The “Wee Lassie” Digging it Down Under

We recently got in touch with Scottish female plant operator Mo Duncan via her Instagram account and was delighted to find out more about her life in plant and how she’s ended up in Australia.

Mo Duncan (28) who is known on Instagram as @theweelassieoperator, grew up on Blackstone Farm in East Ayrshire and has virtually been around diggers and plant hire all her life.

Talking about her journey Mo said, “I got into operating when I was a little girl thanks to my Dad John Duncan. We have a long-established business back home in Scotland called RS Duncan Plant Hire, so he was always needing a helping hand around the farm”.

Mo continued, “As soon as I was old enough I did an apprenticeship through the family business to get all my licences, excavator, 180 (backhoe), telehandler and dumptruck, shortly after I started working on some sites with my big brother, as a labourer watching and learning how the industry worked, my dad would even put me out with the machine as a free operator to get my experience up”. 

Apparently the first machine Mo operated was a skid steer loader, which was used for unloading bales of hay on the farm, and of course being a farmer’s daughter, the obligatory tractor which she used to be out on during the summer rolling fields.

Pictured above: Mo with her dad John Duncan who inspired her to become a plant operator. 

Mo then worked for RS Duncan Plant Hire for 7 years on jobs all around Ayrshire and Glasgow.

Mo also got involved in setting up a side-line venture which she was keen to talk about, “I started up a little fun day venture called Dig-a Day, where kids and adults could come along to the farm and experience what it’s like to operate real heavy equipment. As I was lucky enough to grow up with machines, I wanted to help others get into the industry especially women and give them a little taste of what it would be like, as it’s pretty hard to get into the game without any experience”.

Mo took the decision to make the big move to New South Wales in Australia back in 2016. “I really didn’t plan on staying down here, but I loved the weather and the working/lifestyle balance which offers far more opportunities out here, I just haven’t left” she said.

“Finding work here was so easy I simply applied to several companies when I arrived and within a week I was employed. I have worked for a few different company’s during my time her namely, SNG, Delta Civil, Dicks Diggers and currently working with a company called DECC who I have been with now for about a year”.  

“My favourite machine has to be excavator, it’s just my go to, but I love the variety of jumping between different machines”.

Mo tends to travel back to Scotland once a year for around 3 months, usually during the Scottish summer time, which coincides with Australia’s winter months, “I kind of get the best of both worlds travelling home at that time. I’m so close to my family and friends in Scotland that it will always be home, but the way I look at it is, why pick one country to live in when you can jump between both”.  

Summarizing about her experience as a woman working in the construction equipment industry Mo said, “It definitely was not an easy journey being a wee lassie in a man’s world but I do hope to change the way people think about women in the industry and ultimately inspire more women to get into it”.

The Digger Man Blog would like to take this opportunity to thank Mo for sharing her story with us here and for the supporting photos. Don’t forget to check her out on Instagram at @theweelassieoperator .