Insights

Troy Douglas is one of Aurizon’s Train Drivers based at our Narngulu Depot at Geraldton in Western Australia, playing an important role in delivering bulk commodities for our customers.

Troy started his career with Aurizon’s Coal business in 2019 as a Trainee Locomotive Driver in Toowoomba, Queensland. He was one of the first trainees to undertake Aurizon’s Virtual Reality shunting program, giving him an insight to the future of learning for rail.

Last year Troy stepped outside his comfort zone and relocated with his family to Narngulu for an opportunity to work with Aurizon’s Bulk business, where he is enjoying gaining new knowledge and experiences and making new connections in the area.

Troy prides himself on being a role model for his family and the Indigenous community. As part of National Reconciliation Week, he shares some of his family’s Indigenous history and achievements and what reconciliation means to him.

I am a proud Aboriginal man born in Orange New South Wales from Wiradjuri country, which is the biggest tribe in the state covering around 97,100 square kilometres.

My Great Grandfather (Reginald Hedges) and Great Grandmother (Jean Bamblett) were affected by the stolen generation and grew up at the Warangesda Mission in Darlington Point and Erambie Mission in Cowra in NSW.  

We moved around multiple times when I was a kid as my father (whose name is also Troy Douglas) was in the Australian Army, serving overseas in East Timor in the 1st Topographic Survey Squadron. Since serving overseas, he has run his own painting business and had multiple jobs helping troubled Indigenous youth.

My mother (Julia Douglas) has a Welsh background and has worked in a variety of roles in education over the last twelve and a half years.

Growing up I spent the majority of my time in Gubbi Gubbi country north of Brisbane around Caboolture in Queensland. I was encouraged to be proud of being Indigenous and to get involved at community events and learn about my culture and my history. The importance of being a role model for my own family and also the wider Indigenous community is a big thing for me. 

Reconciliation to me is about having a deeper understanding of Australia’s past, acknowledging it, learning from it together and moving forward together for a brighter future.  

I am proud to be a member of Aurizon’s Indigenous Reference Group (IRG) which is responsible for the development and implementation of Aurizon’s commitments to reconciliation. I’m currently working with the group on our third Reconciliation Action Plan, which I’m really enjoying helping bring together.

As a member of the IRG, I’d like to help retain our existing Indigenous employees and provide tools to those who want to obtain other skills for different roles within the business. I’m also keen to encourage people at our depots to maintain a connection to local Indigenous communities all year round.

I also hope that sharing my story and my family’s history will encourage others to learn more about our past and help contribute to achieving a more reconciled Australia.