5 Things Nobody Tells You Before Your First FIFO Swing

Not many people share truths about life on site. Here are a handful you might recognise.

Whether you’ve been doing FIFO mining shifts for a few swings or a few decades, there’s a handful of truths not many people share about life on site. 

The same truths recruiters and job ads don’t like to talk about.  

Sure, some mention the high pay and roster perks, but that’s hardly skimming the surface.  

This short article isn’t intended to scare anyone off FIFO work. The people putting the hours in deserve honesty.  

You may have your own truths. These are the things most workers learn the hard way, and talking about them openly helps everyone handle things better. 

The FIFO roster never stops surprising you 

You’ve probably lived through enough FIFO rosters to joke about them at the pub. 

But even the veterans will tell you that every swing feels different.  

A 2:1 or 8:6 rhythm might be familiar, but factors like family life, sleep patterns, and even weather can make a once comfortable roster feel like a grind.  

Even experienced operators find that what used to feel like “easy money” can flip into “a long swing” without warning.  

It’s not just the hours. It’s the way those hours fit into your life. You can breeze through one swing. The next, you’re wondering if you accidentally signed up for a mountain climb instead of a mine site. 

FIFO pay is great (but there’s a lifestyle cost) 

The salary packages on offer for operators, drillers, and trades roles in Australian mines give most industries a run for their money.  

Depending on role and experience, many workers pull in well over six figures with flights, meals and accommodation covered.  

But after a few swings, most FIFO workers come to realise that the “trade-offs” aren’t just about missing a concert or family BBQ.  

Homes can be silent for weeks, birthdays and anniversaries blur into video calls, and the echo of camp life can follow you home long after rostered off begins.  

You get used to the pay. It can be hard getting used to the constant switching between “home” and “away.” 

FIFO camp life hits you in ways you don’t expect 

Yes, the accommodation and meals are provided. Maybe there’s a gym and a pool.  

But after the first few swings, the novelty can wear off quicker than your confidence with flat-pack furniture when you’re missing a screw. 

Camp life is structured. Often, it’s predictably repetitive. Work, eat, sleep, repeat. It’s efficiency in motion, but it can also mean your boredom levels can spike  

One minute you’re laughing with mates in the rec room; the next you’re staring at the ceiling wondering how you got through another day. 

That predictable cycle is comforting for a lot of us. And weirdly isolating.  

It’s like a groundhog swing with the occasional view change. 

FIFO fatigue sneaks up on you mentally and physically 

You know the drill. 

12-hour days, travel to and from site, and rostered changeovers. That’s FIFO fatigue in action. But long-timers know the wear isn’t just in your body; it’s also in your mindset. 

Fatigue isn’t just the need for sleep. It’s the thing that makes packing your gear feel like a challenge after RNR.  

The heavy pause before boarding the early morning flight, the strange lack of appetite some mornings, and the way a once easy swing now feels like a mountain you’ve climbed before but forgot how steep it was.  

Laugh it off as “old man fatigue” all you like. Almost everyone in the FIFO world has felt it. 

You learn the real tricks from the crew not the job ads 

Most recruiters are happy to tell you about pay rates, rosters and packages. They’ll rarely tell you about the little hacks that make life on site way smoother: 

• Which snacks survive the swing 

• How to make camp food taste like something other than camp food 

• Which downtime activities help you unwind 

• The fact that everyone has that one mate with all the stories 

The genuine “site wisdom”, the stuff that makes you grin, groan or shake your head in recognition, never comes from an ad.  

It often comes from the people you’re on site with. The crew who know exactly what you mean when you say, “Mate, I’m cooked.” 

In closing, this article is dedicated to everyone who keeps Australia’s mines running. Thank you for your hard work, the long swings, and your dedication that keeps our industry strong. 

We see you, and we appreciate you. 

Want to share this with somebody starting their FIFO life? 

If you think someone in your FIFO network would find this article helpful, feel free to share it with them via one of the links at the top of this article.  

Have a truth you wish you'd known sooner? 

Share it with us. Your details will remain anonymous. 

Time to consider a new job? Take a quick look at our latest FIFO mining vacancies. 

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