Claudia Bowman
2024 WOMAN OF GOLD
Graduating in 2018 from Monash University with a Bachelor of Arts and Science (Honours), I started my career in the gold industry as a geologist at Fosterville Gold mine in 2019, and since then I have never looked back.
My first experience of working in an environment with an unbalanced gender ratio was underground, 1.2km below the earth’s surface.
In morning muster meetings, I was often the only woman in a crew of 100 male underground workers. While I absolutely loved the experience, I often refrained from speaking up, hoping not to disrupt the status quo. Today, I have built the confidence to share my experience, in the hopes of supporting women to use their voice to bring to light issues that still lurk dangerously close to the surface, such as the motherhood penalty and the lack of decent paternity leave and flexible work arrangements.
I currently work for Southern Cross Gold, a company that prides itself on hiring a diverse workforce (with 45% women), and I am working under my first ever female manager. I hope to continue empowering the women in my life to believe they can pursue any path, regardless of the barriers they may face.
Background:
Geologist at Fosterville Gold mine, 2019
Bachelor of Arts and Science (Honours), Monash University
“In a world where gender equity is not yet the norm, I will continue to strive for a future where individuals of any gender feel empowered to work in any role, free from judgment or discrimination, with the respect that they deserve.“
- Claudia Bowman
2024 WOMEN OF GOLD ARTISTS
Women of Gold is a multimedia project celebrating the stories and contributions of women in the City of Greater Bendigo. Increasing the representation of women across different sectors and inspiring industry to innovate and meet the needs of our community as a whole.
