About FlyInFlyOut.au

FIFO work is a world of its own. I'm here to help you make sense of it.

My name is Neil Mattingley. I'm a former teacher and research officer based in Perth, Western Australia.

While working with one of Perth's leading training organisations, I became aware of the challenges people face when trying to get into FIFO work. Where do you find the jobs? Which qualifications do you need? Who actually employs you? And what should you expect once you get there?

The more I looked, the more questions I had. So I started researching the answers.

FlyInFlyOut.au is the result.

Now, a quick disclaimer: I've never worked on a mine site. I'm not a tradie, a tradie's offsider or a FIFO utility, and I'm hopeless with a hammer. My closest connection to the trades is probably Billie, my tan Staffy-cross pup.

What I do bring to the table is a background in research, a teacher's instinct for explaining things clearly and a fair bit of help from AI. Without it, building and managing a website of this size would be a pretty big undertaking for one person.

My aim is simple: to make finding and understanding FIFO opportunities easier, whether you're looking for your first job, considering a career change or trying to work out whether FIFO is right for you and your family.

Full disclosure: some of the links on this site earn me a small commission if you buy through them. They include links to some of the gear on the packing list and the bags and boots pages, and to one of the online courses. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. It doesn't cost you anything extra, and it never changes what I recommend. If you do buy through one of these links, thank you. I really appreciate the support, and it helps keep the site going.

I've done my best to get the facts right, but research is never really finished. Industries change, information gets outdated and there's always more to learn. I'd rather keep improving the site than pretend I have all the answers.

That's where you come in.

If you spot something that's wrong, know something I've missed or have an idea that would make the site more useful, I'd genuinely love to hear from you.

You can reach me at neil@flyinflyout.au.

After all, I might be doing the research, but the more we learn from people who know the industry, the better this site will become.

P.S. Quick confession. Billie has a rather different view of my abilities. Whenever I head outside to rake up the leaves, she practically does cartwheels. As far as she's concerned, her Dad is a very handy bloke. Who am I to disappoint her?