The golf and helicopter approach was held in recognition that relationships with customers involve much more than simply selling mining equipment and the small central Queensland mining towns with limited infrastructure need support from businesses like DBT.
The different approach started last year with the announcement of the DBT Golf Spectacular. The competition for teams of four involved a 9-hole “Ambrose” competition to be held in five regional mining centers with the grand final in Mackay.
In keeping with the golf tournament theme, for a small donation QME visitors could test their golfing skills on a virtual-reality simulator.
A raffle with major prizes was run in conjunction with the golf tournament with first prize donated by DBT being two return airfares from Mackay to Sydney, overnight accommodation and two tickets to join DBT in the corporate box at Telstra Stadium in Sydney for the National Rugby League grand final.
Other prizes included trips to the three holiday destinations Hayman Island, Day Dream Island, and a Qantas return flight to Cairns for two, donated by the respective organisations.
Proceeds from the golf tournament, the golf simulator and the raffle are being donated to the Central Queensland Helicopter Service. Often rescue helicopters in Australia are a patient’s only hope of survival.
DBT national customer relations manager Geoff Newby presented an initial cheque for A$10,000 to Philip Dowel GM of CQHS at the stand. The round in Tieri and the final of the Golf Tournament in Mackay still have to be played. The final cheque for all donations will be presented to CQHR at a gala dinner at Kohuna Beach Resort on September 10.
Other attractions at the DBT stand included live data from two longwall mines in New South Wales and Queensland to a plasma display on the stand, Emerald-based radio station 4HI providing non-stop broadcast from the stand to all regional coal mining towns for the three days of the exhibition, live music and refreshments for the last 1.5 hours of the expo each day, and a nightly get-together at Malloy’s Irish Bar in center of town.
