as many fish fingers as I could eat and I’d dig a hole for him,” David said.

“Him and his partner Frank they used to mash up the potatoes and give me fish fingers and I’d keep digging all day.

“When we started I used to visit his shows out there, you’d getdigging underground and start looking for the little veins of gold.”

Having his older brother at the ceremony was the icing on the cake for David, who initially planned to be the black sheep in a family of academics driven by their late mother’s thirst for knowledge.

“It meant the world, he’s been driving me through all these years like all the other members of the family,” David said.

“Coming out of the Depression mum drove everybody to be academics and I just showed her my hands and said ‘I’m going to be like dad, earn a living with my hands’.

“After a while I thought looking at mum, she wrote a few books around the place and kept active in the mind, and she said to me ‘you’ve got to keep your mind active’, so I followed that lead.”

The moment enhanced the nostalgia trip for Max, who was honoured alongside fellow 1967 graduates Cecil Pearson, Adrian May, Eugene Dombrose and Geoff Carroll.

“It was very special, a lot of memories came back today … but walking around the old school where I used to work and where I studied was quite special and having my brother here as well was very special,” he said.

WASM Alumni Awards 2017 Life Membership to Founder of WIMWA

The WA School of Mines Alumni Council is delighted to announce it has awarded the 2017 Life Membership Award to Sabina Shugg.
Sabina Shugg is a 1993 Mining Engineering graduate and has made a significant contribution to the Alumni over a 10 year period of continuous service as a council member and as a prominent member of the mining fraternity.

Sabina has been a very effective at introducing, providing and contributing to:

  • the increase in female WASMA members
  • the increase in female enrolment to WASM
  • an increase in secondary students studying STEM subjects especially females.
  • introducing major sponsors to WASMA programs
  • providing links to political and industry leaders
  • contributing to the mentoring program
  • Forming a long term partnership between WASMA and WIMWA
  • contributing to WASMA matters using her extensive external network
  • Very effective at helping and guiding members of the council and the COO.

Sabina has almost singlehandedly been a beacon and pathfinder for women in mining which is extremely important to the function and success of the Alumni.

In addition to her contributions to WASMA she has been widely recognised by her peers and other institutions

  • 2008 MBA @ UWA
  • 2003 Founder and Director of Women in Mining WA. A Partner with WASMA
  • 2010 Inaugural Women in Resources Champion in the Chamber of Mines and Energy of Western Australia Women in Resources Awards, for being an outstanding role model to people in the resources industry and the broader community.
  • 2011 One of the first 100 women to be inducted into the WA women’s Hall of Fame
  • 2013 Woman of influence award winner by the Australian Financial Review
  • 2013 Named as one of the 100 Global Inspirational Woman in Mining
  • 2015 Awarded an Order of Australia for her significant service to the mining industry through executive roles in the resources sector and as a role model and mentor to women
  • 2016 Curtin’s Alumni Professional Achievement Award