Environmental Leadership and Innovation in Business Award

Tom O’Brien is a big picture thinker and it is this thinking that has seen his family’s once traditional high country station transform into the Welcome Rock experience.

Named after the prominent rock that sits on the skyline above the homestead, Tom and a team of volunteers built the entire 27 km walking and mountain biking loop track by hand, and in December 2014 the trail was officially opened. It took a total of two years and 5,500 hours to build the track by pick and shovel with Tom and his army of volunteers building between five and 150 metres a day.

The business has now further expanded with Welcome Rock also hosting The Revenant – New Zealand’s most gruelling ultra-adventure run, where the majority of competitors do not cross the finish line.

Welcome Rock also has an organic garden and is offering unique experiences to groups and schools.

The judges were impressed with Tom’s ability to build on ideas that align with his values and the vision he has. “Everything is well considered and it is quite clear they are very good at what they do, which has a light touch on the environment, but has been a lot of hard work.”