“An opportunity came up to do a relief in Newman for about two to three months,” Steven chuckles, reflecting on his first few months in Newman. “I really enjoyed my time up here and I applied for the role. It was a challenge for us. We had a two-week-old baby when we moved here. But my wife has joined mums & bubs playgroups, and the kids, the way they've adapted into the school environment, has been fantastic,” he says.
In a mining town where the population ebbs and flows with the demands of work available, Steven’s sense of connection is what keeps the wheels turning.
“Being in such a remote town like this, we have a population of 6000-7000 people. In the off season, we're looking at about 3500 people in town. With such changes, we really do become a bit of a consistent cornerstone of the community,” Steven says.