Dyno Nobel ready to celebrate & remember at charity golf day

Preparations are ramping up for Dyno Nobel’s annual Porgera Memorial Golf Day which raises much needed funds for charity and will this year include a guest appearance by former rugby league superstar Michael Hancock. 

A business of Incitec Pivot Limited (IPL), Dyno Nobel’s Helidon site in southeast Queensland has run the golf day since 2018 which will take place at Gailes Golf Club next Friday May 5.

The Helidon manufacturing site employs 100 people from the Toowoomba and Locker Valley region and its employees produce non-electrical and electronic detonator assemblies for explosives products that are vital to Australia’s resources sector. 

Money raised from the day will go to the Salvation Army Christmas Appeal and domestic violence charity RizeUp Australia. 

Helidon Site Manager Paddy Wiggall said the day couldn’t be achieved without generous support from the plant’s customers, vendors and suppliers. 

“Our Porgera Memorial Golf Day brings together the local community in and around Helidon and the Lockyer Valley to raise funds for charities that are close to our hearts,” Mr Wiggall said.

“We greatly appreciate the generosity of our suppliers, vendors and customers who get involved, they kindly donate goods, services and their time. Like us, our sponsors support local jobs and are a significant part of the community. We want to ensure manufacturing remains a key part of this great region where we operate.”

The day also remembers a tragic incident that occurred in 1994 at a Dyno Nobel mine in Porgera, Papua New Guinea when an explosion killed 11 employees, two of whom were on secondment from Helidon.

“The day has become an annual tradition and we’re able to enjoy a game of golf while also reflecting and remembering those who we tragically lost almost 30 years ago,” Mr Wiggall said.

“We’re also thrilled to see Michael Hancock join the event which gets bigger and better every year. 

“Last year we raised $18,000 which was donated to the Salvation Army Christmas Appeal and Autism Spectrum Australia. This year we will continue to support the Salvos, as well as domestic violence charity RizeUp Australia. 

“Importantly, we don’t just hand over a cheque to these charities. We support our people to actively engage with funding recipients so that donations are used most effectively. This is a great way for our people to learn more about the charities we support, the need in their local community and what our support means.”

Dyno Nobel Asia Pacific President Greg Hayne said the event was a highlight on the Dyno Nobel calendar.

“Paddy and his team do a fantastic job bringing their customers, suppliers, vendors and the broader local community together as part of the Porgera Memorial Golf Day,” Mr Hayne said.

“I’ll be taking part on the day, along with IPL Managing Director & CEO Jeanne Johns, and a number of other executives and employees. We will all be vying to win the Porgera Memorial Trophy which is awarded to the winning team.

“We celebrate and have fun but the tragedy of the Porgera incident is always in our thoughts.  It has transformed our approach to safety, and forever changed the way we operate,” Mr Hayne said. 

Sponsors for the day include: Alliance Automation; Wulguru Group; CHS Broadbent; Rocky's Own Transport; Centurion Transport; SES Electrical; Freo WGC; Totally Work Wear; Munster Service Group and Kehoe Myers. 

A number of other businesses are also taking part in the day and donating goods and services, this includes: Precision Drill and Blasting; Western Truck Group; Northbuild; Protech; Link Resources and Opal Fibre Packaging.

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