August 2024, on ABC last week, Australians were treated to the spectacle of an enormous white dome rising from the middle of the desert.
For a select group of men and women a decade ago, Tellus’ geological repository at Sandy Ridge was simply a vision—one they were tasked with turning into reality. Among them was Tellus’ Chief Operating Officer, Steve Hosking. He is our company’s longest serving employee. Steve Hosking has been involved in every phase of Sandy Ridge. From feasibility through approvals and construction, and now into full operation.
“It was one of the most arid and remote locations I had ever set foot on”. Recalls Steve Hosking of his first visit to Sandy Ridge, 240km north-west of Kalgoorlie.
“All you had were some plans in your hand—and your imagination. It was blank-canvas stuff, very exciting.”
Steve Hosking Chief Operating Officer, Tellus
All of this was a long way from Helston, the small town in Cornwall, where Steve grew up.
A love of the natural environment led him to a first degree in geography at Chester, in northern England. Followed by a second degree in mining engineering from the prestigious Camborne School of Mines, University of Exeter. He spent the next few years in underground civil engineering, based in London, but with long stints offshore, including in the UAE.
In 2005, Steve accepted a position with a geotechnical consultancy in Perth. A month later, his girlfriend, Susan, now his wife, joined him out here. Their plan was to travel and work their way around the world.
“It was supposed to be the first step of a great adventure,” says Steve, “But we hit the jackpot too soon. We fell in love with Perth.”
In 2015, after a decade in the mining sector in WA, Steve joined Tellus, in Sydney. At the time as project manager on a visionary plan for a deep geological repository – Chandler, 120km south of Alice Springs. But he and Susan and their two boys, Sam and Ben, missed WA badly. So, when Sandy Ridge emerged as Tellus’ priority project ahead of Chandler, the fit was perfect. Steve and his family relocated back to their beloved Western Australia.
“I like challenging convention and enjoy developing infrastructure that can help protect the environment and improve people’s quality of life, and I think that is what Tellus is all about.”
Steve Hosking Chief Operating Officer, Tellus
“I like challenging convention and enjoy developing infrastructure that can help protect the environment and improve people’s quality of life. And I think that is what Tellus is all about. Through the hard work and determination of so many talented people over the years, we are now in an exciting position to help solve lots of complex problems in our community.”
While Steve regards himself as fortunate to have been involved in every phase of the Sandy Ridge project, he is conscious of the contributions of those who have come and gone through the years as well as the company’s shareholders whose support made the project possible. “Projects like this are always team sports. We’re blessed with some wonderful people at Tellus, but just as many who are no longer with us. They all deserve to share in the credit as well”.