I held a high position on The Snowy Mountain Project.
Do What Ever You Like.
How I won the rat race, doing what I liked and being paid to enjoy myself.
I never needed a fast car when I was young or to take up some extreme sport to get my adrenalin buzz. I was paid to ride a crane hook and show-off high up on the steel purlins, what a buzz and no danger of snake bite.
There were other thrills.
I love the smell of bread baking and getting my work done early. So my first job was in a bakery the work gets done by midday and I could go swimming. I also like money and labourers on building sights were being paid more than I was earning in the bakery.
Young Jack in the Snowy Mountains.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snowy_Mountains_Scheme
I gave up the bakery job and chased the gravy train for a fatter pay packet in the construction game.
There was a down turn in the building boom, I was retrenched, that was the word used instead of put off. As often happens what looks like a problem turns out to our advantage. One should never get upset when things do not go as we plan, it often turns out better in the long run.
Their boy back home for a night out.
I left my home Sydney and went to Port Kembla steel works for work.
Tongariro Development NZ.
I got a job with the Riggers they were working long hours and getting paid over-tine rates.
I was taken to the open hearth furnace where a 250 ton gantry crane was being built. I followed the boss up a series of wooden ladders lashed to the end column. It was scary up there walking along the crane track. I thought if I trip on the hog-ties I am going to get electrocuted on the wires and fall in the soaking-pits where the steel ingots softened for rolling, if I escape that the sudden stop after falling about 80 feet would be really bad news.
We had to reach out to a ladder then step on to it, that was a real challenge. I made it and I had never felt so hyped-up.
New Plymouth Power Project, things get serious.
I was introduced to the head rigger. Then Sam Treseter, the man that led the way up, said. “There is an easier way up here I took you short cut.” I think he said that so my new work mates would know I had passed the test.
Rigging has more ups than downs, no pun intended, from then on I was paid for exercising and getting a buzz, showing off.
On top of the world, N. P.P.P.
As a 20 year old, I was driven by the pursuit of money and the pleasure of spending it, having what I considered a good time.
It was not all wasted on frivolous things. I went around the world in the 60s, not as a tourist, I got off the beaten track hitch hiking and mixing with the locals. I only speak English so it was a real adventure at times.
I learned a smile is the same in all languages, A smile will get you a ride where a worried look makes you look desperate and perhaps dangerous.
That smile became a habit with me if I am finding the going tough I smile.Then I believe my own smile and feel good.
A column being erected using two cranes.
then the Manitowoc takes over and
the column is stood up by Manitowoc.
When you can earn a living doing what you like, you have it made. You have escaped the rodent treadmill and life is a work of joy. When you love what you do you do it so well you get promoted. This change was all for the best, I was no longer capable of being the admired show off. The young blokes won the show-off title from me. I became the brains of the outfit or mother hen.
Wet steal and rubber sneakers are deadly, so on rainy days I would run a class on rigging safety. Based on a “Guide to Riggers.” by the Australian Labor Department, New Zealand had no equivalent in the seventies. A lot of the fun went out of rigging. I applied for a job on quality inspection on the Maui Pipe Line Project http://mauipipeline.co.nz/ and to my surprise was successful.
That is a story I should tell you as it shows how lucky I am.
Fantastic post and great nostalgic Australian Historical picture, you certainly scaled the height’s in your younger days, a true Australian Pioneer.
Well done mate.
Pioneer did you say, I think you meant ‘pie eater’
There are not many left who would remember that expression.
Nice comment from an Aussie Emu a comment like that would not come from a Galah.:-)
WOW! Jack, loved looking back in time through your career pursuits, and each one grinning from ear to ear.. 🙂 Loved those old black and white photos of you hanging from on high.. and loved the motorbike 🙂
Interesting you took a job in the bakery so you could be done early.. 🙂 My hubby after we first got married took a job in the bakery but by the 70’s continental shift work had come in so he did 12 hours on earlies one week 12 hours on lates the second and would work his day off in between, such were the hard times of paying a mortgage at 17-5% interest rate back then..
We got through though, just.. 🙂 and that smile comes in handy when there isn’t much else 🙂
Loved the photo of your Mum and Dad also.. Your sons take after you in looks and look adventurous and full of their Dad’s spirit 🙂
Oh I so enjoyed these photos..
The one of you hanging on the end of a rope on the crane, reminded me of one my Dad showed me once of himself in the Quarry..
He when he was younger before the limestone quarry shut in our village was the one who drilled the holes in the quarry face, He would dangle from a rope with a wooden seat/plank.. As he used a automatic drill to burrow long holes in the quarry face. He would then plug in the Dynamite with the fuses ect for the main blow of the stone off the quarry face..
So you have my utmost respect for the jobs you have done Jack..
And I know you will keep on Smiling!!
_/\_ Sue 😀
The rope with a wooden seat your Dad sat in is called a Bosons chair.
I thought it was time to share a bit of my past.
I am having a problem with this post it does not appear in my blog pages or on the other computers we have,
It is A mystery. I actually wrote another post to go with the photos and was going to publish it but found comments and likes on my blog about Winners Suvive. Although it is not showing, the last post showing is Be Yourself.
Not to worry it is another little computer challenge to figure out.
I will keep smiling and all will work out with a simple explanation. _/\_
Thanks for the Bonson’s chair info Jack.. I learn something new each day.. Yes I noticed that about not showing its showing as in 2014..
You may have to go into your Edit and alter the date on your publish Edit mode.. and alter the date manually.. Or what I do some times.. I go copy and paste the whole thing and place in a new post spot..I thought you have updated a previous post from 2014.. 🙂 It was really a very interesting post of your Jack.. Thank you _/\_
What a great retrospective on your earlier years Jack! Helps gain more insight into your current positive and optimistic personality.
Reblogged this on jacksjottings and commented:
This post was published but would not show on my computer.
Wordpress had put the wrong date on it, can you explain why? So I am reblogging the post Winners Suvive.
Wonderful post Jack.
Great History Jack, you are definitely a rare breed of man, and have a great Pioneering background in the industry, very rarely do we find a story like yours that goes back to the adventurous days, days when stamina was a sign of endurance. My Dad worked on the Hume Weir construction way back, but I don’t think he experienced any thing like you have.
Love the Bike too, a definite need back in those days by all the young Coves.
Cheers.
The Dominator Norton it did not run smooth till I was exceeding the speed limit.
The bikes and the sporting equipment the young blokes have got today and what they can do with it is great and for us the spectators too.
I was born in the best century in the whole history of man.
We were allowed freedom to do things that are not allowed today and now I am past competing I can sit back in comfort and enjoy all the extreme sport on electronic devices.
On top of that borne in Aussie, people wonder why I am smiling. 🙂 _/\_
Well said Jack, times have changed but life was a challenge with excitement back then.
Cheers.
That was a lovely surprise Jack seeing your past Photo’s. You are indeed a special man and very skilled.
Thank you for sharing your History.