Ask any FIFO worker what defines their lifestyle and you will hear one word: roster. It is the invisible clock that governs every aspect of their life — when they wake up, when they see their kids, when they switch from hard hats to home life, whether they work as a FIFO utility worker, bus driver, heavy equipment operator, or safety officer / WHS coordinator.
In a traditional job, weekends create the rhythm. In FIFO, the roster does. Your “weekend” might come every second Wednesday or every third Sunday, depending on how your rotation is built. For many Australians working in regions like the Bowen Basin, Surat Basin, Karratha or Kalgoorlie and the Goldfields, learning to live by a roster is the hardest and most important skill in FIFO work.
The mining and construction industries have spent decades perfecting roster systems that balance productivity, safety, and human endurance. What began as rough estimates in the early Pilbara days has evolved into data-driven scheduling models designed to reduce fatigue and improve retention across major employers like BHP Iron Ore, Rio Tinto Iron Ore, Fortescue Metals Group, Roy Hill, and Mineral Resources (MinRes).
Today, rosters vary widely between companies. Some prioritise income, others wellbeing. Some are designed for short bursts of construction intensity, while others support long-term operations that run year after year in coal, iron ore, gold, base metals, and gas fields operated by companies such as Woodside Energy, Chevron Australia, Santos, INPEX Ichthys, Newmont, Northern Star Resources and Gold Fields Australia.
Understanding what each roster really means is essential before you accept any FIFO position — whether it’s as a cleaner, kitchenhand, storeperson, heavy diesel mechanic, electrician, or FIFO nurse or paramedic. Below is the complete breakdown of Australia’s most common FIFO rotations — how they work, what they pay, and how they shape everyday life on site and at home.
1. The 2:1 Roster – The Classic Australian Swing
The two-on, one-off roster is the most common system across Australia’s mining regions. Workers spend 14 days on site and 7 days at home. Flights, meals, and accommodation are paid for, and shifts average 12 hours per day across roles such as heavy equipment operator, diesel fitter, mechanical fitter, industrial electrician, and riggers and dogmen.
Why it became standard:
It offers a balance between efficiency and sustainability. Two weeks on allows projects to maintain momentum, while one week off provides predictable recovery time, particularly for large operations in the WA Pilbara and Central and Northern Queensland.
Advantages
Reliable rhythm and strong earning potential.
Easier to plan holidays and family visits.
Simplifies workforce scheduling for employers like BHP, Rio Tinto, FMG, and Roy Hill.
Disadvantages
Only one week home per cycle can feel rushed.
Accumulated fatigue toward the end of swings, especially in physically demanding jobs such as operating large machinery or boilermaking and welding.
Limited flexibility for family events or school holidays.
Typical use: Mining operations, maintenance, and production crews in WA’s Pilbara and QLD’s Bowen Basin, across roles from crane operators to environmental officers and WHS coordinators.
2. The 8:6 Roster – The Balanced Middle Ground
The 8-on, 6-off rotation is designed for workers who want more frequent home time. It is common on shorter projects or in roles that require consistent travel, such as logistics and materials coordinators, transport and freight drivers, and site administration staff.
Structure:
Eight consecutive workdays followed by six days at home.
Advantages
Better work-life balance.
Reduced physical fatigue compared with 2:1 or 3:1 rosters.
Easier to maintain family routines, particularly for workers with young children based in hubs like Rockhampton and the Central Highlands or Townsville and North Queensland.
Disadvantages
Slightly lower annual income due to fewer shifts.
Travel days can feel constant, especially if you’re flying to remote hubs like Port Hedland or Onslow and the Gascoyne Coast.
Who uses it:
Contractors like Monadelphous, Downer, CPB, and UGL often adopt 8:6 for shutdowns, civil projects, and support roles including civil construction operators, riggers, and warehouse and inventory control staff.
3. The 14:7 Roster – The Long, High-Earning Swing
This roster mirrors 2:1 but often alternates between day and night shifts. It is known for higher pay but heavier strain, and is common in continuous operations and processing plants.
Schedule:
Fourteen consecutive workdays, followed by one week off.
Advantages
Consistent overtime boosts annual income.
Longer site time suits goal-oriented workers saving aggressively for a house, investment property, or business, especially in high-demand trades like heavy diesel mechanics, auto electricians, and boilermakers and welders.
Disadvantages
Sleep disruption when switching between night and day cycles.
Re-adjustment to home life can be difficult, which can impact relationships and mental health if not managed well.
Typical industries: Mining and oil operations that run 24-hour cycles, including projects run by Fortescue, BHP Iron Ore (Pilbara Division), Chevron’s Gorgon and Wheatstone, Woodside, and Santos.
4. The 3:1 and 4:1 Rosters – The Marathon Rotations
Used in large construction or remote gas projects where mobilisation is costly, these rosters test endurance and are usually suited to experienced FIFO workers who understand the demands.
Schedule:
Three to four weeks on site, followed by one week off.
Advantages
Maximum earning power, especially for high-demand skills like crane operators, riggers and dogmen, and specialist shutdown crews.
Ideal for short-term contracts and shutdown specialists who want to work intensely for part of the year.
Disadvantages
Extended separation from family and community, which can be tough on relationships.
Increased fatigue and limited rest — particularly risky for safety-critical roles like fuel and dangerous goods transport and emergency response and fire safety.
Example: Major shutdowns at large mines and refineries, remote lithium or nickel projects such as Pilbara Minerals’ Pilgangoora Project, Liontown’s Kathleen Valley, or offshore installations near Barrow Island and the North West Shelf.
5. Even-Time Rosters – The New Standard for Wellbeing
Even-time rotations such as 7:7 or 14:14 give equal time on and off site. They are popular in oil and gas and gaining traction in renewables and higher-end mining operations focused on retention and mental health.
Advantages
Strong mental health outcomes and better long-term sustainability.
Easier to sustain long-term careers without burning out.
Predictable planning for families and partners, especially for workers in roles like FIFO nurses and paramedics, health and safety coordinators and environmental officers.
Disadvantages
Lower total hours and slightly reduced annual earnings compared to 3:1 or 4:1.
Requires workers to maintain performance despite frequent transitions between home and site.
Used by: Woodside Energy, INPEX Ichthys, Chevron Australia, and other offshore operators, as well as some high-performance gold and lithium sites.
6. Short Swing Rosters – 5:2, 9:5, or DIDO Rotations
Shorter rotations are used for near-site work or drive-in drive-out roles (DIDO), often closer to regional centres where workers can return home more often.
Pattern:
Work five to nine days, rest two to five.
Advantages
Regular home time and minimal fatigue accumulation.
Suitable for support or hospitality roles such as camp chefs and kitchenhands, cleaners, logistics coordinators, and admin staff.
Disadvantages
Constant travel reduces downtime quality.
Income lower than long-haul rosters, particularly compared with 2:1, 3:1 or 4:1 swings.
Typical roles: Camp chefs and catering teams, cleaners, logistics coordinators, bus drivers, and site office administrators, especially in regions accessible by road like Gladstone and the Central Queensland Coast or Cairns and the Far North Coast.
7. How Rosters Are Designed
Roster design combines productivity targets with human performance science. Companies analyse fatigue data, shift length, and travel distance to set sustainable schedules, especially for high-risk positions such as heavy equipment operators, freight drivers, dangerous goods transport drivers, and crane operators.
Key factors influencing roster choice:
Project type: Construction projects need longer swings for continuity, especially large civil and SMP works using crews of civil construction operators, riggers and boilermakers.
Travel distance: Sites over 1,000 kilometres usually use longer rosters, such as those in remote WA hubs like Kununurra and the East Kimberley or Derby and the West Kimberley.
Climate: Hotter regions reduce daily working hours and lengthen total project time, affecting crews in areas like Far North Queensland and Cape York and coastal Pilbara sites.
Labour availability: Scarce skills require more flexible rotations to attract talent in hard-to-fill roles such as instrumentation technicians, HVAC technicians, or plumbers and water systems technicians.
Companies also use predictive fatigue modelling to track sleep patterns and adjust shift design accordingly, often managed by safety officers and WHS coordinators, health and safety coordinators and safety advisors and emergency response officers.
8. Fatigue and Safety Management
Fatigue is the most consistent hazard in FIFO work. The combination of 12-hour shifts and night cycles can quickly affect focus and reaction time, especially for operators, bus and transport drivers, crane crews, and dangerous goods drivers.
According to Safe Work Australia, fatigue contributes to approximately one in five serious mining incidents nationwide. Modern safety systems include:
Mandatory rest days after 14 consecutive shifts.
Strict limits on overtime hours.
Fitness for work assessments before each shift, often coordinated by site nurses and paramedics and health and safety coordinators.
“Stop work” authority for any worker feeling unsafe — a core principle reinforced in emergency response and fire safety training and Mining Supervisor S123 courses.
Camps now integrate gym access, sleep-quality programs, and education about hydration and nutrition to combat fatigue risk, supporting healthier rosters and better long-term outcomes for workers from cleaners and utilities through to heavy trades and safety professionals.
9. How Rosters Affect Mental Health and Family Life
The pattern of work and rest directly shapes mental health outcomes and relationship stability.
Shorter rotations (8:6, 7:7) are linked to lower stress and better relationship stability, especially when combined with strong support from roles like FIFO nurses and health and safety coordinators.
Longer rotations (3:1, 4:1) show higher levels of isolation and fatigue, which can put pressure on families in remote hubs such as Mount Isa or the Kimberley region.
Alternating night shifts disrupt circadian rhythms, leading to insomnia and anxiety if not managed with good sleep hygiene and support services like EAP, MATES in Mining, and mental health-aware leadership.
A 2024 report by the WA Mental Health Commission found that workers on balanced rosters were 30 percent less likely to experience psychological distress. Companies now offer roster counselling before employment, helping new hires understand the emotional and logistical impact of their rotation — often delivered in partnership with safety and wellbeing teams that include safety advisors and emergency response officers and WHS coordinators.
10. Comparing Rosters by Income
While longer rosters usually mean higher income, lifestyle trade-offs can be significant. Your trade, employer, and site location — whether you’re a heavy diesel mechanic, electrician, crane operator, or storeperson — will also influence where you fall within each income band.
| Roster Type | Approximate Shifts per Year | Average Income (AUD) | Lifestyle Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2:1 | 240 | $140,000 – $170,000 | Moderate fatigue, predictable routine |
| 8:6 | 190 | $115,000 – $145,000 | Balanced, better recovery |
| 14:7 | 240 | $150,000 – $180,000 | High fatigue, higher earnings |
| 7:7 | 180 | $120,000 – $150,000 | Best mental health outcomes |
| 4:1 | 260 | $160,000 – $210,000 | Very high fatigue, suited for short projects |
Income varies by trade, allowances, and bonuses, but the roster pattern remains the biggest driver of total earnings. For deeper breakdowns by job type, see our role-specific guides for operators, fitters, electricians, riggers, nurses and paramedics, and safety professionals.
11. Choosing the Right Roster
When evaluating offers, focus on sustainability, not just salary. Ask these questions before signing — regardless of whether the role is as a camp cleaner, bus driver, diesel mechanic, or camp manager:
What is the total travel time per swing?
Are flights counted as paid days?
Are shifts rotating or fixed (day vs night)?
What support exists for fatigue or mental health (EAP, MATES in Mining, onsite medical, roster counselling)?
How flexible is the company if personal emergencies arise?
Talking to existing employees often gives the most honest insight into what the roster really feels like — especially people already working in the same role or region you are considering, such as Port Hedland, Karratha, Cairns, or Mount Isa.
12. The Future of Rosters in Australia
Rosters are evolving alongside technology and worker expectations. Companies are experimenting with hybrid rotations, flexible start dates, and digital fatigue monitoring across mining, oil and gas, and new-energy projects.
The WA Code of Practice for Mentally Healthy FIFO Workplaces now guides companies to prioritise shorter swings and longer rest periods. Renewable-energy and critical mineral projects — including lithium, nickel, and rare-earth operations like Pilbara Minerals, Liontown Resources, and Greenbushes Lithium — are increasingly adopting even-time rosters to attract experienced workers seeking family balance.
Artificial intelligence and scheduling software are also emerging tools for predicting fatigue risk and adjusting shift plans dynamically. The goal is clear: build rosters that sustain productivity without sacrificing wellbeing, supporting safer careers for everyone from entry-level utilities to senior safety leaders and camp managers.
Summary
Rosters are not just numbers on a calendar. They are the rhythm of FIFO life. Whether you work a 2:1 in the Pilbara, an 8:6 in the Bowen Basin, or a 14:14 offshore, your roster determines your income, recovery, and relationships. It shapes how you experience every role, from cleaner, utility worker, or kitchenhand through to operator, heavy diesel mechanic, nurse / paramedic or WHS coordinator.
The best roster is the one that keeps you healthy, motivated, and able to enjoy the life you are building away from site. Understand it, plan for it, and make it work for you — not the other way around. Use the Go FIFO guides on Queensland and Western Australia FIFO jobs, plus role-specific pages for your trade or entry-level pathway, to match rosters with the lifestyle you actually want.
