Eather Group is proving that sustainable construction can be a significant money-saver for builders — and the family-run business has received national recognition for its excellence.
Established in 2010, the First Nations business aimed to clean up construction operations from the start, according to Australian telecommunications company Telstra, which honored Eather Group at its 2024 Best of Business Awards as the National Indigenous Excellence Winner.
"I worked in construction, but it felt more like destruction. There wasn't enough emphasis on the circular economy or repurposing materials," said Peter Eather, who co-founded the company with his wife Sally-ann and has decades of experience providing waste-to-resource solutions.
According to one study, construction and demolition waste accounts for around 30% of all waste produced worldwide.
However, Eather Group incorporates its "Caring for Country" cultural values into every step of its operations, practicing selective excavation that not only aids in preserving and repurposing resources but also prevents environmental contamination that could threaten public health.
"When we talk about Caring for Country, we're talking about the land. Essentially, Country is the soil we stand on — and that's what we handle in our business every day," Peter said.
Empowered by these values, Eather Group has salvaged nearly 10 million tons of material over the past 15 years and transformed 4.4 million tons into enough bricks to build 250,000 homes.
The journey hasn't come without its challenges. For one, Eather Group had to educate its clients on how adopting eco-friendly practices could benefit their bottom lines — and that often involved cold-calling potential customers.
"Sustainability doesn't need to cost money or time. It can actually save time and money when implemented throughout the program," Sally-ann said.
On one project, Eather Group saved a customer around $1 million AUD in tip fees by turning 2.2 million tons of salvaged material into bricks.
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Yes — it sets a positive example ⛪ After the company earned a grant from the NSW Environment Protection Authority Waste Less Recycle More initiative, Peter and Sally-ann could pour more time into connecting with potential clients, and they saw their business begin to take off, growing by more than 60%.
After starting with a single Mack Truck, Eather Group has blossomed into a business with 22 trucks, 20 pieces of earthmoving equipment, and 40-plus local employees, more than two-thirds of whom are women. Another 27% are Indigenous people, according to Telstra.
"It's true that 'you can't be what you can't see.' So we're proud to be an example of a successful and proud Indigenous business. Hopefully we inspire others to pursue their dreams," Sally-ann said.
"It's great to see the impact we've been able to have in our local community, industry, and for our family. As we grow, I want to keep that focus on a family culture and Caring for Country," added Peter.
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