On The Up: Far North Roading wins top honour at Māori Business Excellence Awards

Far North Roading Group had never entered any business awards before so to win a prestigious award was a surprise. Reporter Jenny Ling writes on the company’s transformation from humble beginnings paving forestry roads to award-winners. Their story is part of On the Up - NZME’s editorial campaign that showcases uplifting stories of New Zealand success, inspiration and possibilities.

What started out as a forestry road-building business with a handful of staff has mushroomed into a diversified, award-winning Northland company.

Far North Roading Group was the supreme winner of the 2025 Tai Tokerau Māori Business Excellence Awards held at MacKay Stadium in Whangārei on March 7.

The civil construction company also won the Māori Enterprise Award in the “employing more than 14 staff” category.

FNR Group’s Manu Burkhardt-Macrae, Connor Dent and Michaela Bell are proud to be supreme winners of this year's Te Tai Tokerau Maori Business Excellence Award. Photo / Jenny Ling

It was the first time the Kaitāia-based business had entered for an award, so to win the supreme prize was “a nice surprise”, managing director Manu Burkhardt-Macrae said.

“We’re really proud to have won it.

“We haven’t really put ourselves forward for awards before.

“It was good recognition for the team and the work we’ve done over the years.”

The business was established as a forestry road-building business by Brady Wild, who has an extensive civil roading construction background, and “a couple of other guys” in 2011.

When Burkhardt-Macrae joined in 2017, there were around 50 staff and today, there are 160 staff members across the business, which has expanded to construction, consulting, quarries, and concrete.

Burkhardt-Macrae said the change had been “organic”.

The Far North Roading team at the Tai Tokerau Māori Business Excellence Awards.

While still doing earthmoving and road building, the business had attracted many new clients, including the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Kāinga Ora, the Ministry of Education, and the Far North District Council.

Major projects have included:

• The $11.5 million Te Hiku Sports Hub which opened last year with swimming pools, a gym, sports fields, a cricket wicket, and netball courts.
• Kā Uri tourism complex in Awanui for Ngāti Kuri.
• Civil construction works for Bunnings Waipapa, including carpark, drainage, retaining walls, and landscaping.
• “A big chunk” of the $24.5m Waipapa roundabout which was finished in 2021.

Other projects include the Jamieson Rd, Kaitāia housing development, which provided 13 homes for Kāinga Ora, and a new gym and classroom refurbishment for Taipa Area School.

Far North Roading director Brady Wild receives the award from the category sponsor, owner of Pak’nSave Albany Jason Witehira.

“Our people are the reason we’re successful,” Burkhardt-Macrae said.

“We have got good local people who were all brought up here and have gone away to be trained and come back.

“They’ve all got a vested interest in the success of our projects because they’re part of the community.”

Burkhardt-Macrae is also proud of the young people the company trains through its cadetships and apprenticeships.

These include two current cadetships through the Ministry of Social Development and Māori Trade and Training, a fund that targets, engages, and employs local rangitahi from Kaitāia and Kaikohe.

Far North Roading Group has been involved in numerous projects across the mid and Far North including the Waipapa roundabout.

The business is also providing two dozen building apprenticeships, and a diesel mechanic apprenticeship.

The biennial Māori Business Excellence Awards were hosted by Te Hiringa Charitable Trust and Business Promotions as a celebration of innovation, leadership, and dedication across industries and communities.

Categories covered excellence in customer service and innovation to leadership and sustainability.

Chief judge Hūhana Lyndon said the awards are getting “bigger and bigger”, with the largest number of applicants from a broad range of sectors this year.

“The quality is amazing; Northland is in a good space.

“It’s a tribute to the way Māori are contributing to the economic outlook for Northland.

“We’re punching above our weight.”

Lyndon said Far North Roading Group brings “commitment and value” to the mid and Far North.

Tai Tokerau Māori Business Excellence Awards chief judge Hūhana Lyndon was impressed by the quality of this year’s applicants.

“The way they move around the rohe, and their commitment to working alongside locals ... that really strong value of mahitahi and employing our own is awesome.

“They’re committed to the region, they are growing and providing core infrastructure.

“Whether it’s council, government projects, hapū, iwi, even papakāinga, they’re providing core infrastructure in a sustainable way.”

Te Hiringa Charitable Trust and Business Promotions chairperson April Erueti said the awards not only highlight the individual achievements of the winners, “but also underscore the collective strength and collaboration of all those who support them”.

“It is a reminder of the incredible talent and innovation that drives progress in our communities.”

Far North Roading Group also sponsored the Tai Tamariki Development Award, which was won by Ahiparadise, a business founded by Lennox Goodhue Wikitera, who creates photography for everyday items from wall calendars and mugs to canvas prints and tote bags.

Jenny Ling is a senior journalist at the Northern Advocate. She has a special interest in covering human interest stories, along with roading, lifestyle, business, and animal welfare issues.