Over the two-and-a-half days, 3200 people visited QREX’s 400 exhibitors. On top of the registrations, 900 school children also attended – a key win for the QREX team.

The school children visited the Educate and Inspire tent, which was set up for recruiters to interact with the public – particularly students and women – to explain the diverse career opportunities available in mining and energy.

“At the heart of the QREX mission is the education and inspiration of communities whose wellbeing is linked to the performance and continuing good reputation of resource sector companies,” QREX organisers said.

“It's a two-way street, because from these communities will come future generations of employees. Local people in local jobs equals sustainable regional development.”

QREX director Rick Palmer said the centre was well attended, with the women in hard hats session the most popular on the program, as well as 70 girls listening to Thiess executive mining manager Simone Wetzlar speaking on the opportunities for females in the mining industry.

Palmer said the organisers were pleased with the inaugural expo, and how it had uniquely positioned itself to service both the goods and services market with exhibitors, but also serve to attract young people into the skill-starved mining industry and promote understanding in the community.

Palmer said the focus in Rockhampton towards servicing the coal industry in recent years has been epitomised by Caterpillar supplier Hasting Deering, which over the past three years has more than doubled its workforce from 220 to 470.

He said Rockhampton was in a good position to take advantage of resource companies’ policy of trying to keep business in provincial cities.

The next QREX will be held in 2009, where Palmer hopes to expand the expo into a regional event with the Bowen Basin and Gladstone involved.