User Profile

Darryl Best

Darryl Best began in mines as an apprentice electrician, ending his career in senior management roles at Dendrobium, Wongawilli and Russell Vale. Darryl has witnessed the ups and downs of the coal industry and seen what happened to miners in the UK and the US. He is passionate about establishing renewable industries in areas where fossil fuel industries will eventually close as we transition to cleaner energy sources. Darryl is married, with three children and four grandchildren. He serves on the board of Hi Neighbour, loves the environment, his native garden and the Wollongong lifestyle.

Opinion

Coal – From Now to Where?

By retired miner Darryl Best The majority of coal produced in Australia is for the export market. This demand has been gradually decreasing, with sales to our five major markets – Japan, China, India, South Korea and Taiwan – all declining by...

Darryl Best

3 hours ago

Energy Transition

Common Ground: Where a Baby Boomer ex-coal miner meets a Gen Z marine ecologist

Darryl Best and Phebe Fidge are both Illawarra locals and regular contributors to the Illawarra Flame. Despite their vastly different backgrounds – Darryl having worked in coal mines most of his life and Phebe just beginning her career in marine...

Darryl Best

August 2025

Opinion

Reflections on a lifetime in coal

As a recently retired coal miner it is interesting to reflect on coal mining and coal miners. Coal was first discovered in Australia at the aptly named Coalcliff in 1797 and first produced at Newcastle in 1799. By 1901 about 7 million tonnes were...

Darryl Best

August 2025

Opinion

Why we need a Local Energy Hub

There is so much change going on in Australia and the rest of the world. Sometimes it can be quite overwhelming. One of the great problems we have as a community and as a society is to be able to guarantee that the information we are getting is...

Darryl Best

May 2025