Indigenous business champion Frank Mitchell honoured with WA Australian of the Year 'Local Hero' Award

Giovanni Torre Updated November 18, 2025 - 1.29pm (AWST), first published November 13, 2025 at 8.15pm (AWST)

business

Mr Frank Mitchell with WA Premier Roger Cook on the Awards night. Image: Leanne Dolby.

Whadjuk-Yued Noongar businessperson, Frank Mitchell, has been honoured with the WA Australian of the Year 'Local Hero' Award.

Mr Mitchell, the co-director of Wilco Electrical and co-founder/director, of Kardan Construction, Baldja and Bilyaa in the trades and construction industry, received the Award at a ceremony in Boorloo on Thursday evening.

In a statement prior to the event, Kardan described Mr Mitchell as "a proud Whadjuk-Yued Noongar man, father, and inspiring leader" whose "story is one of resilience, grit, responsibility and reciprocity".

"Frank's life experiences inspired him to pay it forward and to empower others. Through Kardan and his other ventures, Frank realised his vision," the statement said.

In November 2016, alongside business partners Tim Bidstrup and Dwayne Rowland, Mr Mitchell set an ambitious goal: "20 Aboriginal apprentices by 2020."

"We were a team of eight. But I knew if we could change one life, we'd have succeeded," he recently told The Indigenous Business Review.

By 2020, they created 23 Aboriginal positions, including 14 electrical apprenticeships. Wilco Electrical now turns over $8 million with 35 staff.

Kardan Construction was established in 2019, spun out of Wilco's project management arm.

"We called it Kardan - the Noongar word for Marri tree - because we wanted it to represent shelter and strength," Mr Mitchell said.

Starting with three staff, Kardan has grown to 97 staff and $28 million turnover last financial year.

"It's been a massive journey," he said.

*Frank Mitchell, back row, first from the right, with colleagues. Image: supplied.*

Mr Mitchell's achievements in the construction industry include: more than 70 Aboriginal upskilling positions; over $11million awarded to Aboriginal subcontractors; more than $35,000 given in sponsorships for Aboriginal sportspeople and Aboriginal-managed football clubs; over 20 upskilling positions for women in construction; and 11 upskilling positions for people over the age of 55.

Kardan said Mr Mitchell "has changed many lives through employment, mentoring, housing and medical support, or helping his community return home to Country for family and cultural responsibilities".

"To them, Frank is already a local hero. He certainly is to us," the statement said.