Exploration Team
Chief Geologist – Dr. Peter Jackson BSc (Geology), PhD, MAIG
Dr. Jackson is a Geologist who lectured for many years in Geology at Victoria ’s renowned La Trobe University. He has over 21 years practical experience in the Eastern Victorian Goldfields and has conducted 100’s of field studies on old mining operations in the Woods Point area including economic geological assessments. He is intimately acquainted with all of the key mines & dyke structures within Morning Star’s tenement package. Dr Jackson is based between Melbourne & Woods Point.
Technical Director – Morrie Goodz MSc, MBA, MAusIMM
Morrie Goodz has spent 20+ years working as a project geologist and exploration manager in the Eastern Victorian Goldfields. He worked for several years with Max Garling operating the rich A1 Mine near Gaffney’s Creek Victoria, just 6kms from the present operations at Woods Point. For 2 years, Mr. Goodz worked at the KCGM operated 'Super Pit' in Kalgoorlie, in a senior strategic role. He has extensive experience related to the Woods Point Dyke Swarm and specifically the Morning Star mine. Morrie is a WaterWise garden award recipient and the local president of the Beef & Burgundy Society!
Operations Manager - Dennis Clark
Dennis Clark is Morning Star’s Operations Manager and is responsible for all day-to-day operational aspects at the Morning Star mine site. Dennis is no stranger to the Morning Star mine having worked with us there during the late 1990’s and earlier worked with several MCO operatives at the rich A1 mine at nearby Gaffney’s Creek. Dennis has a mine managers certificate issued in Victoria and significant experience with explosives, including a 'Black Ticket' or Licence in explosives. He has greater than 30 years underground mining experience Australia-wide including at the Woodlawn, Mineral Hill, Hellyer, Cobar, Union Hill, Wattle Gully, A1 and Morning Star mines. Dennis has worked in gold, copper, lead-zinc-silver mines in roles from Resident Mine Manager, to production, operations and development management, including recent involvement in Alliance Resources shaft and decline construction at Maldon. We are delighted to have his vast experience on board as we move up several gears in our operations at Woods Point. Dennis is based in Woods Point, spending most of his time off with wife Pauline in the Southern Tablelands of NSW.
OH&S Officer / Geological Assistant - Frances Scott
Frances Scott is a Woods Point local. She comes from 3 generations of Gold Miners in the Woods Point area, her father and grandfather having worked underground at the Morning Star and A1 mines in the post-war years. Frances has worked for MCO since its inception in 1992. She is also the only certified female winder driver in Australia . She assists in all aspects of day-to-day above ground management, O H & S, drill core logging & cutting and reporting for MCO.
Mine Foreman / Geological Assistant – Darren Croucher
Darren is a Victorian local who has worked with Morning Star Gold for several years now in a variety of roles. His primary roles are to support Dennis Clark in a variety of functions at the mine site and partner MCO's geos (Peter Jackson & Chris Gray) in the field whilst carrying out surveys, sampling and other fieldwork across our tenements. Darren is also responsible for assisting the geologists in logging & data entry of core from drilling and for transportation of samples and core to assays labs. Darren is married to the lovely Jacqui (also a Woods Point regular) with three children and is based between Woods Point during the week and Melbourne on weekends.
Drilling Supervisor – Billy Scott
Billy Scott is a member of the locally renowned ‘Scott Clan’ who have been miners at Woods Point and other hard rock mines around Australia for over 60 years. Billy’s father and he both mined at the rich A1 mine at nearby Gaffney’s Creek when operated in the 1980s by the same team running MCO. Billy has been involved with the Morning Star mine since 1992. His responsibilities range from coordinating training and resources for the underground drilling crews who have been conducting diamond-drilling of the ‘Gap Zone’ to also supervising the surface drillers in the Regional Exploration Program, initially at Waverly and All Nations targets.
Drilling Operator – Max Towe
Max has lived and worked in and around Woods Point for 16 years. He is a key underground point man assisting the team of miners all other aspects of underground exploration and mine development. Max has also been invaluable on the drill rigs during the 'Morning Star South' surface diamond drilling program and drilling underground into the Gap Zone. Max is married with 4 daughters and lives in Woods Point, enjoying a spot of mining at nearby Perkins Creek in his time off.
Surface Maintenance / Winder Driver – Tony Rugys
Tony is another long time employee of Morning Star. He has worked in the mining industry for over 20 years. Tony is responsible for aspects of above ground maintenance at the Morning Star mine and driving the winder for crews to enter and exit the main shaft. This includes ensuring the safe and continuous operation of the winder apparatus, maintaining core trays, all forms of mechanical repairs and engineering issues at surface. He is based in Woods Point and is a keen hunter in his spare time. Tony is the President of the Woods Point Progress Association and a volunteer member of the local Country Fire Authority.
Underground Leading Hand + Driller – Scott McDonald
Scott was born and raised in Woods Point and works at Morning Star Gold with his father Don, one of MCO’s winder drivers. Scott is a key underground mining and explorations operative and was also heavily involved in shaft sinking and refurbishment operations for the past 3 years. Scott is a keen X-Terrain mountain biker in his time off, loves long drives through Victoria and lists his hobbies as ‘very single’.
Underground Driller – Craig Liddell
Craig has worked at Woods Point with the Morning Star team for around 4 years. He is certified by MCO as a winder driver, diamond driller and air-leg mining offsider. Craig likes to spend time with his teenage son and in his spare time is a long-suffering Carlton Blues supporter in the AFL. He is a keen movie buff and loves music.
Winder Driver – Don McDonald
Don is MCO's key Winder Driver and in a former life, conducted the Mansfield to Woods Point mail run with Stewarts. Don’s son Scott works for Morning Star, as does wife Lisa and daughter Leonie. It's certainly a family affair for the Woods Point based McDonalds. Don has worked in a winder driving capacity with several other local operations for over 20 years, previously at the A1 Mine in nearby Gaffney’s Creek. Don is still keen to talk about Hawthorn’s VFL 1991 Premiership to anyone who will listen…
Drilling Operator and Underground Air-Leg Miner – Daniel Wright
Daniel is a third-generation miner in Woods Point and eastern Victoria . He is a keen cricketer and loves to spend time with his young daughter Jasmine. Daniel also supports the Broncos in the NRL. At Woods Point, Daniel is a Drilling Operator and Air-Leg Miner and hopefully a chip off the old block given father Ray Wright's longevity in Victoria's hard rock gold fields.
Drilling Offsider – Tim Cribbes
Tim is a Matlock local who is the newest addition to the team at Morning Star Gold. Tim worked most recently with the Victorian Dept. of Sustainability and Environment as a fire spotter and also with Stewart’s on the Mansfield mail run. Tim is now assisting with all day-to-day aspects MCO’s drilling program offsiding Billy Scott.
Adminsitrative Assistant - Leonie McDonald
Leonie is the youngest member of MCO's team and assists at the Woods Point mine site office in all forms of administration. Leonie supports Peter Jackson and Morrie Goodz with on site geological data input as well as assisting Dennis Clark our Operations Manager in a PA capacity. She is being trained in Gemcom 3D geological modelling and has a bright future with Morning Star.
Mine Site Electrician and Drilling Offsider - Damien Christopher
Damien hails from Mansfield and sees that all the electrical issues with the Morning Star are under control. At all other times he is off-siding in the 'Gap Zone' diamond drilling program. Damien loves spending time with his daughter in Mansfield and of course his beloved dogs.
