Weka Landscaping came third in the commercial construction under $500,000 category for their work in transforming the Monte Christo site from a commercial raspberry farm into a winery.
Weka Landscaping co-owner and administrator Nicola Rae said this was the third award the company had won since its founding in 2014, but this was their first award-winning commercial project.
Weka began work on the project in mid-2023, completing it before Christmas that year, she said.
The Weka team worked hard for six months during the construction of the landscaping, with the first piece of work being the sourcing and planting of large olive trees.
Weka Landscaping won the award for its work during during the first stage of Monte Christo’s transformation, which was the tasting room and surrounds.
Winning a bronze award gave the the company a confidence boost, especially after how difficult last year was for those in the construction industry, she said.
"It's really nice to know that you've kind of got through that real hard patch and there's something like a bit of a prize at the end."
Mrs Rae said the award was great for staff morale as the small company punched well above its weight.
"With basically four guys on the tools versus those big guys and we just could produce as equally good work."
Co-owner and landscaper Andrew Rae said the company now hoped to move on to bigger projects, like a barn being bought to Central Otago from Idaho in the United States.
Having founded Weka Landscaping 10 years ago in a garden shed in Cromwell with a borrowed ute, Mr Rae said he hoped to keep doing what he and his team did best.
