David (Stretch) Mathieson
08 October 2024David began his apprenticeship in 1984 with Nabalco as a heavy equipment fitter in Nhulunbuy, a small town in the Northern Territory. In 1994, Stretch transitioned into the drilling industry with Drillex, which later became Ausdrill Northwest, and has held various roles in the industry ever since. Stretch started with Metzke in 2019, bringing his wealth of experience and adding a successful rig building capability to the business. This has resulted in the successful delivery of 7 world-class autonomous smart rigs. Upon the completion of this project, Stretch has taken on the role of Compliance and Training Manager – which brings his industry experience and skill to address safety, asset compliance and apprenticeship management and training.
Outside of Metzke, Stretch also dedicates his time to volunteer with organizations such as the CWA, HeartKids, and the Darling Range Wildlife Center, demonstrating a strong commitment to giving back to the community.