Inaugural Dig Deep goes off!

The first Dig Deep expo was held in Melbourne on Sunday, May 29, and sunny skies, a wide range of construction equipment and a number of family-friendly activities conspired to bring healthy crowds flocking to the event.

Held at Gaelic Park in the Melbourne suburb of Keysborough, the event was a sell-out success, the capacity crowd also seeing the event raise vital funds for Beyond Blue to help it further awareness of mental health issues in the construction industry.

“We would like to thank our event sponsors, exhibitors, the hard-working crew and most of all the many people who exceeded all our expectations and came out in force to the event,” said co-founder and CRE Group director, Patrick Doheny.

“It was fantastic to see so many people enjoying the displays, watching the William Adams Cat Global Operator Challenge and importantly helping Beyond Blue help this industry we all work in and love.”

The earthmoving industry came together to put on a display of machinery, earthmoving equipment and attachments with exhibitors ensuring a fun day for everyone who attended. One of the highlights was Hitachi displaying its new Zaxis 7 excavator, the first example of the equipement in Australia.

And families and kids weren’t left out either, with CJD Equipment Volvo printing names on high vis vests, and the Kubota kids area boasting a colouring station and go-kart track.

UAA had coffee and popcorn machines with all donations going to Beyond Blue and other exhibitors featured BBQs with blue bread, a massage and relaxation zone, mini golf, and simulators.

A highlight of Dig Deep was the William Adams Cat Global Operator Challenge, which featured the 10 finalists culled from the heats held the previous weekend.

The operators competed throughout the day, with Patrick Doheny from CRE Group prevailing. He will now represent William Adams Cat in the Global Operator Challenge regional finals in Japan this October.

While the funds raised for Beyond Blue is still being tallied, event organisers say there’s a mental health crisis in the construction industry that must be addressed.

Around 190 construction workers take their own lives each year – roughly one person every two days – and the Dig Deep team are committed to stopping this needless loss of life.

Construction workers are six times more likely to die from suicide than an accident at work, while young male construction workers are twice as likely to take their own lives than other young Australian men.

Dig Deep says educating people about the signs and symptoms of ill mental health is the starting point, and crucial to breaking the persistent stigma around the issue so people are more likely to reach out for support.

Organisers are yet to set a date for the next Dig Deep but judging by the positive response from the inaugural event, a second Dig Deep is looking very likely.

For more information visit www.digdeepevent.org