A critical wastewater project, a new floodgate and a female excavator operator — dubbed one of New Zealand’s best — were among the winners at the Civil Contractors NZ Hawke’s Bay East Coast Awards.

A crowd of more than 200 attended the awards dinner at Toitoi Events Centre in Hastings on Friday to see off the year with a celebration of the best in civil infrastructure.

CCNZ Hawke’s Bay East Coast chairman Bart Mulder said this year marked the awards’ 30th anniversary and was particularly special given the “hard yards” contractors had put in to restore, rebuild and move the region forward in the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle.

Gisborne company Currie Construction picked up the Supreme Award for its work on Mahunga Stream Floodgate — a project that aims to protect communities by stopping Waipaoa River floodwaters flowing up the Mahunga Stream during heavy rain.

TW Civil & Infrastructure won the award for projects valued at more than $3 million for its work building 1.6km of pipeline through suburban Hastings streets as part of the Eastern Interceptor Project.

Other winning projects included Galbraith Earthmovers’ construction of a challenging block wall to repair an underslip on SH2 near White Pine Bush Scenic Reserve, and SCL Civil Works for reinstating access to Gwavas Forest via the Pan Pac Tin Hut forestry road.

Fulton Hogan won the Excellence in the Maintenance and Management of Assets award for its successful delivery on the ‘Hastings District Council 3 Water Maintenance Contract’.

Another winner was Tanya Claxton from Higgins, who won the Women in Contracting Award and was also announced as the winner of the CCNZ CablePrice Hawke’s Bay East Coast Excavator Operator Competition.

Other individuals celebrated included Regan Mador-Leahy from Fulton Hogan (Outstanding Individual of the Year Award) and Corinna Marunui from Higgins (The Hunter Donghi Memorial Trainee of the Year). Fulton Hogan received the Training Company of the Year award for its commitment to development of its team.