Abbot Point Operations

06/08/2026

July was one of those months that reminded us why we love being part of the Bowen community. 🤗🥰

We kicked things off by getting a bit messy at the PCYC Bowen NAIDOC Colour Run, where Melissa, Melanie and Kelly ran the sausage sizzle and, from what we hear, took the water bomb duty far more seriously than required. 😅

We also got behind Girudala Community Cooperative Society NAIDOC Family Fun Day, always a great one for the whole family.

Then out came the good shirts for the Whitsunday Regional Council Mayor's Charity Ball, raising money for BMA CQ Rescue Rescue. If you've lived in Bowen for more than five minutes you'll know how often that helicopter is overhead, so getting behind it was a no brainer.

We finished the month back in the classroom, with Marty and Melissa joining the panel at Bowen State High School as part of the CareerForce Australia Career Academy, chatting to students about what a day on the job at APO actually looks like. 🎓

30/07/2026

It's a bird… It's a plane… No, it's super drone! 🛸

We've been using drones at the North Queensland Export Terminal for a while now, and recently we've started trialling AI drone technology to make our structural integrity inspections safer, faster, and more accurate.

This fancy bit of kit can inspect infrastructure in difficult-to-access locations, monitor stockpiles using thermal imaging, survey the terminal with LiDAR technology, help assess conditions after wet weather events, and even spray weeds in remote areas.

We haven't found a hi-vis vest that fits it yet, but we're working on it. 😉

24/07/2026

You know winter’s arrived at the Terminal when the whale spotting competition starts up again 🐋

While we wait with bated breath for the whales to actually arrive, we’re taking the time to enjoy the manta rays as they glide past, and the turtles as they poke their heads up for a breath before disappearing back under. It’s the kind of thing you don’t get sick of watching, no matter how many times you’ve seen it. 😍

16/07/2026

Our conveyor belts get around a bit. Coal at the North Queensland Export Terminal travels from train to stockpile to ship along about 21 kilometres of conveyor system, which is made up of 42 kilometres of belting that hits a top speed of 20 kilometres an hour. Belt by name and belting along by nature, they just keep going and going…

But even the toughest belts hit the end of the road eventually. So what happens next? We don't bin them. The old belting gets a second act, recycled into rubber granules for soft fall surfaces in playgrounds and sports fields, and crumb rubber for sealing roads and construction ♻️.

Guess these belts just don't know how to slow down.

09/07/2026

Turtles, manta rays and a berthside office - what a work experience welcome for our NQXT x JCU: James Cook University, Australia Whitsunday Futures Education Grant recipient Ayva. 🐢

Ayva recently spent a month with our Environment and Community team, getting a firsthand look at how environmental management supports day-to-day port operations.

From environmental inspections and dust and water sampling to monitoring equipment, toolbox talks and prestarts, she experienced the practical side of environmental science. She even took part in an experiment and watched a ship berth and depart from the wharf.

We're proud to support local students explore career pathways and gain real-world experience in industries right here in North Queensland. Thanks for joining us, Ayva, and we wish you all the best for your future studies and career. 🌊💙

02/07/2026

Soooommeeewhheeere over the rainbow… Whether it's the Dorothy or Jimi Hendrix version, when nature hands you a view like this, sometimes you just can't help but sing along. 🎶

01/07/2026

Every year we take on a new crew of local apprentices and trainees, giving locals a world-class foundation to develop their skills and start on their career path.

It's a chance to get a real start close to home. You'll earn a wage while you learn on the job, and finish with a nationally recognised qualification and plenty of experience behind you.

Applications are now open for the 2027 Apprentice and Traineeship program in the following programs:
⚙️ Mechanical Apprenticeship (Certificate III in Engineering – Mechanical Trade)
⚡ Electrical Apprenticeship (Certificate III in Electrotechnology)
🎓 School-Based Traineeship (Certificate II in Engineering)
📦 Warehouse Traineeship (Certificate III in Supply Chain Operations)
💼 Business Administration Traineeship (Certificate III in Business)

Applications close 15 July, link in the comments. Know someone who'd suit it? Tag them and send it their way.

25/06/2026

June's been one of those months where you really see what brings our region together. 🫶

There's the Bowen River Rodeo & Campdraft and the Bowen Pastoral Agricultural Association Inc.'s Bowen Show getting everyone out, the Zonta Club of Bowen doing brilliant work with STEM for girls, mates getting together on the golf course, families at the school events. Not to mention Whitsunday Su***de Prevention Network - WSPN's Legends Night raising over $55k! ❤️

It's the people, the causes and being there for what matters most to our community.

23/06/2026

Are you a uni student thinking about your semester uni break? Here's the move: instead of the usual casual gig, how about 12 weeks PAID working in the resources sector with actual mentors showing you the ropes. 💰

We've just launched the Abbot Point Operations Vacation Program with spots available across:

▪️Information Technology (IT)
▪️Health, Safety, Environment & Community (HSEC)
▪️Engineering
▪️People and Culture

Running from November 2026 to late February 2027. We're after students who bring good energy, work well in a team, and are ready to make the most of it.

Ready to apply? Head over to abbotpointoperations.com.au/the-people/ to check it out and get your application in.

Parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents - know a uni student who'd love it here? Tag them below. Let's get the word out! 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 📣

Our 180-strong local workforce is the foundation of our success, and the pride these men and women have in their work and in their community drives our mission to Grow Local.

17/06/2026

It was all hands on deck for this one. Just like the crib room, the mechanical and electrical offices and the electrical workshop got the full makeover.

They kept it moving non-stop, fitting the work in around normal maintenance and shutdowns and to a tight deadline.

The difference is huge. The old lino is gone, replaced with hard-wearing epoxy floors, new walls, ceilings and lighting. The electrical team picked up custom work benches and big screens keeping an eye on site cameras and systems. Even the stores area got the epoxy treatment.

Hats off to Paul McDonnell Home & Building Services for most of the work, and McLeod's Painting for the floors. Add in our own crews and the other contractors who pitched in, and the job came together. You could even say everything is shipshape 😜