Supporting thriving regional communities
Ausco Modular prides itself on servicing all corners of our vast country. Aside from the modular solutions we provide, we understand the impact of our activities in remote and regional communities. No team understands that more than our project managers and remote accommodation team.
When building up a remote workers' accommodation facility or installing a modular school or public health centre, our project management teams can spend between two weeks and two years in a community. On one occasion, the team was there for four years. When onsite, the team stay in the local pubs. They spend their evenings with the local community members getting to know what is needed.
Over the last two years, Jamie Smith and his team have travelled throughout Queensland from Kidston to Windorah to Quilpie and Morven. In that time, he noticed it was usually small but critical repairs, maintenance or construction that a town needs, something which one of Australia’s largest modular construction companies is more than qualified to supply.
When building the Macintyre Wind Farm workers' accommodation, the team stayed in Karara and heard about a robbery at the local hall. The community needed to replace cooking appliances for local community events. Ausco had pie warmers, a fridge and hot plates which were no longer needed and happily donated to the people of Karara so the community had a fully functioning hall once again.
While installing the new public health centre in Windorah, the team repaired the front entrance to the local post office. They also serviced the Windorah Hotel’s cooking equipment and installed commercial laundry appliances. Both the post office and hotel are critical social infrastructure in this remote community.
It was the same story in Einasleigh in North Queensland or White Cliffs, Morven and Mitchell where the local hotel or community hall required support. At the same time, any excess construction materials or equipment is often donated to the local stations simultaneously reducing project waste and supporting the local farms.
Yet one of the most elegant initiatives enacted by Ausco Modular’s project managers is the Container for Change donation.
“When we arrive in a community, we find out who manages the Containers for Change program. It is often the local school or charity. Then it simply means we include an onsite IBC (cubic metre container) on the project for the team to throw their water bottles and cans. At the end of the job, we ‘donate’ it for the local Containers for Change program and the community keeps the refund,” explained Jamie Smith, project manager for remote accommodation.
It is so simple in its design but so impactful in its application. Not only does the Ausco Modular team reduce waste to landfill but they also support a local community initiative. In the case of Karara State School, with the refund of donated containers from Ausco’s team, the school could take the students to Tangalooma, an activity that would have otherwise been challenging for a school of 13 children.
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