It all depends on what way you look at it & why exactly you want to do it. We up & left all of our family & friends over 4yrs ago, even had DS with no family support....all for working in the mines. Though my DH is skilled, that makes a large difference on the type of work etc. We haven't looked back, we too lived in remote WA & it worked great for us. We were living in the mining town so I got to see DH every day (or night), he worked a shift of days & nights but then would have 4days off. We would go camping, driving, bbq's with families on his shift. Also as it was a mining town it provided lots for families etc. I was always out at the library, play cafe, swimming pool etc....loved it!!!
It also depends on the type of job & how much they want you. Where I lived the companies paid for most things, we didn't pay any rent, electricity, or water....just our ph bill! Yes things in the town were more exp but often my Mum would send me things I needed or I could buy online. And when you are not paying many bills & your DH is making good $$$$ it works out in the end.

As for drinking & single mans life etc, again depends where they are. If they go on a roster fly in & out (my DH did this for several yrs before we were married) they will live in camps often not towns. Many of these camps are dry. So that's not always an issue.

Truck licence would be a must if he's not skilled or looking into a being a Tools Assistant, where we were living they too were provided with houses & made good $$$$.

We are now in QLD & have bought a house here we love it that much. Yes we miss our family etc, but they too can visit us. In this town many of the guys are on rosters that work out of town so still home most of the time & then you get that time off with your family.

Also if you do have a great family support network & friends where you currently live & he wanted to fly in & out of there then that helps for when you are on your own & then you get the time with them when they are home.