The late construction king Greg Rhodes had an extraordinary passion for opening up Australia – and the tougher the job, the better. 

He was particularly interested in the Tanami Road, a 1000 kilometre dirt and gravel link between Alice Springs and Halls Creek. 

Rhodesy, as he was affectionately known, often said he planned how to tackle bituminising the road a thousand times in his mind’s eye. 

He and son-in-law Dave Fellows would walk large stretches of what was a dangerous Outback road, identifying water points, camp sites and staging posts for months, long before the tender had even opened. 

Rhodesy was delighted when his company, Exact Contracting, won the Northern Territory Government contract to upgrade the road. 

Tragically, he became gravely ill while working on the Tanami project in 2022 and had to be taken to Yuendumu Clinic and then medevaced to Alice Springs Hospital where he died surrounded by loved ones. 

He was only 61. 

His sudden death was heartbreaking for his family and friends. 

But the upgrade of the road continues apace – and is, in many ways, a tribute to a legend of the industry. 

Exact Contracting, a family company founded by Greg and his wife Jenni in 1992 as Rhodes Contracting, now employs more than 500 workers nationally and has an unsurpassed reputation for completing contracts on time and on budget. 

The business, which works for governments and private clients in agriculture, civil, mining and water industries Australia wide, continues Greg’s legacy in many ways, including transparency, honesty and fostering good relationships with clients, suppliers, and communities. 

Rhodesy’s passion for innovation and continuous improvement has influenced the whole industry. 

Projects include the Carpentaria Highway upgrade, the Manton Dam return to service, the Keep River Plains Road upgrade and laying the Finke airstrip. 

Rhodesy was particularly proud of his work on the Plenty Highway, which he was involved in throughout his career, and often spoke fondly of the contributions he made there. Early in his career, it was his first role as a project manager with Guido Dussin, where he delivered a stage of the 

original single‑lane construction. Decades later, he returned to the corridor to deliver sections of the sealed dual‑lane upgrade. 

The company has an impressive range of equipment, including a fleet of prime movers. 

Exact Contracting works almost exclusively in remote parts of Australia and recognises the economic, social and cultural impact that its presence has on the communities where it operates. 

It works hard to establish respectful relationships with local people. 

The company also invests in its workforce through apprenticeships, mentoring and on-the-job training. 

People new to the road-building industry are given “a go”, while career pathways are created by upskilling workers. 

Rhodesy was always proud to say that he was born in Tennant Creek and raised in Alice Springs. 

He went to Ross Park Primary School and Alice Springs High School. 

His father John was a surveyor and his mother, Heather, known as Tiny, from the well-known Kittle family. 

Greg left school during Year 10 when the headmaster said he was wasting his time. 

Then Cabinet Minister Eva Lawler said in a tribute to Rhodesy in the NT Parliament: “In hindsight, it would appear to have been a good call, given that Greg never looked back and the list of his lifetime achievements is full to the brim with incredible lived experiences. 

“He and Jenni gave many people steady employment over their 30- plus years of business, but they gave them so much more. 

“Greg was committed to working with local businesses. He valued building a diverse range of employees, respecting their culture, heritage, background and aspirations, employing local people and using local contractors to foster skills and encourage community development. 

“Greg was a natural leader who saw potential in everything and had a knack of inspiring people to do better and be the best. 

“He made people feel comfortable. If you were willing to listen, you learned a great deal from him.” 

Greg was a motorsports fan and stamped his name on the Finke Desert Race in a big way – he was the youngest motorbike rider in the first There and Back enduro in 1975 and came second in the renamed Finke Desert Race in 1981. 

His name is now synonymous with the race through the multiple successes achieved as the team owner and manager of the Rhodes’ Racing Team. 

Greg married Jenni in Alice Springs in early 1984 and they had three children: Alex, Terri and Jack. 

Rhodesy, a plumber by trade, was a hardworking no-nonsense boss, but he was a family man and there was a tender, compassionate side to his nature. 

For instance, while working on the Keep River project, he chartered a plane during covid to get one of his workers back to Adelaide to be at the side of his sick son because there were no commercial flights available. 

Exact works throughout the year. 

Project manager Adam Dotta says wet weather and flooding have been challenges. And temperatures often reach the high 40s on the Tanami 

Greg was a strong believer in innovation and modern technology. 

Adam joined him on a mission to America to look at road trimmers and laser technology. 

“We went to buy one but I told Greg we needed two of them, so I cost the company a fair bit of money. 

“Rhodesy would be proud of the work we’re doing,” says Adam. “I learnt so much from him. I was devastated when he died.” 

Another project manager, Matt Taig, who has worked for Exact for 24 years, says Greg may not have 

had much education but he was blessed with great natural intelligence. 

“He didn’t miss anything. He had an unbelievable mind. While the average person thinks a couple of weeks ahead, he could see two months ahead. 

“Greg was a dynamic man.” 

It is fitting that Greg Rhodes, the humble bloke from Tennant Creek who left school without any qualifications, is honoured in the National Road Transport Hall of Fame. 

There will be a rest stop at the junction of the Stuart Highway and Tanami Road named after him. 

His daughter Terri says: “There will never be another Rhodesy. We have all been lucky enough to work with and learn from my dad. 

“The culture my dad created and experience within the team has helped us to carry on and continue what he built from the ground up in one extraordinary lifetime.” TQ