"I play golf, go for drives, go walking and spend time visiting my five grandchildren," the Muswellbrook resident said.

Except, of course, he hasn't left his job. When he's not swinging a golf club, Mr Constable is maneuvering a 105-metre boom at Singleton's open-cut coal mine Hunter Valley Operations, where he has worked for the past 50 years.

Mr Constable began driving the dragline at the mine 44 years ago. The massive piece of earth-moving machinery has the capacity to lift 120 tonnes of dirt at a time.

Operating the dragline requires Mr Constable to work 14 12-hour shifts per month, during the day and night.

"We work through all conditions rain, hail and shine. We pick up the overburden and uncover the coal," he said.

"The drag line only stops for two hours service every three weeks, Christmas and Boxing Day."

Mr Constable seems to have matched the machine's endurance. He has no plan to retire, despite beginning his career at the mine in 1969 at the age of 20.

Prior to that, he worked in construction at Liddell Power Station and, at its completion did not want to follow the work south.

"I'm originally for Cassilis and I shifted to Musswellbrook in 1964. I wanted to stay local," he said.

"A job came up next door at the mine on a service truck. I have been here ever since.

"Working on the dragline is pretty independent and you get to make decisions yourself. I'm still healthy and active and I'm still enjoying what I do."

Mr Constable celebrated 50 years working at HVO on Wednesday, enjoying a barbecue at the mine with his son, David, and nephew, Brad, who both work in his crew.

Mr Constable's brother Eddy works in a different team at the mine and has also racked up 36 years.

David Constable, 43, said it was an honour to work with his father "almost every day".

"His industrious nature and how he applies himself at work really comes through. I have a passion for what I do, I chose the job, and I have to be really sick to take a day off.

"That's the kind of attitude I gained from what I saw in the household growing up," David said.

Mr Constable has not taken sick leave in 45 years. He says his immune system benefits from an active lifestyle and healthy diet.

"I eat plenty of fruit. And every day I have tuna and salad for lunch," Mr Constable said.

His son, David, said he was grateful the mine had so far provided two generations of his family with a "good life".

"You never know what's around the corner," he said. "But the mine started in 1968 and it's still got another 40 or 60 years of life. That's a long lifespan for a mine, the longest in the valley."

Mr Constable said he had enjoyed seeing upgrades to the mine's technology over the decades, most importantly the introduction of air conditioning to the dragline's cab.

It was also satisfying to know, he said, that he had taught around fifty people, including family members, to control the beast.

"I haven't got a date yet to retire. I'll just keep taking it a day at a time."

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