Southpac Legends

In the heart of New Zealand’s South Island, where the dramatic peaks of Otago meet seemingly endless sprawling valleys, a family business has been shaping the landscape for nearly seven decades. Maungatua Contracting Wanaka Limited boasts three generations of dedication, hard work, and an unwavering commitment to quality, a legacy enhanced by their prized Kenworth T900 Legend truck.

The story of Maungatua Contracting begins in 1956, when Murray Duncan laid the foundation for what would become a cornerstone of the Otago construction industry. Starting as an agricultural company based out of Maungatua Ranges, the business initially focused on farm work, small tracks, general farming oper... ... 

In the world of transport, where deadlines are tightand the road is long, a company’s true horsepower is often found not in its engines, but in its people and its principles. For Kevin McKay, 36 years in transport and founder of thriving Gisborne-based cartage company, McKay Cartage, this philosophy is the bedrock of their success – and that’s why he’s a Southpac Legend.

Kevin’s story is not just one of business growth, but a deeply personal narrative of family legacy, an unbreakable partnership with his wife Megan, and a profound commitment to treating their team as an extension of their own family.

It’s a journey that began with the humble rumble of a truck engine in a small to... ... 

In the rugged, demanding world of New Zealand’strucking industry, some characters are larger than life. They are the ones whose passion is infectious, whose work ethic is legendary, and whose story is woven into the very fabric of the roads they travel.

Phil Bourke, known to most as ‘Bourkey’, is one such figure. From a rebellious teenager (who found school a poor fit) to a proud owner-driver of a bespoke Kenworth K200, Bourkey’s journey is about hard work, the power of good people and so interesting, that they made a play about it.

Bourkey’s story began, as many great trucking tales do, in the passenger seat of his father’s rig. Growing up in Pahiatua, a town he describes as “a ... ... 

A figure of legendary resilience in New Zealand’s transport industry, Jim Dynes was a man said to have nine lives, a tally he likely exceeded. Throughout a career defined by an extraordinary work ethic, Dynes built a trucking empire from the ground up, facing down bank managers, restrictive regulations, and three separate battles with cancer with the same unyielding determination.

From his beginnings on a West Otago farm to the helm of Dynes Transport, his singular passion for trucking, family, and hard work forged a legacy of a true Kiwi pioneer who simply found a way to get the job done, no matter what – and that’s why, he’s a Southpac Legend.

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