1. Name & Nickname
Cam, and, er, Cam.
2. Where are you from?
I’m a bit of a bitzer. A little bit from the NT, but mostly from Sydney’s inner west. The central west of NSW of late.
3. Previous Seasons with AAD?
Not a one. But as a young bloke I did used to own Slayer’s Seasons in the Abyss on CD. I’m sure I’ve stayed in a Four Seasons hotel at least once.
4. Describe your role in 50 words
As the station boilermaker/welder I’m here to fabricate, modify and repair metal structures. That entails anything from fabricating gate latches all the way up to repairing gate latches. As the station’s senior bass player, I’m here to fill out the low end of the sonic spectrum and establish the groove.
5. What did you do before you joined the AAD?
The longer I’m here at Macquarie, the harder it is to remember anything from the ‘before times’, but I have some vague memories of fabricating and welding heavy farming machinery in the NSW central west.
6. What’s the favourite part of your job at Macquarie?
Having to improvise, and needing to improvise well. Most of the things that need fabrication or repair have no drawings, so the problem-solving is constant. It reminds me of the role my old boss had back when I was an apprentice; in many ways, it feels like I’ve come full-circle.
7. What are your top 3 funniest moments of the Macquarie season thus far?
- Being swallowed almost whole by seal wallow at The Nuggets.
- My first up-close encounter with a walking Gentoo penguin.
- Falling over after slipping in a gigantic pile of rotting beach-strewn kelp.
8. What are top 3 highlights of your Macca thus far?
- Whilst taking a moment to enjoy the stillness at the top of a steep climb during a field trip, I was buzzed by an over eager giant petrel which was keen on establishing as to whether or not my corporeal self would form the majority of its breakfast that day.
- Getting some lovely emails and a warm handshake from the tide-gauge scientists expressing gratitude for doing a neat job on their project.
- Learning to play the drums.
9. Favourite piece of AAD kit for use at Macca?
The new tractor packs a fair punch… the inclusion of a working handbrake was genius! Also, the telehandler is now my favourite genus of forklift.
10. What are the top 3 things you are looking forward to when you return home?
Fresh basil. Ferrets. Eucalypt trees.
** In relation to my selection of photos: Boilermakers and Macquarie Island have a long and sometimes complicated history. Digestors were essentially boilers, used to render oil from animal fat.
