An Indigenous-owned business has won the contract to landscape a new housing subdivision on Groote Eylandt.

Max’s Island Clean-up, which is owned by Traditional Owner Max Murrungun, was awarded the work by the Anindilyakwa Land Council.

The company will landscape a housing complex containing 15 staff houses and eight man workers’ camp at Alyangula.

The land council deliberately hived off a part of the overall $15 million housing contract so that a local business had a chance of getting a share of the work.

“We have done a lot to help Max,” says ALC infrastructure head Matt Houston. “We want to see his business grow.

“Many contracts are too big for small local businesses to win. So we encourage Indigenous companies to subcontract to premium contractors and we cut parts of the big contract off for them to complete separately.”

Max and his team, who are being mentored by ALC project manager Chris Whitehead, owns a 10-tonne tipper truck, a ride-on mower, skid steer and other equipment. The ALC has bought a $50,000 hydro-seed sprayer to support the landscaping project.