Quick Answer
Boilermaker jobs in Mackay are consistently in demand — driven by Bowen Basin shutdown campaigns, HME repair scopes, CHPP maintenance, and OEM workshop rebuilds in Paget. Key facts:
- Typical pay: $50–$75/hr base for tradesperson roles, with shutdown rates often $65–$90+/hr
- Biggest workshop employers: Hastings Deering, Komatsu, WesTrac, Liebherr (Paget)
- Biggest site employers: mining services contractors on BMA, Glencore, Whitehaven and Stanmore sites
- Shutdown campaigns spike demand every 6–12 weeks across the Bowen Basin
- Required: MEM30319 Certificate III in Engineering (Fabrication Trade) — Boilermaker/Heavy Fabrication, plus tickets
What boilermakers do in Mackay mining
Boilermakers in the Mackay/Bowen Basin context work on HME structural repairs (trays, buckets, chassis, booms), CHPP structures, plant rebuilds in Paget workshops, and shutdown campaigns on-site (welding, cutting, plating, structural repairs, cracked-frame repairs).
Typical pay rates in 2026
Base rates in Mackay workshops typically sit around $45–$55/hr for tradespeople. Site-based mining roles run $55–$75/hr base. Shutdown campaign rates commonly reach $65–$90+/hr, with additional loadings for night shift, weekend work, and remote site penalties. LAFHA and per-diems are usually paid on DIDO/FIFO.
Biggest employers
Workshop employers: Hastings Deering, Komatsu, WesTrac, Liebherr and independent HME workshops in Paget. Site employers: mining services contractors like Downer, Thiess, BUMA, Mastermyne, Monadelphous and specialist shutdown labour hire firms. Direct miner employment is smaller but exists for permanent site-based maintenance crews.
Sites hiring boilermakers
Regular shutdown work runs on BMA sites (Goonyella Riverside, Peak Downs, Saraji, Broadmeadow), Glencore (Hail Creek, Oaky Creek), Whitehaven (Blackwater, Daunia) and Stanmore (South Walker Creek, Poitrel). Rosters vary from 8/6 to 7/7 to campaign-based ~2-week deployments.
Tickets and compliance
Baseline requirements: Certificate III in Engineering (Fabrication Trade), Working at Heights, Confined Space, standard 11 induction, coal board medical (for QLD coal sites), and current site-specific inductions. High-risk work tickets (rigging, boom-type EWP) are highly valued.
How contractors hire
Most boilermaker hires now go through Rapid Global / Avetta prequalified labour hire firms and the major mining services contractors. Direct applications to Hastings Deering, Komatsu and WesTrac apprenticeship and adult trade programs are also strong pathways.
Related reading: Mackay mining jobs 2026 · Biggest mining companies in Mackay · Bowen Basin mines map · BMA shutdown planning · Apprentice pay rates in Australia.
