MLG Oz was the stand-out at the 30th annual Goldfields Business Awards, picking up three coveted accolades at a glitzy ceremony on Saturday night.

Hosted by the Kalgoorlie-Boulder Chamber of Commerce and Industry at the Central Regional TAFE on Saturday, MLG was crowned the best business with more than 20 employees and the 2019 Goldfields Business of the Year.

MLG managing director Murray Leahy was also named the Goldfields Business Person of the Year.

The family-run company providing bulk haulage and crushing and screening to the mining and civil infrastructure industries is headquartered in Kalgoorlie-Boulder with operations throughout the Goldfields and regional Australia.

MLG has grown substantially since its start in 2001 as a one-man contractor providing silica mining and haulage services to BHP Billiton.

The company’s footprint now extends across WA and the Northern Territory and has grown to include a fleet of about 100 road trains, 250 earth-moving machines and six large crushing plants.

MLG employs about 110 people locally with another 650 on its books elsewhere.

Mr Leahy, who was unable to be at the awards, yesterday told the Kalgoorlie Miner providing a livelihood for the company’s employees was one of the driving forces behind his motivation to keep going. He said being recognised at the awards was a reflection of the effort put in by the entire team.

“The whole level of ownership across all levels is something I am very proud of,” he said.

“I’m the figurehead but we have a great group of people and they all work very hard and I’m fortunate to be managing them on a day-to-day basis.

I am fortunate to be surrounded by some really good people who help me carry the load.

Mr Leahy said MLG began to really gather momentum in 2008 and had “organically” grown into something bigger than he first anticipated.

“There wasn’t a real big lightbulb moment — it’s been an evolutionary journey,” he said.

“The facts that the region offers so many opportunities and if you deliver a service you tend to be able to reap some rewards for it.

“I think it’s just the business opportunities that exist in the Goldfields.”

Global Exploration Tenement Services was another stand-out company picking up the gong for Micro Business of the Year and scooping the Innovation and Technology award.

GETS began nine years ago to help prospectors and miners understand and comply with mining tenement regulations in Australia.

The company last month launched an online service to help people understand tenement legislation globally.

Receiving the award, GETS managing director Tracy Browning urged the community to embrace the entrepreneurial spirit.

“I wonder how many brilliant business ideas never actually see the light of day because fear of failure stops you from getting it off the ground” she said.

“I know you can use lots of excuses and I certainly have when I first thought about going into business.

“Sometimes you have got to take a calculated risk and you’ve got to give it a go.

We are on the cusp of doing something really great and I sometimes wonder – what if we never had the courage to start?

Other notable awards included Dutjahn Sandalwood Oils, which took home the Aboriginal Business of the Year for the second year running, and Goldfields Revitalise, who won the Business of the Year with five to 10 employees.

RCT picked up the Best Business with 11 to 20 Employees and Not-for-profit Community Organisation of the Year went to Goldfields Individual and Family Support Association.

Kambalda-based Data Divas won the Owner-operator Business of the Year, Kalgoorlie Tours and Charters the LoKal Business of the Year, and the Community Engagement Award went to Goldfields Childcare Centre.

Gold Rush Cheer won the gong for Team Engagement and Workplace Culture.