COMMUNITY – Hunter Valley Operations

HVO has been part of the community for more than 70 years. It gives back to community by providing local jobs, supporting local business and offering grants and other support to charities and community organisations that benefit local residents.

We engage with community members through our Community Consultative Committee, newsletters and other means.

HVO Annual Contribution

$1.96b

total direct economic contribution

1,365

direct jobs

$1b

annual spend on goods & services

788

suppliers

$187m

paid in wages and salaries

$599m

taxes and royalties paid

Local Business Support

HVO supports local businesses wherever possible. Most of its more than 700 suppliers are local. These partnerships help businesses to grow and employ more people.

Three examples are:

We also partner with licensees who farm around 6,000ha of HVO’s buffer and rehabilitated lands. One of those licensees is Peter Nichols who started his own cattle farming business from scratch using 200 ha of HVO land. Another arm of the business provides pump and general duties services in HVO pits.

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Charity Support

HVO and its staff support charities that help people in its community through Workplace Giving, charity partnerships and other fundraising. One Workplace Giving partnership with Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service has raised more than $1.1M over 20 years.

We currently partner with five ‘truck tray’ charities.

Each charity has a HVO mine truck, painted in its colours and logo. It receives an annual donation based on its truck’s haulage as well as fundraising support throughout the year. The partnership includes HVO raising awareness of the charity and its services to the community and its staff.

Other charities for which HVO has recently fundraised include Movember and Mark Hughes Foundation.

People and events

HVO’s support is about making people’s lives better. We even contribute to the local housing supply by renting houses and land on our property.

Another way we help people is by supporting local community and industry events including:

Business Singleton Awards
Great Australian Cattle Dog Muster

In 2022 our staff made hundreds of toys and wildlife boxes during a training day – which went to people in need through local community and environment organisations.

Our staff and apprentices gain skills and a connection to community when they volunteer for community projects – like the sprucing up the Singleton Community Garden.

Community Grants

HVO supports local not for profit organisations and projects in the Upper Hunter and Lower Hunter through its bi-annual community grants program in April and September.

The grants are open to small scale projects that develop the communities in which HVO operates. Applications should target at least one of these focus areas:

Capacity building – including education and training, enterprise development and economic diversification
Health
Environment
Local need

Preference is given to applications that benefit communities in close proximity to HVO’s operations and activities. Typically, we fund applications up to $5,000 but may consider higher amounts. Applications for part funding will only be considered if remaining funds are already secured.

For full eligibility criteria, and to apply for a grant, simply click on the Smarty Grants link and follow the instructions. For assistance with your application, or if you have a larger partnership project, you can call 0455 782 292 or email environmentandcommunity@hvo.com.au

APPLICATIONS OPEN APRIL 2024