At Gym and Fitness, we take pride in creating high-performance spaces that support the well-being of workers in demanding industries. We're thrilled to announce the completion of a major gym fitout for BHP at their Carrapateena mine, one of South Australia's largest mining projects in the last decade. This project was a chance to bring our expertise in commercial fitness to a remote and vital location, empowering the people who power our nation.
Navigating the Remote Challenge
The Carrapateena mine, located 472 kilometers north-west of Adelaide, presented a unique logistical challenge. The project took shape over two years, with our team conducting multiple site visits and meeting with key stakeholders from both BHP and ISS, including their health and wellness provider. This close collaboration and meticulous planning were crucial to ensure a seamless delivery and installation process, overcoming the complexities of a remote site to bring our vision to life.
As Shelley Gardner, the Aviation and Facilities Manager at the site, highlighted,
"Setting up an on-site gym is extremely important. It's such a great contributor to the health and well-being of your teams on site. It gives great opportunity for relaxation and it's an alternative to just sitting in our rooms or going to the pub. So, it's better for our well-being and energy of our workforce."
To help map out the 1600m2 purpose-built gym and clearly communicate our vision, we provided detailed 3D renderings to the BHP team. Shelley noted that this was a key part of the process, stating,
"As we developed a plan, they were able to bring in some 3D modeling and really show us what the finished product was going to look like. And it gave us a really good understanding of how we could use the space and how we could use the equipment that was going to be installed in our new facility.
A Comprehensive and High-Performance Fit-Out
The logistical challenges were significant, with over three containers of equipment delivered to the remote mining site. Our team ensured that every piece of equipment was accounted for and installed with precision, resulting in a state-of-the-art facility designed for all types of training.
The flooring in the gym is a seamless workout space, made from 20mm EPDM connector tiles that will not split or gap. This provides a durable and safe foundation for all activities. The gym is organised into distinct zones, each tailored to a specific type of training:
Cardio Area: We equipped this area with a variety of machines to offer different types of workouts and cater to all fitness levels. The area includes both motorised and self-generating cardio solutions to ensure reliable performance.
Strength & Freeweight Areas: For those focused on building strength, the gym features a dedicated freeweight section with five racks and platforms, a full range of dumbbells, rigs, and a benchpress area. The pin-loaded area boasts over 30 pieces of equipment, providing options for every muscle group. The plate-loaded area is equipped with the Impulse Sterling plate-loaded range, including bumper plates to ensure workers will never be short of weights.
Group Fitness & Reformer Areas: In addition to the traditional strength and cardio zones, the gym also includes a dedicated group fitness area for classes and functional training. A reformer area is also available for specialised workouts.
Shelley praised the equipment selection, saying,
"The equipment that Gym and Fitness have supplied is fantastic. It is all of an extremely high quality and there's a huge variety of equipment that's available. We've been able to set up multiple areas in our 1600 square meter gym that showcase cardio areas, weights and fitness areas. We have a separate group fitness class and also for functional fitness."
The new facility is not just about equipment; it's a key part of employee retention and well-being. Shelley confirmed this, stating,
"I think it's a very important facility to be able to provide for your teams. We work long hours and a good gym is a very good incentive to get staff to your site and it just maintains their fit for work and their morale on site."
By focusing on high-quality equipment and thoughtful design, we've created a fitness space that not only meets but exceeds the needs of the hardworking team at BHP's Carrapateena site.
View a FULL walkthrough of the space by one of our Commercial Consultants Jonthan Deering.