On October 12, 2023, family-owned and operated civil construction business, Daracon Group officially marked 40 years of shaping the region; celebrating a legacy of transformation and community impact.

Established in 1983 by David and Susan Mingay, the company has grown from humble beginnings to become a trusted name in the industry.

With a commitment to shaping communities and a legacy of impactful projects, Daracon Group has left an indelible mark on the region.

Daracon Group’s journey began in Elermore Vale, Newcastle, where it commenced operations with just one machine and one operator.

Over the years, the company has grown exponentially, currently employing over 880 dedicated professionals.

Executive Director and Founder of Daracon, David Mingay said the growth of the company was an unexpected but delightful surprise and being able to look back on 40 years is a testament to the projects and people who’ve made it possible.

“There was never any intention that the company would grow to the size it is now, as initially we only wanted to have 15 employees in total,” David said.

“The diversification of the business has been something special for me because we started off with one grader doing subdivisions, and then when opportunities came up, we got into other things.”

The late 1980s and early 1990s were a time of great growth and transformation for Newcastle and Daracon Group.

Building a reputation around the delivery of subdivision construction across Newcastle, Daracon was contracted to complete redevelopment works at Garden City (now Westfield Kotara), presenting a once-in-a lifetime opportunity to expand Daracon’s operations further south to Sydney.

“We did work for Lendlease on the Garden City Shopping Centre, and they invited us to go to Sydney to work on the Olympic site because we obviously did a reasonably good job for them here on their Newcastle project.”

“That relationship developed, and we built the warm-up track in Sydney. We did all the landscaping plus the infrastructure work for the whole of the Olympic Village.”

The Group has delivered hundreds of projects across the Hunter, Sydney, and North-west NSW, enabling economic growth, improved connectivity through critical road infrastructure, laid community foundations, and revitalized the regions through culturally significant projects over the last four decades.

As Daracon embarks on their next decade of shaping the future, the company continues to focus on its commitment to its employees, the community, and a shared vision for the future.

“Daracon is only as good as the employees; my family has just provided a vehicle for them to work in, and it’s through the efforts of all the employees, including their skills and their enthusiasm, that make it go.”

IMAGE | Executive Director and Founder, David Mingay and wife, Susan Mingay (left-right).