Waikato’s infrastructure projects and people celebrated at annual awards

18 Aug 2025

Outstanding civil infrastructure projects from across the mighty Waikato – and the people responsible constructing and maintaining them – were celebrated on Friday night at the Civil Contractors New Zealand Waikato Branch Hynds Construction Awards 2025.

Hundreds of people from across the region’s civil construction industry convened for a prestigious black-tie dinner and awards evening at Claudelands Events Centre in Hamilton to applaud the civil construction achievements that have made a positive difference to the region.

HEB Construction took home the Supreme Award, as well as the award for projects valued over $20M, for its transformational Peacocke Waikato River Bridge and Strategic Services project in southern Hamilton.

The $167M infrastructure project, featuring the iconic Te Ara Pekapeka Bridge across the Waikato River, has unlocked 720 hectares of new urban development to house 20,000 residents in south-west Hamilton.

Project award judges Simon Payne and Calum Twist praised HEB's engagement with clients, stakeholders and subcontractors to deliver the project, noting it represented “another high-quality asset … that portrays our region and our industry’s capability in one unique construction statement”. JWI Earthmoving was highly commended in the category, for its work delivering the the Waikeria Prison Development Project.

HEB also won the projects valued between $1M and $5M award for its pioneering effort to replace Onetai Stream Bridge on State Highway 26 north of Paeroa with New Zealand’s first prefabricated timber highway bridge, completing the work in just four weeks.

Another stand-out project was a critical erosion-remediation project by McConnell Dowell to protect Mercury Energy’s Taupō Control Gates Bridge, claiming the award for projects valued between $5M and $10M.

The work helped safeguard the 83-year-old bridge, which provides a road link between the northern and southern suburbs or Taupō and contains six control gates that regulate the flow of the Waikato River in relation nine hydro-electric power stations between Taupō and Karapiro.

The judges commended the “extensive forward planning and in-house skills”, which supported McConnell Dowell's successful delivery.

Higgins won the award for projects under $1M with its Te Rapa Container Terminal Yard Extension project to transform KiwiRail’s existing rail yard in Hamilton.

Fulton Hogan's Borman Road Connection won the award for projects valued between $10M and $20M for its work transforming an important transport link into a modern urban road that is safer for all users, including pedestrians and people on bikes and scooters.

The judges commented that “this important link between rural, residential and expressway traffic at the north end of Hamilton was well planned, constructed and delivered by Fulton Hogan some two months ahead of programme.”

Safety excellence was also recognised, with Higgins receiving the Health and Safety Award for its SH1 Piarere to Wairakei Safety Improvements Section L project. Judges noted that the project involved “challenging conditions associated with high traffic movements,” and was delivered without any safety incidents.

The stars of the region’s civil construction sector making their mark were also recognised.

The Apprentice of the Year award went to apprentice drainlayer Ethan Morris from Schick Civil Construction and the Emerging Leader Award was presented to Tama Randall from Downer.

Downer’s Sid Rudani received the Engineer of the Year Award, while Victor Beach, also from Downer, won the Outstanding Individual award.

Civil Contractors New Zealand Waikato Branch Chair Adam Plimmer said the winning people and projects exemplified the depth of capability in the region and capacity of its people to overcome challenges.

“What we've witnessed tonight is the elite people and projects shaping and securing the future of the Waikato: from emergency infrastructure recovery to safeguarding renewable-energy production and transformational urban-development projects.

“The innovation, collaboration and sheer determination shown by these award winners sets the benchmark for excellence across New Zealand. They’re securing the prosperity of our region.”

The CCNZ Waikato Branch Hynds Construction Awards 2025 was sponsored by Hynds, Hirepool, Carters, Humes, Downer, HEB Construction, Brian Perry Civil, Connell Contractors, Schick Civil Construction, Spartan Construction and GPIL.