This episode from the 11th season of the award-winning show sees presenters Te Ori Paki and Ria Hall and company makeover a unique marae: Rongomaraeroa-o-nga-hau e wha. The marae in Waiouru serves members of the NZ Army — aka Ngāti Tūmatauenga — and the local community. Capturing the role of taha Māori in the Defence Force, the makeover enlists 140 new Army recruits, locals, whānau, hapu, ex-military personnel from all over New Zealand, and Victoria Cross recipient Willie Apiata. This season saw Marae DIY shift from Māori Television to TV3.

Long-running series Marae DIY brings a tangata whenua twist to the home renovation format. Series creator Nevak Rogers describes the bilingual production as "the programme which helps marae knock out their 10 year plans in just four days". The drama of the building mahi is mixed with humour, whānau-spirit, tikanga (protocol) and history, and even makeovers for the nannies. For Marae DIY's 11th season in 2015, it shifted from Māori Television to TV3. In 2007 the 'Manutuke Marae' episode won a Qantas Award for Best Reality Show.