Whittens

Congratulations to Shaun Russell on reaching his 10-year milestone with Whittens!

Since joining the business, Shaun has progressed from formworker through to leading hand, foreman and supervisor, earning a reputation for leading from the front and always backing his mates.

Currently working on a major project in the NSW Snowy Mountains, Shaun’s days are spent navigating large-scale structures - meaning plenty of trips up and down ladders and stairs, which he reckons is a pretty good way to stay fit.

What truly stands out for Shaun, though, is the people and the mateship that comes with the job. He’s also lucky enough to work alongside his dad, Barry, a storeman, on many Whittens projects.

Site superintendent Brad Cooper describes Shaun as “part of the furniture at Whittens.” “It has been awesome to see him grow into one of our main leaders in the business. ‘Shauno’ is always good for a laugh and banter with the group to keep morale high. And his skill, work ethic and loyalty is well recognised, which makes him one of our key performers.”

Based in Newcastle, Shaun is a family man who enjoys spending time with his wife and three kids. When he’s off swing, you’ll find him fishing, playing a round of golf, keeping fit at the gym or watching horse racing.

Reaching 10 years with Whittens reflects the strong workforce culture that underpins the business - where people are supported, valued and encouraged to build long-term careers.

Congratulations Shaun, and thank you for the leadership, loyalty and positivity. We’re extremely proud to have you on the team.

Meet Paul Davis!

From delivering major infrastructure projects across Ireland, the UK and Australia to helping grow Whittens' presence in Queensland, we're pleased to welcome Paul Davis to the team as our new Project Delivery Lead, based on the Sunshine Coast.

With extensive experience leading complex civil infrastructure projects, Paul will play a key role in identifying new opportunities, strengthening client relationships and leading the safe, high-quality delivery of projects across Queensland.

"I'd heard great things about Whittens from both clients and people who had worked here. When the opportunity came, it was a challenge I wanted to be part of. Building relationships with people – clients, colleagues and contractors - has always motivated me and this aligns with Whittens’ values as a company.”

For Paul, successful project delivery is about more than programme and budget. It's about building trust, delivering quality outcomes and creating lasting value for clients.

Away from work, you'll usually find the Irishman exploring south-east Queensland by mountain bike, surfboard or hiking boots, with a camping trip never too far away.

Welcome to Whittens, Paul. We're excited to have you on board as we continue to grow our business in Queensland and across Australia.

Some people talk about safety culture. Others live it.

Congratulations to Charmoon "Sharky" Tumupu, winner of the Keeping Our Mates Safe (KOMS) Cultural Champion Award at our Talbingo NSW worksite.

Sharky embodies the KOMS philosophy every day. Every shift starts with a handshake, a smile and a genuine check-in with every member of the crew.

Throughout the day, he brings positive energy, encouragement and mateship, making sure everyone feels supported and works safely. At the end of the shift, he does not clock off until he knows his mates are safe and accounted for.

What makes Sharky's impact even more powerful is that others have started following his lead. Those simple daily actions - checking in, looking out for your mates and creating a positive work environment - are helping to strengthen our safety culture across the team.

At Whittens, Keeping Our Mates Safe is more than a safety framework, it's the way we work. It's about looking after each other, speaking up and lending a hand.

Congratulations, Sharky, and thank you for showing everyone what KOMS looks like in action. 👏

A chilly evening, a warm welcome and a great atmosphere at JJ Connors Oval! 🏉❄️

Whittens’ Jamie, Justin and Heather joined the Snowy River Bears Rugby League Football Club Inc for Sponsor Day in Jindabyne last Saturday. While the Bears went down to ladder leaders the North Canberra Bears, the club looked after us brilliantly and the strong local support was evident throughout the evening.

As a major sponsor, we’re delighted to support a club that brings the community together — and has grown its junior ranks from 40 to an incredible 120 players this year!

Having established ourselves in the Snowy Mountains, Whittens is proud to invest in the community we’re fortunate to be part of.

Thanks to the Bears for having us - we’re always cheering you on! 🐻

Looking out for our mates – onsite and beyond.

Whittens is proud to have achieved MATES in Construction Accreditation at our Talbingo and Tantangara worksites on the Snowy 2.0 project.

This milestone reflects the commitment of our people across both sites to building a workplace where mental health and wellbeing are part of everyday safety conversations – and where workers have the knowledge and confidence to support a mate who may be struggling.

To achieve accreditation, more than 80% of our workforce completed General Awareness Training, more than 5% completed Connector training to provide immediate peer support, and our sites maintain access to ASIST-trained volunteers skilled in safe intervention and referral to professional help.

For Whittens CEO Louise Whitten, the achievement reflects a culture built around genuine care for our people.

“Mateship is central to who we are. Supporting one another with compassion, respect and genuine care is part of our culture and underpins our Keeping Our Mates Safe philosophy.

“While our industry has traditionally focused on physical safety, we know mental health is equally important. We want our people to feel comfortable having conversations, seeking help when they need it and supporting their workmates through challenging times.”

A huge thank you to our teams who have embraced the training, started conversations and helped make this achievement possible.

Whittens is playing its part in delivering the vast infrastructure behind the Snowy 2.0 pumped hydro project, working for principal contractor Future Generation on behalf of project owner

Meet Ruben Barrios! A steelfixer, Ruben brings plenty of energy, humour and mateship to the Whittens team.

With a Uruguayan background, Sydney-based Ruben has worked with Whittens for the past two years on projects in the NSW Snowy Mountains, after previously working with us on a project in WA.

Ruben says the camaraderie onsite is one of the things he values most about working at Whittens. “I really like that I can be myself and bring my character and personality to the table while supporting my teammates,” Ruben said.

He strongly connects with the Whittens values of teamwork, mateship and can-do attitude. “Looking after your mates is really important to me. I’m looking forward to staying with Whittens because I like the culture and values that allow me to contribute in a number of ways.”

Ruben enjoys the challenge of steelfixing on large structures, particularly the intricate detail and craftsmanship involved - even if his work eventually gets buried in concrete.

Off the tools, Ruben helps bring the team together by running site BBQs, playing music at pre-starts and organising plenty of table tennis battles. A former club competition player in Perth, he’s become somewhat of an onsite champion, losing only four games from more than 50 played!

He also designed the project team hoodies, enjoys gaming, and has even acted in an independent film - with another movie role potentially on the horizon later this year.

Safe to say there’s never a dull moment when Ruben’s around 👷‍♂️🏓🎶

If you're an Advanced Scaffolder or an Advanced Scaffolder Foreperson, check out these roles! We're looking for people ready for an immediate start on a 2:1 roster. Our website has more details and you can apply online!
🌐whittensgroup.com.au/careers/

CAPABILITY THAT DELIVERS 🏗️

From remote mine sites and major infrastructure projects to technically challenging concrete structures, Whittens delivers the capability, experience and workforce to get the job done safely, efficiently and to the highest standard.

Our expertise spans complex, high-volume concrete works including structural and suspended concrete, slabs, footings, trestles, bunds, precast, tilt panel and in-situ walls and columns. We also provide complete formwork solutions, concrete pumping, shotcreting, reinforcing steel and embedded item installation.

Beyond concrete, our teams deliver bulk and detailed earthworks, tailings dams, ponds, drainage systems, spillways, floodways, rehabilitation works and remote access roads across Australia.

Supported by comprehensive pre-construction services, we work closely with clients to ensure projects are planned, coordinated and delivered safely from day one.

No matter how remote, complex or demanding the challenge, Whittens brings the people, expertise and can-do attitude to deliver.

🌐 whittensgroup.com.au