Koa Wiremu is part of the cyclic maintenance crew responsible for a section of the state highway network across the eastern Bay of Plenty, including some of the region’s most scenic and remote locations such as the Waioweka and Waimana Gorges, Lake Rotoma, and the East Coast beyond Cape Runaway.

The team’s work includes repairing potholes, edge breaks and low shoulders, maintaining drainage assets, and carrying out a wide range of routine maintenance activities to keep roads safe and reliable. They also respond to emergencies, supporting first responders at crashes, managing traffic, and clearing fallen trees and debris after slips and severe weather events.

With almost 30 years in the industry, Koa has spent his career working throughout Ōpōtiki and Gisborne for a range of contractors. The past decade has been with Higgins, where he takes pride in maintaining the roads that connect and support his local community.

“I enjoy knowing that the work we do helps keep our friends, whānau and communities safe,” he says.

Koa values being part of a close-knit team and appreciates the opportunity to work outdoors every day while making a tangible difference. For a cyclic maintenance crew, no two days are ever the same, and that variety is part of what makes the job so rewarding.