WA's groundbreaking Yagahong Alliance takes delivery of new WA600-6

At the beginning of March this year, Komatsu Australia's Perth branch officially handed over a new WA600-6 wheel loader to the Yagahong Alliance, a joint venture between Yugunga-Nya People Pty Ltd and Central Earthmoving Pty Ltd, based in north WA.

The Yugunga-Nya People are the Traditional Owners of lands within the Eastern Murchison region of Western Australia, and Central Earthmoving is a progressive and growing company with over 30 years' experience delivering and supporting civil earthmoving and mining services in regional Western Australia.In July last year, the Alliance began a two-year contract for site services and ROM pad management at Sandfire Resources NL's DeGrussa Copper Mine in July 2015.

Following successful trials using an older very high-hour Komatsu WA600LC-6 loader which showed it was able to outperform two loaders of another make previously required to carry out the work for the ROM pad management elements of the contract, the Alliance ordered the new WA600-6.

It was handed over to Yagahong Alliance founder Ron Shay and Central Earthmoving Managing Director Craig Patterson on March 1 by Dean Jones, Komatsu Australia's Business Development Manager, Murchison and Midwest.

"Ron and Craig were highly appreciative of our efforts in supplying and handing over this new loader; Ron has done a lot of work to establish the Yagahong Alliance for many years, and he was delighted to take delivery of this machine," said Dean.

The Alliance's Mission is to build capacity for the Yugunga-Nya People through employment and training opportunities with the intent of empowering this and future generations.

The Yugunga-Nya traditional owners' country covers approximately 30,341 square kilometres of land in the Shires of Cue, Meekatharra, Mount Magnet, Sandstone and Wiluna.

Central Earthmoving MD Craig Patterson has had close relationships with prominent Aboriginal People and organisations throughout the Mid West, Gascoyne and North-West for many years, as well as a strong understanding of and empathy for Aboriginal cultural and social issues.