News

Brindabella Resources’ new bus will be pink, a move inspired by Executive Chairman Mrs Gina Rinehart’s commitment to breast cancer research and enabling better care, treatment and support for breast cancer patients.   Mrs Rinehart started Australia’s then first Breast Cancer Foundation back in the early 90s.

Brindabella Resources is a majority owned Aboriginal company established by five prominent women from the Pilbara Region, representing the three Roy Hill Traditional Owner groups. For the past 18 months the company has been leading an alliance with Australian Transit Group to transport Roy Hill’s drive in, drive out staff to the Roy Hill mine from Port Hedland. Roy Hill part time staff member Elsa Derschow is a co-founding Director at Brindabella and a Traditional Owner. She said the 4WD Toyota bus was the first one purchased by Brindabella and was an important milestone. “We have had aunties in our community that have had breast cancer so it’s something very close to my heart,” Elsa said of the decision to paint the new bus pink. The bus seats up to 12 but will be used with lower numbers of passengers to accommodate social distancing during the COVID-19 restrictions. It’s thought to be the first of its type ordered in the region and is currently being built and painted in Perth. The decision to order a 4WD vehicle means it will transport staff in comfort on unsealed Pilbara roads.

When Mrs Rinehart heard of the initiative and saw the draft design for the pink paintwork, she sent a note to the Brindabella team congratulating them both on the milestone and the paintwork.

“I think your bus looks fantastic, thank you! And I believe especially timely, as the world struggles with Covid-19, cancer patients have their own  sad and frightening daily struggles, and we should not forget to support them, so I’m very appreciative of your timely pink bus.”

“When we got the note from Mrs Rinehart I just couldn’t stop smiling. It means so much to us to have this kind of recognition,” Elsa said.

Brindabella Resources would like to recognise the assistance of Roy Hill Community Development Manager Jeanette Hasleby and Mining Manager Phil Renehan for their support for the project.