Design matters: How Girrawheen Students are bringing their stories to life on real mining equipment

Since April, Austin Engineering has been working with a group of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men from Girrawheen Clontarf Academy on a project that sits outside our usual cope of work: turning a student’s design into artwork that will be applied to a real piece of mining equipment.

The initiative is a partnership between Austin Engineering, the Clontarf Foundation and Rio Tinto. It has given the students an opportunity for a site visit to our workshop, conversations with our team about careers in engineering and manufacturing, and a creative brief that will see one winning design brought to life on a real piece of mining equipment destined for a Rio Tinto operation.

The Clontarf Foundation works with young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men across Australia to improve school attendance, support Year 12 completion, and build pathways into employment, through strong relationships and practical programs. Girrawheen Clontarf Academy is one of its school-based academies.

From the workshop floor to the canvas

The project began in April with a site visit. Students toured the Austin Engineering facility, met the team behind the trays and buckets that move material on mine sites around the world, and gained firsthand insight into how mining equipment is designed and built, directly from the people who do that work every day.

From there, students were given a canvas and a brief: “Proudly Australian. Inspired by Industry.” There was no single right answer or fixed style. Students were invited to explore Aboriginal art styles, patterns and storytelling, and their connection to culture, community, identity and the future, in whatever way felt authentic to them.

Since that visit, the students have been back at Girrawheen working on their designs. The process has been documented on camera: paint on canvas, ideas taking shape, and a series of short interviews in which three students spoke about their artwork.

What the students told us

Students were asked to describe their designs, explain what their artwork represents, and reflect on what it would mean to see their work on a piece of equipment at a Rio Tinto mine site. For one student, whose father and grandfather both worked in mining, the project connects to family legacy:

"It would mean a lot to me because my dad and my pop worked in the mines. Hopefully, one day, I might work for the company and see my design."

Another described what it would mean to see his own artwork on site:

"I’d be glad to have my art put on the bucket. I’d be really proud to see what I’ve made on equipment used in places where I’d like to work."

What came through across the interviews was pride: in where the students are from, in the stories behind their designs, and in the prospect of something they made by hand going into genuine use on a working mine site.

Why we're doing this

For Austin Engineering, this project sits alongside a longer-standing commitment to the communities we work in. As COO Vincent D’Rozario put it:

"This is about giving students a chance to see what’s possible. By connecting creativity with real equipment and real environments, students can start to see how their skills and ideas translate into careers in our industry."

For Clontarf, it’s part of a broader mission, said Clontarf representative Aidan Lynch:

"This project is about building confidence and giving these young students exposure to real opportunities, helping them think about what they want to do when they leave school."

Rio Tinto is supporting the initiative as part of its ongoing commitment to creating opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and to building awareness of career pathwaysacross the resources sector.

Recognition is not limited to a single winner. Students are being acknowledged across several categories in recognition that every design reflects genuine effort and perspective.

What happens next

One winning design will be applied to mining equipment destined for a Rio Tinto operation, taking a student’s artwork from paper to steel and into a working mine site. The project will conclude with a formal reveal event, where the students will cut a ribbon to unveil the finished piece. The original artwork will be framed and permanently displayed at Austin Engineering’s Perth facility, alongside the story of the student who created it.

For the students involved, this project offers a genuine opportunity to see their ideas realised. For Austin Engineering, it reflects our ongoing commitment to investing in the communities we operate in and in the next generation of talent entering this industry.

Design matters.

Updates on the project, including the final reveal, will be shared on the Austin Engineering website and social channels.

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