MBA Mackay & Whitsundays 2021 Housing & Construction Awards

• President's Award went to Hotondo Homes Mackay for Marcoola 209
• House of the Year went to Urban Trend Construction for Indochine House
• Project of the Year went to Woollam Constructions for Ozcare Mackay

Master Builders Queensland recently held the Mackay & Whitsundays 2021 Housing & Construction awards in person, one of the few events that could go ahead amidst the difficult and complex climate of restrictions and lockdowns currently experienced by much of the country.

That was poignantly captured by Regional Manager for Master Builders, Malcolm Hull, who started his speech:

“I don’t know about you, but I had hoped that 2021 would be the year we waved goodbye to COVID-19.

But as the year has progressed and we’ve worked our way through various lockdowns, restrictions, and started a vaccine rollout, we know the challenges are far from over.”

Malcolm Hull, Regional Manager, MBA

Unique challenges came up throughout the year too, Mr Hull said, “There is no doubting the HomeBuilder grant was a life-saver for our industry and we are so proud of the role we played in its introduction.

“However, while the demand is a first-class problem to have, it came with a perfect storm that has resulted in trade and material shortages and skyrocketing prices.”

The Accelerated Builder/Consumer Dispute framework (ABCD) that was introduced in Queensland following lobbying by Master Builders was a welcome addition to the tough environment but Mr Hull continued calls for an independent adjudicator.

“We’ve also floated the prospect of a long-term rapid dispute resolution process that will give residential builders access to independent adjudication. Just as we’ve done with these issues, we’ll continue to push the government to ease pressure, detangle red tape, and ensure there’s a visible pipeline of work.”

Major awards

Projects across Mackay and Whitsundays stunned the judges, with the House of the Year taking inspiration from Asia. The project by Urban Trend Construction also took out awards for its lagoon-style pool, which includes a shallow section for children, a mosaic waterfall feature, and integrated alfresco dining.

The Project of the Year went to a 120 bed aged care facility that included specialist dementia care and respite care facilities, created by Woollam Constructions.

The facility is expected to alleviate pressure from local services; the town is home to over 2,000 residents living with dementia.

The President’s Award winner was Hotondo Homes Mackay‘s Marcoola 209 project. Located at Shoal Point, the project was described as offering “excellent value for money”. It also won best Individual Home from $250,000 to $350,000.

Award winners full list