How a Local IT Provider Supported One of Australia’s Biggest Gold Discoveries
Qbit IT Solutions has been privileged to play a part in one of Australia’s most exciting gold mining stories in recent times. Back in 2018, De Grey Mining—a small, junior explorer at the time—engaged Qbit to assist with their move to new offices in Subiaco. Our team set up their server infrastructure, internet, phone system, laptops, and established a Managed Services agreement. None of us could have predicted the extraordinary journey that would follow.
In September 2020, Craig Nelms, Jonathan Matthews and James Reid from CorpCloud, together with Fabio Suffell from Qbit, travelled to the Pilbara to assess how we could deliver essential IT services to the remote camp sites. During this trip, we had the privilege of meeting Colin Brierly, who has managed Indee Station since 1962—ten years before I was even born! Colin’s life story is remarkable; he was first on the scene at Australia’s worst aviation disaster in 1968. (You can read more about Colin and the accident in these articles: Colin Brierly – Indee Station Since 1962 – Fridgy and Faulty repair work doomed Viscount 50 years ago.)
Later that year, Craig Nelms encouraged us to attend the Diggers and Dealers conference in Kalgoorlie. It was a real honour to watch De Grey receive the “Best Emerging Company” award at this major industry event.
Qbit rolled out a range of IT solutions for De Grey, including NBN Satellite (later upgraded to Starlink), SD-WAN, phone systems, rugged laptops, and campsite Wi-Fi infrastructure. In June 2021, we assisted De Grey with their move into their new West Perth office, just around the corner from our own headquarters. We managed everything from setting up desks and cabling, to installing new switches, Wi-Fi, and internet connections.
Throughout the challenges of the COVID years, Qbit provided steadfast support to De Grey, stepping in when internal staff were unwell and helping the company stay on track. Our partnership continued right up until the end, with the last of our equipment being removed following De Grey Mining’s landmark acquisition by Northern Star Resources in May 2025. We were also delighted to join the De Grey team at Simon Lill’s wind-up party to celebrate the end of an incredible chapter.
In August 2025 we were invited by Craig Nelms to join him at the Diggers and Dealers Gala Dinner and where delighted to see Simon Lill accept the Dealer Award. De Grey were a $5 million dollar company when they joined Qbit IT Solutions and accepted the best emerging company award. It was amazing, just 5 years later, to watch them accept the dealers award for their sale to Northern Star for over $5 Billion.
The friendships forged along this journey have been invaluable. Special thanks must go to Craig Nelms—a true friend who connected us with so many others in the industry, sparking new opportunities and partnerships for Qbit. Many a late night was spent with Craig on the Gold Bar dance floor in Kalgoorlie, always embracing our unofficial motto: we take what we do seriously, but not ourselves.
We’d also like to thank Simon Lill (one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet in mining), Andrew Beckwith Philip Tornatora, Glenn Jardine, Peter Canterbury and everyone else who made this such a rewarding experience. We look forward to the chance to work together again in the future.
🌟 Amazing Facts About De Grey Mining
- One of Australia’s Fastest-Growing Gold Explorers
- De Grey Mining evolved from a modest exploration company into a globally recognised gold mining powerhouse. Just two years after partnering with Qbit for managed IT services, De Grey was honoured as “Best Emerging Company” at the Diggers and Dealers forum in Kalgoorlie.
- Globally recognised discovery of the Hemi Deposit in the Pilbara. With over 10 million ounces of gold, Hemi is set to become one of the top five gold mines in Australia.
- In May 2025, De Grey Mining was acquired by Northern Star Resources in a landmark $5 billion all-share transaction, marking one of the most significant consolidations in Australia’s gold sector. This deal gives Northern Star control of the Hemi project and positions it as a dominant force in the industry.
- Only 5 years after receiving the best emerging company award at diggers and dealers mining forum, they took out the dealer award for their $5 billion dollar transaction with Northern Star.
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