PERTH, Western Australia – The Western Australian resources sector is mourning the death of Mark McKay, the respected founder and driving force behind McKay Drilling, who passed away peacefully on 30 November 2025 after a private health battle.
Mr McKay, 62, established McKay Drilling in 1999 with just one rig and a handful of employees. Under his leadership the company grew into one of Australia’s most trusted specialised drilling contractors, known for its safety record, technical innovation and long-term partnerships across the gold, iron-ore and critical-minerals sectors.
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“Mark built this company on integrity, hard work and treating every employee like family,” said current Managing Director Ryan McKay, Mark’s son, in a statement released Monday. “He never forgot where he started, and he never stopped pushing us to be better. The hole he leaves is enormous.”
Colleagues remember McKay as a hands-on leader who could still be found on remote drill sites at dawn, coffee in hand, talking football with the crews or troubleshooting a down-hole problem alongside the driller. His trademark phrase — “We’ll get it done, no dramas” — became the unofficial motto of the company.
Beyond the rig pads, McKay was a quiet but generous supporter of junior sports in Perth’s northern suburbs and several Indigenous education programs in the Pilbara, where McKay Drilling maintains significant operations.
Tributes have poured in from across the industry:
Mineral Resources Managing Director Chris Ellison: “Mark was old-school in the best way — his word was his bond. The WA mining community has lost one of its true gentlemen.”
Ausdrill founder and chairman Terry Ransted: “He took on the big boys with one rig and a lot of guts, and he won. Vale, mate.”
A private family funeral will be held later this week, followed by a public celebration of life at McKay Drilling’s Wangara headquarters on Saturday 13 December from 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked for donations to the Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation, a cause close to Mark’s heart.
Mark McKay is survived by his wife Jan, children Ryan, Lauren and Scott, and six grandchildren.
The rigs will fall silent for one minute at 11 a.m. on Friday across all McKay Drilling sites in a mark of respect for the man who started it all.