Shire worker digs up national title

A SURF Coast Shire works supervisor has claimed national honours for his precision on an excavator.

Sam Schobel won the Municipal Works Australia Top Gun plant operator challenge recently in Bendigo.

Mr Schobel and his fellow competitors were tasked with completing a challenge against the clock using an excavator with a modified bucket.

Each participant started with the bucket resting inside a marked square on the ground, had to use the bucket to lift six decoy ducks – tied together – from a wading pool, place them all within a marked zone on the ground and then return the bucket to its marked square.

Sam recorded a time of 43 seconds on his first attempt, leaving him in second position.

However, on his final attempt, and with 15 minutes left in the challenge, he clocked a whopping 28 second time to take out the competition.

He said he couldn’t believe it when he landed the winning time.

“Then that was the longest 15 minutes of my life waiting, because a couple of other guys stayed on the machine basically until the cut-off time.

“Australia’s best municipal works operator. I’m taking that!”

Mr Schobel has operated excavators for 20 years and worked with the Surf Coast Shire for more than 10 years.

He has been the shire’s Capital and Renewal Works Supervisor for six years.

Cr Liz Pattison paid tribute to Mr Schobel for his efforts.

“We are proud of our entire municipal works team and the great job they do every day, but it is particularly exciting to now have a national title-holder in the fold,” she said.

“What a great show of skill, precision and cool nerves by Sam.”