Building Australia with ABORIGINAL participation and joint venture

Heritage

Starting as a painter and establishing Dundee Rock in 2005, Thomas has over 35 years of experience in the building and construction industry. Over the past two decades, he has built Dundee Rock from a small business to a substantial enterprise capable of partnering with governments and multinationals to deliver outstanding projects.

Thomas has a solid reputation for being reliable and honest. He is inspired to support the growth of Indigenous businesses through collaboration. As a loyal and extremely hard-working businessman, Thomas has a natural capacity to build long-lasting and authentic working relationships.

Thomas comes from the Wakka Wakka and Kabbi Kabbi clans in Queensland, about a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Brisbane. From the missions to the cattle stations, Thomas and his family endured the hardships that came with the era of the Stolen Generations. Thomas’s great-great-grandmother, Mamie Willoughby, aka’ Mimi Dawson,’ was born in Eidsvold, southwest of Bundaberg (Wakka Wakka). Thomas’s great-grandmother, Matilda Dawson – aka’ Tilly Willoughby Collins ‘, was born in 1891 on Widgee Station (Kabbi Kabbi).

Thomas’s grandmother, Elsie Willieboy, aka Lewis, was born in Nanango (Wakka Wakka and Kabbi Kabbi). However, her birth date is unknown. His mother, Kathleen Willieboy, known as Kathy or Kate Hutcheson, was part of the stolen generation and was born in 1933 in Barambah Mission Reserve, later renamed Cherbourg Mission.

From this hardship, Thomas developed a passion for Indigenous-owned and run businesses that employ, train, and promote our first nations peoples.

Dundee Rock

Dundee Rock is an 100% Aboriginal-owned and operated building and construction company that creates quality outcomes for government and commercial entities throughout Australia. We offer advanced construction and project management capabilities across a wide range of industry sectors. We also help non-Indigenous businesses achieve their Mandatory Minimum Indigenous Participation Requirements (MMRs) through strategic alliances, partnerships, and subcontracting ventures.

With over 35 years in the business, we understand the Australian construction market. We have demonstrated advanced construction capabilities and a proven capacity to engage in joint ventures with government departments and large multinationals. We also have the cultural insight and understanding necessary to provide employment and training opportunities for Indigenous Australians.

Dundee Rock operates in all states and territories of Australia, with particular expertise working in regional and remote areas. Our clients include Federal and State Government departments, Local Councils, Not for Profits, Private Companies and Tier One contractors.

As an Aboriginal-owned business, we work to make a positive contribution to the lives of Australia’s First People. We are passionate about respectful indigenous engagement, and our business model reflects the requirements and aims of the Australian Federal Government’s Indigenous Procurement Policy.

We collaborate with Indigenous trade contractors and connect with the Indigenous business sector as part of our supply chain. We ensure that Traditional Owner engagement activities occur before and during project activities, and we actively pursue and develop Indigenous trade contractors.

Our People

Thomas Hutcheson

Thomas has over 35 years of experience in the building and construction industry. Over the past three decades, he has built Dundee Rock from a small business to a substantial enterprise capable of partnering with governments and multinationals to deliver outstanding projects.

Katerina Skene

Katerina is the Queensland State Lead for Dundee Rock. She is also a member of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advancement Framework Committee, which is required to manage funding, visit communities, and determine appropriate solutions in consultation with Non-Government Organisations in Central Queensland and North Coast Regions.

Katerina worked for the Northern Territory Government for over 17 years and was previously employed by the Department of Police, Fire and Emergency Services. She was involved in writing a Business Case to create an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Division within the department to increase their representation through employment and retention.

Katerina relocated to Queensland with her family after being headhunted by the Queensland Government. In 2011, she was nominated to be part of a team that assisted in the Indigenous Service Delivery – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Capability Framework project planning group, which birthed the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mentoring program.

David Smulders

David has over 30 years’ experience working in senior positions across the construction industry during which time he has led large-scale complex projects in both the public and private sectors. Highly skilled and dedicated, he has a proven track record of successfully managing multiple engineering, building, demolition, environmental remediation, and civil projects, delivering best outcomes and quality results for all stakeholders.

David supports the business with his Unlimited Builder and Demolition Licenses as both contractor and supervisor nationally recognized, and his nationally recognized, and accreditations including Advanced Diploma in Construction Management, and qualified and experienced trades certifications across several service categories.

As a Director of Dundee Rock, David draws on his proven experience to lead complex projects. He is highly esteemed for his unique ability to safely manage high risk projects by possessing a strong knowledge of construction methodologies and industry standards, with a strong commitment to delivering best-for-project outcome every time.

Michael Athanasiou

Michael is a licensed builder with more than 30 years of experience in the construction industry with extensive experience in remote areas and is sensitive to the cultural needs of Indigenous people.

Michael has a strong background in Construction, Project management, and Asbestos Remediation, and uses his skills and experience to build and maintain relationships with clients, contractors, suppliers, and stakeholders. Michael is always looking for ways to improve the quality and efficiency of our services and enjoys working with a team of professionals who share his passion for excellence. Builders License: 233303C

Nick Minett

Nick is an experienced Project Manager with a proven track record of managing complex projects across the Construction, Mining, Energy, and Industrial Sectors.

He is passionate about delivering a high-quality service whilst maintaining exceptional safety standards and has demonstrated ability to deliver on time and under budget.

Nick ensures meeting the needs and expectations of our Clients is of upmost importance, he has successfully delivered numerous projects ranging from high-risk Demolition and Hazardous materials/Environmental Remediation to Construction and Civil works for a diverse range of clients across the Defence, Government, Education and Private Sectors

Nick is experienced in all facets of the Project lifecycle ranging from inception, execution, and project closure.

Caterina Golotta

Caterina has been working in management roles in the commercial construction industry since 2017 bringing over 20 years’ experience across the Project and Property Management sector. She is a highly skilled professional with expertise in soft management skills and extensive knowledge in managing the implementation, control and monitoring of project tasks. She excels in overseeing performance and compliance reporting to stakeholders, including external subcontractor resources and strategic key stakeholders.

Caterina is committed to delivering outcome-driven achievements through clear and agreed documented objectives. She works to ensure collaborative problem solving and improvements are quickly identified for implementation and effective feedback is provided in a timely manner.

Our Mission

To improve the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through creating long-term employment and training opportunities and economically strong and independent communities.

Respect each other and honour the diverse cultures and heritages of the places where we work.

Protect the environment and minimise environmental impacts and show pride in our work and our relationships with our clients, workers and communities.

Demonstrate our commitment to excellence in all we do.

Our Commitment

Great community relationships
Our skilled staff know how to bring even the most challenging projects to successful completion. We have strong ties with local Indigenous communities, and our relationships with suppliers ensure the timely delivery of locally sourced materials.

Indigenous Partnerships
As a wholly owned and operated Aboriginal Business, we can support our clients to achieve their Indigenous engagement goals and meet their obligations under the Federal Government’s Indigenous Procurement Policy. In turn, we are committed to improving the outlook for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.