Luke and Liam Hillery win 2023 Telstra Business Indigenous Excellence Award

Two brothers who proudly took the reins of a family business hatched to ‘break the cycle of always being lower class’ have humbly taken home a prestigious award.

Brothers Luke and Liam Hillery of the Hillery Group have won the Indigenous Excellence award at the 2023 Telstra Best of Business Awards. Picture: Facebook

Two Bowen brothers have been recognised for excellence at the 2023 Telstra Best of Business Awards.

Founded in 1976, Hillery Group was declared this year’s Queensland recipient of the Indigenous Excellence award.

Brothers Luke and Liam Hillery co-own the group which operates five quarries providing quarry products, landscaping supplies and plant hire.

“Thank you, I’m not much of a talker but I’ll give it a crack – just like business,” Luke said to the audience upon accepting the award.

As second-generation owners, he said they were “extremely proud” to offer employment pathways to members of the Whitsundays’ community “with a high regards to the young Indigenous”.

“We believe in equal opportunity and that everybody deserves a chance,” he said.

“We are very humbled and proud to even be considered for the state finals … business can be tough but extremely rewarding on nights like this.

“When I asked my father why he got into business, the answer was simple.

“Coming from not much, it was to create a better life for him and his family, to break the cycle of always being lower class … I remember when I was young listening to my dad and his best mate over a couple of beers and his mate saying, ‘Only you can make money out of dirt’.

“I’ve never forgotten this and at first I thought it was just a smart way to have a dig at our chosen profession.

“But as I think about it, and over time, I think it was his way of complimenting Dad on his business skills and the life he was creating for our family.”

Luke said family values continued to underpin the business, and he and his brother would be forever grateful to their parents who were their mentors.

Dawson MP Andrew Willcox said he was “extremely proud” of the Bowen-based group for winning the award.

“Brothers Luke and Liam Hillery are leading the charge with their forward thinking and progressive practices, but also infusing their family values into this rapidly expanding business,” Mr Willcox posted to Facebook.

Bowen resident Debra Martin said the win was a “phenomenal effort” while other Bowen businesses shared their hearty congratulations.

While they did not take home an award, these businesses across the Mackay Whitsunday Isaac region were finalists:

– Valenhold – Queensland finalist for the Accelerating Women award as well as the Outstanding Growth award

– iCutter Industries – Queensland finalist for the Indigenous Excellence award as well as the Outstanding Growth award

Originally published as Luke and Liam Hillery win 2023 Telstra Business Indigenous Excellence Award