Next Generation of Miners Benefiting From Lego
By Jacob Miley
March 26, 2017 - The next generation of Australian miners are already getting prepared - using Lego, of all things.
The Mackay Toy World Store in Queensland, Australia has sold 20 Lego Bucket Wheel Excavators since November, almost seven times more than the national average of three, store owner Dennis Boyce said.
Mr. Boyce said it's not surprising that Mackay residents were choosing to buy Lego mining equipment, as most people in central Queensland were familiar with the excavator.
Store manager Kirsty Whittaker agrees and says it was popular with mining families.
"People are creating there own mining cities out of Lego, which is really interesting,” she said.
"There are people that are slowly collecting all of these bits and pieces, its almost like the model train, where you begin with something small, and you build on something and eventually you have a whole city.
"A lot of people that are buying this stuff have the little pieces as well that make it into one big functional mining town.”
The Toy World store, which opened in November, recently won the Lego partnership award for Queensland, which recognizes the store's partnership with the product.
Mr. Boyce said it was an exceptional effort considering they were up against stores that had been trading for 12 months, and they had only been trading for four.
Ms. Whittaker said the Lego was a big drawcard for their store, and it was not uncommon for people to travel from places like Moranbah to source it.
She said the biggest attraction at the moment was the Technic range, which broadens from the traditional block Lego and includes "lights and and motors” that come with the unit and makes them function.
Toy World Mackay manager Kirsty Whittaker with the Bucket Wheel Excavator.