Operator Tim Lamb from Edgeworth has become New South Wales’ best Cat® machinery operator following the thrilling State Final of the Caterpillar® Global Operator Challenge, held at WesTrac’s dig pit in Tomago on Friday.
The 34-year-old, who works with Daracon Group, outperformed nine other finalists in the challenges, designed to test the skill, accuracy, and agility of competitors.
Tim was crowned State Champion and will join Western Australia’s Champion Max Harris on an all-expenses-paid trip to Japan, where they will compete against international operators at the Asia-Pacific Regional Finals in October.
WesTrac NSW Construction General Manager Ryan Boslem said operators competing in the NSW final had to put their skills to the ultimate test across three challenges using three different Cat machines.
“This year’s Challenge was our toughest one yet, with operators having to navigate a tight obstacle course over rough terrain, while also keeping safety front of mind,” Ryan said.
“These highly skilled operators have come from various construction companies across NSW, and we’ve been hugely impressed with the talent this year, with these 10 finalists being selected from more than 100 applicants.
“A huge congratulations to Tim, we look forward to cheering him on as he heads to Japan to represent our state.”
From there, only three operators will be selected to travel to Las Vegas next year, where they will complete against the world’s best operators in the Caterpillar Global Operator Final held at CONEXPO 2026.
This year, the Challenge also aligns with Caterpillar’s 100-year anniversary which will be officially commemorated on 15 April.
As WesTrac Chief Executive for NSW/ACT Adrian Howard explained, the event was an ideal opportunity to mark the milestone by showcasing the State’s best operators using the latest Cat equipment.
“The Global Operator Challenge puts the spotlight on just how far Cat equipment has come, and this next century will undoubtedly bring a new level of evolution to how mining, construction, energy and transportation industries operate, supported by our most advanced equipment and technology,” Adrian said.
“We are extremely proud to have hosted this exciting event at our Tomago facility, and on behalf of the entire team at WesTrac, I’d like to thank all competing operators, as well as the businesses and spectators for supporting the NSW final.
“We wish both Tim from NSW and Max from WA every success when they head to the Asia-Pacific Regional Finals in Japan later this year.”
The Global Operator Challenge was launched by Caterpillar in 2019 with WesTrac participating for the first time in 2022.
Learn more about the Global Operator Challenge by visiting www.cat.com/operatorchallenge.
Captions
Marissa Taddeo
marissa@hellospoke.com.au
0401 019 885
Emily Evans
emily@hellospoke.com.au
0401 337 959
As one of the largest authorised Cat equipment dealers in the world, WesTrac provides customers with a wide range of mining and construction equipment as well as comprehensive whole-of-life management solutions designed to make owning and operating equipment as easy, profitable and safe as possible. With more than 4,500 staff, WesTrac is focused on long-term customer relationships and a dedication to customer service, safety, quality and the environment.
To achieve this, we commit to building better together through collaboration and collective action. Helping customers achieve their own ESG objectives to reduce emissions through product advancements and technology solutions. This shared goal of a sustainable future for all is why we are focused on Responsibility, Advancement, Community, Inclusivity, Development and Solutions, as a means to deliver long-term positive success for the environment, customers, team members, stakeholders and the wider community.
Community development and support is an important part of the WesTrac philosophy, and we are proud to support local activities, events and charities in the regions we are based. As part of SGH Ltd, WesTrac also has strong alliances with other leading Australian businesses, including Seven West Media, Boral, Coates and SITECH.
Third-generation heavy machinery operator Jack Divall from Goulburn has proven he is the best equipment operator in NSW following an outstanding show of skill at the WesTrac-hosted Caterpillar® Global Operator Challenge on Thursday 8 September 2022.
