Isolation, trust and resentment are a few of the key concerns expressed by those involved in fly-in, fly-out work.
Nicole Ashby, a Perth mother of three and wife of a Fifo worker, set up an internet-based support network in late 2010 to help families in a similar situation to her own.
By December that year, Fifo Families had 100 members; now it boasts more than 3000 across Australia and, more recently, New Zealand.
"We have about 35 groups of fly-in, fly-out - or drive-in drive-out - families who meet physically. We have also had huge demand from New Zealanders looking to work in Australia.
"We help set up the actual physical meeting of people; we also have a chat forum and a Facebook page, both of which are highly interactive. People can read about what others are experiencing," Mrs Ashby explains.
She says the four biggest issues faced by Fifo workers and their partners are isolation, loneliness, trust and resentment.
"I would say most can identify with the first two and they are what we try to address. Everyone seems to acknowledge those feelings.
"Work rosters can vary widely, from two weeks on and one week off, to four weeks away and four weeks at home - that's what my husband does and it's a real challenge," Mrs Ashby acknowledges.
"We get lots of questions from people looking to get into it or who are struggling with it.
"We always stress good communication with a partner is a must; you must be able to discuss what's important to you and partners need to do the same. There need to be clear boundaries around taking a break from your kids, or a Fifo worker getting enough time to readjust to normality.
"It is also important to have support around you. It's probably good for those people living in New Zealand because they aren't necessarily moving away from their support base.
"But if you've been away from your Fifo partner for 14 days and your kid gets sick, who are you going to call on? That's where we can step in and help with a support base.
"We have added New Zealand to the chat forums as we do have quite a few families who have chosen to fly from New Zealand.
"There are some who are working two weeks on and one off and travelling to and from the Pilbara [more than 1000km north of Perth], which I think is crazy. I reckon they'd only be home for two or three days before having to leave again."
Mrs Ashby says in attempting to make a better future, financially, for themselves and their families, some are putting their relationships at risk, though she stresses there is no research to support the suggestion the divorce rate is higher among Fifo workers than non-Fifo workers.
"Anecdotally, however, you do hear from people who have worked in the area for a while who know guys into their second or third marriages.
"I think if you have a relationship issue and step into Fifo-type work in an attempt to save the relationship, it will amplify any issue. If you've got communication problems or jealousy issues, it will bring that to the surface. But those who have a solid foundation should be OK."
