86 | Hard work, adaptability and long-term vision With civil construction slowing down and some local agricultural contractors winding up, he leaned into agricultural contracting. Kelly Deeks TG Contracting Golden Bay has grown into a successful, dual-focused business thanks to hard work, adaptability, and the long-term vision of founder Tristan Graham. Tristan’s career began with a chainsaw and a strong work ethic.“When I left school, I started cutting firewood to sell,” he says. “I cut the trees down myself, chopped and split the wood, and eventually made enough to buy a ute. That gave me the start I needed to get my own gear and take on small jobs.” His early experience in forestry and civil contracting, including time with Fulton Hogan and logging crews, gave him a solid foundation to go out on his own. He launched TG Contracting with an eye on earthworks, buying his first digger and building up a steady client base. When Covid-19 hit, Tristan took the opportunity to pivot. With civil construction slowing down and some local agricultural contractors winding up, he leaned into agricultural contracting. “We already had some gear, like a drill and a mower, and we were doing a bit of towing with our tip trailers,” he says. “I spoke to some of our earthworks clients who also had farms and started picking up work that way.” The move proved to be more than just a stopgap. Today, the agricultural contracting side of TG Contracting is just as large as the earthworks side, with a full complement of gear and services including direct drilling, discing, power harrowing, mowing, silage, balage, hay, and maize planting. From a solo operator, Tristan has grown the team to nine full-time staff, with up to 15 on board during the busy summer season. “Taking on staff was a huge learning curve,” he says. “I’d rather be on the gear myself, but now I’m managing the team and we’ve got a great crew. I’ve got a supervisor who runs the earthworks so I can focus more on ag work in summer.” TG Contracting supports a diverse customer base of dairy and sheep and beef farmers across Golden Bay. Tristan’s own background includes time on dairy, sheep and beef, and orcharding operations, giving him a practical understanding of what farmers need. “Golden Bay is a small place and I get a lot of satisfaction from doing a good job and seeing the results, like when the maize pops up out of the ground after the first rain.” To meet tight weather windows and growing demand, TG Contracting has invested in bigger, more efficient machinery. RURAL SERVICES » TG Contracting Golden Bay Ltd “We run two sets of triple mowers and a five-metre drill now, bigger than what you’d think we need here, but it lets us move quickly and maintain quality.” GPS, auto-steer technology, and TracMap help the TG Contracting team achieve accuracy and reduce downtime. “Farmers send us maps with hazards marked out, and we can dispatch jobs straight from the office. They get notifications when the tractor enters and leaves the property and proof-of-placement info, without needing to meet us at the gate.” Rising costs and staffing challenges remain, and Locally Owned & Operated for 20 years • Proud Supplier to TG Contracting 110 Edens Road, Hope, Nelson • Phone: 03 544 9645 • Fire Extinguishers • Suppression Systems • Fire Training • Smoke Alarms • Hose Reels Tristan is considering bringing in seasonal help from Ireland. But he sees a bright future, especially with his two young sons showing interest in the business. “They’re only 12 and 13, but they’ve got the same passion for machinery I had. I was on the payroll at that age too, milking cows before and after school. That work ethic is in the blood.”
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