At just 19 years old, Megan is the youngest female shiploader operator at our Cape Lambert port in Western Australia. Following in the footsteps of her dad and grandfather, Megan has quickly built confidence in her role and helped load our 8 billionth tonne of iron ore in May 2026, 60 years after the first shipment set sail from Western Australia for Japan. 

“Even though my family have worked here for generations, mining wasn't something I’d planned on going into when I was at school. But the opportunity came up and I thought I'd give it a go.  

“I've learned a lot and it's turned out to be something I really enjoy. I really like that every shift is a bit different – we start with a mini pre-start, hand over with the last shift, then spend the shift monitoring the ship loader, communicating with the team and making sure everything is running safely and efficiently. 

"When I first started, I was surprised by the size of everything. You don't really realise how big the equipment and operation are until you're actually out there. I was also surprised by how much teamwork goes into keeping everything running. 

"For now, I'm focused on learning as much as I can and becoming better at what I do. The biggest lesson I've learned is to never stop asking questions – there’s always something new to learn, and the people around you have a lot of knowledge and experience that they're happy to share. 

"It was exciting to be the one to load the 8 billionth tonne on the ship – it’s a bit of an honour. And it's pretty cool to be able to say I'm the youngest female Ship Loader Operator. I don't really think about it too much day-to-day, but if it encourages other young women to give mining a go, then that's a good thing. 

"My advice to anyone considering a career in mining is don't rule it out just because it's something different. Give it a go, ask plenty of questions and be willing to learn. There are a lot of opportunities and good people who will help you along the way.”

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