Indigenous inclusion in the mining industry

3 February 2026

Monash alumna Kyra Galante has transformed a career forged in one of Australia’s most male-dominated industries into a powerful platform for Indigenous inclusion, women’s leadership, and lasting systemic change.

At just 18, Kyra Galante began her life behind the wheel of a 100-tonne mining dump truck - a machine built to move mountains.

She was one of only three women on her crew.

Raised in Kalgoorlie, the Guburn (Kupurn) woman grew up surrounded by mining activity, yet largely excluded from the opportunities it created.

“At the time, there were no clear pathways for Indigenous people into mining roles across the Goldfields,” Ms Galante said.

Her entry into the industry came through the Aboriginal Mining Training Program, a targeted initiative designed to open doors for local First Nations people, and backed by industry.

“It guaranteed that if you graduated, you would get a role in the mining industry, and that commitment really mattered,” she said.

The program combined TAFE-based theory with practical exposure, including visits to five different mine sites to better understand how operations worked.

Two decades later, Ms Galante is still moving mountains - this time by reshaping how industry engages with First Nations people as First Nations Participation Director at Worley Australia.

In 2025 Ms Galante won the Indigenous Award at Monash Business School’s Dean’s Alumni Awards.

Making her way in a male-dominated industry

Mining in the early 2000s was uncompromising - especially for women entering the industry at an operational level.

“It was a very male-dominated environment, and the safety and cultural standards we expect today simply didn’t exist,” she said.

From her first role on the blast crew, offloading detonators weighing more than 20 kilograms, Ms Galante was expected to prove she belonged.

“I did the same physical work as the men, because I was paid the same wage,” she said

Sexual harassment protections were minimal, and cultural awareness was virtually absent.

“There were men's only magazines displayed in machinery and shared break rooms - behaviour that was completely normalised,” she said.

There was no cultural training.

“Indigenous people were working on sites without knowing whether culturally significant land was being impacted, and there was little understanding of the consequences,” she said.

From experience to influence

After nearly a decade operating across Western Australia with companies including BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto, Thiess, and EDI Services, Ms Galante made a shift, from working within the system to working to change it.

“My experiences as an Aboriginal woman in industry - the racism, the institutional barriers - showed me how much needed to be done,” she said.

“I saw the gaps, and I knew I wanted to help close them.”

Today, as First Nations Participation Director at Worley Australia, Ms Galante works at executive level to embed cultural integrity into business practice.

She leads the national Indigenous affairs portfolio, supports reconciliation commitments, contributes to bids and tenders, strengthens Indigenous procurement pathways and builds cultural capability across the organisation.

“My role is about creating respectful, meaningful relationships with First Nations communities - not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because it leads to better outcomes for everyone,” she said.

Learning, leadership and legacy

Ms Galante said studying for her Master of Indigenous Business Leadership at Monash Business School helped sharpen her strategic lens.

“It gave me the tools to understand power, systems and sustainability, and how Indigenous leadership can shape the future of industry.”

She now mentors emerging leaders, particularly Indigenous women navigating spaces where they are often underrepresented.

“Listen, learn, stay curious, and never doubt that you belong,” she said.

For Ms Galante, success is measured not by titles, but by impact.

“My culture is my compass,” she said.

“When my values align with my work, I know I’m turning intention into action, and improving the lives of Indigenous people.”

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