Built for the Outback: Young’s Earthmoving Powers Western Australia

Young’s Earthmoving Founder and Managing Director Rodney Young is no stranger to heavy machinery.

He’s had a veritable lifetime involvement with earthmoving equipment, having grown up in the remote Kimberley Region of Western Australia, where his father owned various pieces of equipment. In the red sands of the north, Rodney was always intrigued by the yellow machines.

It’s this interest that planted the seeds from a young age to establish his own business.

“I remember standing there as a ‘young’ boy, watching a brand-new dozer working. That was probably the moment I knew I’d spend my life around earthmoving machinery,” Rodney said.

In 1978 he launched Young’s Earthmoving, backed by his uncompromising work ethic and a single machine delivering contracting services.

Foundational projects included works for the Shire of Carnarvon, the Main Roads Department, and various mining companies, including CRA Exploration.

One brand was chosen to be the backbone of the fleet, Caterpillar, and as his Cat fleet grew, so did a reputation for reliability, strong client partnerships and a willingness to take on the toughest jobs.

“We didn’t just want to move dirt, we wanted to build something lasting. That meant investing heavily in our people and our equipment, even when it wasn’t easy.”

Forged in the dirt

For nearly five decades, Young’s Earthmoving has not only undertaken some of the most remote projects in Australia – it has thrived, carving out a reputation as one of WA’s most trusted names in civil construction and mining support.

While it is today headquartered in Perth, the family-owned and operated contractor is true to its northern roots, with a large presence in the Kimberley and Pilbara regions, including Tom Price, Port Hedland and Derby.

Young’s Earthmoving’s services span far more than traditional earthworks: from flood recovery efforts to critical infrastructure projects, it has consistently proven its capability to operate in some of the harshest and most isolated environments in Australia.

It offers everything from dam construction, road and airstrip construction and maintenance, to drill pad construction and rehabilitation as well as revegetation projects. Having this variety of services ensures the business is a one-stop shop for clients.

What began in 1978 with a single machine and a bold vision has  grown into a powerhouse operation with more than 200 employees and 149 machines, including trucks.

Operating in the remote outback means machine reliability isn’t just important for the business, it’s critical. That’s why every piece of Young’s Earthmoving equipment is Cat yellow.

“Cat machines have been a mainstay of the business,” Rodney said.

“I couldn’t afford a brand-new Cat machine when I first started off, but ever since I could, I’ve only chosen Cat machines because they have the most cutting-edge designs.”

“When you’re going out to remote areas, you can’t go with old equipment and try to be a reliable supplier to your client, so you need the latest equipment and Cat has that.”

“Nothing else matches the performance, longevity, reliability and resale value of Cat machines.”

Trusted partner

A partnership with WesTrac has been a cornerstone of Young’s Earthmoving’s operational success. Since its  inception in 1990, WesTrac has been the supplier of choice for the contractors’ machinery fleet.

Young says the exceptional aftersales service, fast parts support and deep understanding of the challenges of remote work have made WesTrac an invaluable ally.

“Having a supplier who’s got the parts and is able to service your equipment is integral in our work,” Rodney said.

“WesTrac has the biggest network of parts and service fitters throughout the state, so you know if you’re working remotely, you have the backup support.”

“If you’ve got a problem with a Cat machine, they’ve got the technical expertise to solve it.”

Above and beyond the call of duty

Of all the times WesTrac has gone above and beyond to keep Young’s Earthmoving ticking along, Rodney said one stands alone.

Mobilising a road crew out to the Northern Territory border, around 1500km east of Port Hedland, Rodney said a supervisor had broken down and needed a part for a motor grader. He was located around 200km past the mining town of Telfer in the Great Sandy Desert, making it near impossible to get the required part.

“In our world, downtime isn’t just expensive – it’s a threat to the whole project and, more importantly, longstanding client relationships,” Rodney said.

Being able to call a WesTrac dedicated field service technician after hours, Rodney asked for assistance and WesTrac was happy to oblige.

“I asked WesTrac if they could deliver the part to Perth airport, so I could fly to Telfer on next morning’s plane with the part in my hand. They said yes.” he said.

“I told my supervisor to be at the security gate at 10am the next morning and he would have the part.”

“By that afternoon we had the grader up and running again. Now here we are in the most remote place in Australia having a breakdown at night, and we’re able to get the part and the machine running the very next day – you can’t beat that.”

Building an empire

Over the decades, Young’s Earthmoving has seen many contractors come and go. Rodney credits his longevity to building real relationships both within and outside of the company.

He has also invested in highly trained operators and well-maintained Cat equipment to ensure staff turnover is minimal.

“We always have new or late model Cat machines.”

“That not only gives us exceptional reliability, but it also means that we can recruit and retain great operators because they’re not going to break down at work.”

For this reason, Rodney has always reinvested into the business, buying more Cat machines and developing a deep understanding of his clients’ needs. By doing so, it has helped the business grow and gain a reputation for reliable services.

“We’ve been able to show that we can do the job and we’ve grown because of our long-standing relationships with clients,” Rodney said.

“We started off with the civil arm of the business, but we really grew with the mining companies, and that’s where most of our business is now.”

Comparing the business from when it started to where it sits now, Rodney said the growth has been steady and strategic.

“Standing still was never an option, we’ve always embraced new technology, better techniques and smarter systems,” he said.

“It’s how you survive and thrive over almost five decades in this competitive environment.”

Along the way, Young’s Earthmoving has benefited from the guidance of industry legends and key mentors from mining companies, including Leighton Holdings (now known as CIMIC group), Macmahon Holdings and Henry Walker Eltin.

“We’ve always made it a priority to learn from the best and to do things a little differently with an emphasis on maximising efficiency,” Rodney said.

Celebration time

With Caterpillar celebrating 100 years in building earthmoving machinery, and Young’s Earthmoving coming up to its own 50th milestone, Rodney said that Caterpillar and WesTrac have been invaluable partners in the growth and success of his business, and will continue to play a key role.

“It gives you confidence in your business knowing WesTrac can always get your machine repaired if something goes wrong,” Rodney said.

“Caterpillar have an enormous equipment range of all sizes and for all types of projects, so we’ll always use Caterpillar because it’s number one in the industry.”

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