Who we are

Rob Blain is the Board Chair of LAWD and a highly respected property sector leader. He has more than four decades in real estate and has held several high-profile executive and non-executive positions throughout Australia and Asia, including 20 years in Hong Kong at the helm of CBRE Asia-Pacific.

With extensive experience in transactions, property and asset management, strategic development, cross border investments and capital raisings, Rob also has strong foundations in the agriculture sector both professionally and personally.

Rob’s connection with agribusiness started in childhood, having grown up in the Riverina region of New South Wales. With his wife, Julianne, Rob currently owns 1,760 hectares of prime beef cattle farmland on the Barrington and Manning Rivers on the Barrington Coast of New South Wales.

Rob is a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and holds Financial-grade API. In his role as Chair, Rob committed to achieving successful outcomes for LAWD’s diverse and growing range of clients and supporting LAWD in introducing its investors to attractive opportunities.

Enda Foley joined LAWD as Chief Executive Officer in August 2022 and brings 14 years of finance and operational leadership experience in the property sector to the business, including senior Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer positions. During this time Enda oversaw teams based both locally and in diverse international locations such as the Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, as well as the United States.

A qualified Chartered Accountant, Enda worked with eircom and PricewaterhouseCoopers in Dublin and Prague before moving to Australia in 2005 and, more recently, played a key role in the creation of the international arm of Virgin Australia.

Enda is extensively experienced in high level strategy, business reorganisation, system and process optimisation, platform creation, new service line establishment, organic growth, and mergers and acquisitions.

He is a strong advocate of an authentic, servant leadership style, which focuses on the development of talent, and will be integral to the expansion of LAWD, and its service offering, across Australia.

Enda is based in LAWD’s Brisbane office.

Qualifications

• Qualified Chartered Accountant
• Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants (FCA)
• Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD)

Jaclyn Hope is a Senior Director at LAWD, leading its Corporate Advisory service offering .

Respected across Australia as a highly accomplished agribusiness specialist, Jaclyn has more than 20 years’ experience in the sector. Over this time, she has built a strong reputation for her skills in  buy and sell-side advisory, capital raising, strategy, debt and corporate restructuring, deal flow, asset management, and turnaround advice, advising domestic and international clients on  large-scale, complex transactions.

Before joining LAWD, Jaclyn was a Partner in PwC’s Corporate Finance team, with a specific focus on the Food & Agribusiness sector, and where she provided subject matter expertise across the PwC domestic and global network.

Jaclyn also previously worked in the banking and finance industry, holding management positions across a broad range of agribusiness specialist roles including frontline relationship management, strategic marketing and risk at three of the big four Australian banks.

Originally from Dalby, on Queensland’s Western Downs, Jaclyn grew up in a family agribusiness enterprise, and spent her formative career as a commodity trader in northern New South Wales. She holds a particular interest in succession planning and supporting families in the intergenerational transfer of assets and skillsets, and providing strategic advice to a diverse spectrum of agricultural asset holders and businesses.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Agribusiness (University of New England)

Col Medway is a founding Senior Director of LAWD and one of Australia’s most highly regarded rural real estate agents with more than 30 years spent overseeing transactions across the sector.

With career foundations as a licensed auctioneer, Col has an industry-leading track record and, in the past five years alone, has been directly involved in more than $1 billion of rural asset sales.

For Col, agriculture is more than an industry he works in. He is deeply personally connected to farming having been raised on the family grazing property near Gunning in New South Wales he is today the fourth generation to own and operate. He is also founder of the South Eastern Livestock Exchange and Western Victorian Livestock Exchange.

Col has sold rural assets across Australia, from cattle stations in the Cape of Queensland to dairy farms in Tasmania, as well as feedlots, abattoirs, quarries, irrigated and dryland cropping properties, and a wide range of horticultural enterprises. It is this breadth of experience that makes Col such a valuable member of LAWD’s leadership team.

Col works closely with vendors during the sales process and brings a comprehensive understanding of the assets he sells, allowing him to best highlight and promote value benefits to the market.

Qualifications

• Bachelor Applied Science (Agriculture), Charles Sturt University
• Licenced Real Estate Agent and Stock and Station Agent – New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Western Australia, Northern • Territory, South Australia and Victoria
• Licenced Auctioneer

Notable transactions

• Lawson Grains (New South Wales, Western Australia) – PND
• Sustainable Agricultural Fund (New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania) – $185 million
• Cowl Cowl and Wyadra (New South Wales) – $100 million
• Cobbora Holding Company (New South Wales) – $75 million
• Glencoe Aggregation (New South Wales) – $48.6 million
• Tubbo Station – $43 million

Danny Thomas is a Senior Director with LAWD and brings more than 25 years’ experience to the role, having held senior agribusiness leadership positions in commercial real estate companies in Australia.

Widely regarded as one of the nation’s leading agribusiness transaction advisors, Danny has stewarded many of the largest transactions in Australia’s farm sector in the past decade, and notably oversaw the sale of Lawson Grains (as a going concern) and the Corinella Portfolio (in 27 separate contracts) in his inaugural year at LAWD for a total of $950 million.

Danny brings practical, on-farm experience and genuine passion for agriculture to his work, having grown up on dairy farms in Victoria’s Western Districts, Kiewa Valley, Northern Victoria and East Gippsland region, and today is a specialist sale advisor to the owners of large-scale holdings and agribusinesses. Additionally, he is a Certified Practising Valuer with key expertise in valuing complex agribusiness assets as well as for litigation support and assessing compensation for compulsory acquisition.

Danny resides in Yea, in the Upper Goulburn region of Victoria. He is a strategic thinker who seeks to maximise every sale outcome for his clients by tailoring a sale process that drives maximum market engagement. Danny has unparalleled connections to large-scale farmers and farmland investors globally, and his insights are regularly sought by the full array of market participants.

Danny is also a director and shareholder in Murray River Land (PropCo) and Ulupna Pastoral Company (OpCo), which owns and operates more than 10,000 hectares of irrigated cropping land in northern Victoria. Danny also holds additional private investments in a significant number of dairy and beef cattle.

Qualifications

• Agent’s Representative Certificate (Victoria)
• Fellow of the Australian Property Institute (Victoria)
• Certified Practising Valuer (Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania, South Australia)
• Registered Valuer, Queensland
• Licensed Valuer, Western Australia
• API Accredited Specialist Water Valuer
• Associate of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors
• Bachelor of Business (Property), RMIT University
• Member, Australian Institute of Company Directors

Notable transactions

• Corinella Portfolio (Victoria and South Australia) – circa 22,386 hectare cropping portfolio (sold to 27 individual parties), $370 million
• Lawson Grains (New South Wales and Western Australia) – circa 103,006 hectare fully integrated grains business, PND
• Adveq/Olam Almond orchards (Victoria) – 12,000 planted hectares and 89,000 megalitres of water entitlements, $860 million
• Gundaline Station (New South Wales) – circa 15,000 hectares with circa 20,000 megalitres of various water entitlements, $60 million
• Kalanga (Queensland) – circa 12,840 hectare irrigated and dryland cropping enterprise, $80 million
• Wyadra and Cowl Cowl (New South Wales) – circa 19,900 hectares with 43,000 megalitres of various water entitlements, $140 million
• Mooral Almonds (New South Wales) – circa 800 hectares of mature almond orchards with 12,000 megalitres of water entitlements, $98 million
• Moora (New South Wales) – circa 24 hectares with 7,800 megalitres of water entitlements, $55 million
• Euroley (New South Wales) – circa 2,419 hectares, $17 million

Tim McKinnon is a founding partner of LAWD and is the Senior Director of LAWD’s Valuations Team. He is a respected industry professional known for his ability to conduct complex valuations and brings more than 17 years’ experience in a broad range of asset classes to his role, including the valuation of large-scale institutional grade agricultural holdings and portfolios.

Growing up on a dairy farm in Western Victoria, Tim was drawn to a career in rural property and is highly regarded for his ability to establish strong relationships with clients and stakeholders.

While based in LAWD’s Brisbane office, Tim travels extensively throughout the nation to complete valuations for a diverse range of clients.

Throughout his career working with institutional investors, ASX-listed companies and large corporate families, Tim’s expertise has been called upon to value some of Northern Australia’s largest multi-million-dollar pastoral holdings, as well as irrigated and broad hectare cropping enterprises, horticulture/permanent plantings, feedlots, dairy and poultry farms throughout Australia.

Additionally, Tim is skilled in valuing water entitlements and processing facilities for agricultural commodities including meat, grain, milk, nuts and cotton. He is also an industry leader in completing compensation assessments for compulsory land and property acquisitions and resumptions.

Qualifications

• Associate of the Australian Property Institute (AAPI)
• Certified Practising Valuer
• API Accredited Specialist Water Valuer
• Registered Valuer, Queensland
• Licenced Valuer, Western Australia
• Bachelor of Business (Property) – RMIT University
• Australian Rural Leadership Program Graduate

Peter Sagar is a founding Senior Director of LAWD with more than 30 years’ experience in senior roles for market-leading property organisations.

Peter has been involved in facilitating some of Australia’s largest development site transactions, which collectively account for more than 15,000 hectares of development land across the nation. He has also been responsible for transacting many of Australia’s most significant greenfield development sites and major portfolios.

Throughout his esteemed career, Peter has built trusted relationships with C-Suite corporate and private developers, as well as an extensive network of influential relationships throughout Australia’s property development sector.

Peter has a detailed understanding of the real estate and property development landscape and the necessary experience to deal with major, sophisticated and complex transactions across multiple asset classes. He is well-recognised as a trusted advisor to clients, with expertise in strategy, transactions, negotiations and due diligence, property development, distressed property and property valuation.

Qualifications

• Associate of the Australian Property Institute – Certified Practising Valuer
• Certificate IV in Property (Real Estate) – Licensed Real Estate Agent
• Bachelor of Business (Property Valuation), RMIT University
• Bachelor of Business (Business Administration), RMIT University

Notable transactions

• Lensworth Portfolio (National) including Highland’s at Craigieburn – $905 million
• Cloverton (Victoria) – Development Agreement – end value $1 billion+
• The Grove (Victoria) – $202.5 million
• Aura Community (Queensland) – in excess of $150 million for a 50 per cent share
• Donnybrook Road, Victoria (various) – $150 million+
• Mt Atkinson, Victoria – end value $1 billion+
• Beveridge (various) – $180 million+

Col Medway is a founding Senior Director of LAWD and one of Australia’s most highly regarded rural real estate agents with more than 30 years spent overseeing transactions across the sector.

With career foundations as a licensed auctioneer, Col has an industry-leading track record and, in the past five years alone, has been directly involved in more than $1 billion of rural asset sales.

For Col, agriculture is more than an industry he works in. He is deeply personally connected to farming having been raised on the family grazing property near Gunning in New South Wales he is today the fourth generation to own and operate. He is also founder of the South Eastern Livestock Exchange and Western Victorian Livestock Exchange.

Col has sold rural assets across Australia, from cattle stations in the Cape of Queensland to dairy farms in Tasmania, as well as feedlots, abattoirs, quarries, irrigated and dryland cropping properties, and a wide range of horticultural enterprises. It is this breadth of experience that makes Col such a valuable member of LAWD’s leadership team.

Col works closely with vendors during the sales process and brings a comprehensive understanding of the assets he sells, allowing him to best highlight and promote value benefits to the market.

Qualifications

• Bachelor Applied Science (Agriculture), Charles Sturt University
• Licenced Real Estate Agent and Stock and Station Agent – New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Western Australia, Northern • Territory, South Australia and Victoria
• Licenced Auctioneer

Notable transactions

• Lawson Grains (New South Wales, Western Australia) – PND
• Sustainable Agricultural Fund (New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania) – $185 million
• Cowl Cowl and Wyadra (New South Wales) – $100 million
• Cobbora Holding Company (New South Wales) – $75 million
• Glencoe Aggregation (New South Wales) – $48.6 million
• Tubbo Station – $43 million

Danny Thomas is a Senior Director with LAWD and brings more than 25 years’ experience to the role, having held senior agribusiness leadership positions in commercial real estate companies in Australia.

Widely regarded as one of the nation’s leading agribusiness transaction advisors, Danny has stewarded many of the largest transactions in Australia’s farm sector in the past decade, and notably oversaw the sale of Lawson Grains (as a going concern) and the Corinella Portfolio (in 27 separate contracts) in his inaugural year at LAWD for a total of $950 million.

Danny brings practical, on-farm experience and genuine passion for agriculture to his work, having grown up on dairy farms in Victoria’s Western Districts, Kiewa Valley, Northern Victoria and East Gippsland region, and today is a specialist sale advisor to the owners of large-scale holdings and agribusinesses. Additionally, he is a Certified Practising Valuer with key expertise in valuing complex agribusiness assets as well as for litigation support and assessing compensation for compulsory acquisition.

Danny resides in Yea, in the Upper Goulburn region of Victoria. He is a strategic thinker who seeks to maximise every sale outcome for his clients by tailoring a sale process that drives maximum market engagement. Danny has unparalleled connections to large-scale farmers and farmland investors globally, and his insights are regularly sought by the full array of market participants.

Danny is also a director and shareholder in Murray River Land (PropCo) and Ulupna Pastoral Company (OpCo), which owns and operates more than 10,000 hectares of irrigated cropping land in northern Victoria. Danny also holds additional private investments in a significant number of dairy and beef cattle.

Qualifications

• Agent’s Representative Certificate (Victoria)
• Fellow of the Australian Property Institute (Victoria)
• Certified Practising Valuer (Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania, South Australia)
• Registered Valuer, Queensland
• Licensed Valuer, Western Australia
• API Accredited Specialist Water Valuer
• Associate of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors
• Bachelor of Business (Property), RMIT University
• Member, Australian Institute of Company Directors

Notable transactions

• Corinella Portfolio (Victoria and South Australia) – circa 22,386 hectare cropping portfolio (sold to 27 individual parties), $370 million
• Lawson Grains (New South Wales and Western Australia) – circa 103,006 hectare fully integrated grains business, PND
• Adveq/Olam Almond orchards (Victoria) – 12,000 planted hectares and 89,000 megalitres of water entitlements, $860 million
• Gundaline Station (New South Wales) – circa 15,000 hectares with circa 20,000 megalitres of various water entitlements, $60 million
• Kalanga (Queensland) – circa 12,840 hectare irrigated and dryland cropping enterprise, $80 million
• Wyadra and Cowl Cowl (New South Wales) – circa 19,900 hectares with 43,000 megalitres of various water entitlements, $140 million
• Mooral Almonds (New South Wales) – circa 800 hectares of mature almond orchards with 12,000 megalitres of water entitlements, $98 million
• Moora (New South Wales) – circa 24 hectares with 7,800 megalitres of water entitlements, $55 million
• Euroley (New South Wales) – circa 2,419 hectares, $17 million

Jaclyn Hope is a Senior Director at LAWD, leading its Corporate Advisory service offering .

Respected across Australia as a highly accomplished agribusiness specialist, Jaclyn has more than 20 years’ experience in the sector. Over this time, she has built a strong reputation for her skills in  buy and sell-side advisory, capital raising, strategy, debt and corporate restructuring, deal flow, asset management, and turnaround advice, advising domestic and international clients on  large-scale, complex transactions.

Before joining LAWD, Jaclyn was a Partner in PwC’s Corporate Finance team, with a specific focus on the Food & Agribusiness sector, and where she provided subject matter expertise across the PwC domestic and global network.

Jaclyn also previously worked in the banking and finance industry, holding management positions across a broad range of agribusiness specialist roles including frontline relationship management, strategic marketing and risk at three of the big four Australian banks.

Originally from Dalby, on Queensland’s Western Downs, Jaclyn grew up in a family agribusiness enterprise, and spent her formative career as a commodity trader in northern New South Wales. She holds a particular interest in succession planning and supporting families in the intergenerational transfer of assets and skillsets, and providing strategic advice to a diverse spectrum of agricultural asset holders and businesses.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Agribusiness (University of New England)

Daniel McCulloch is one of the industry’s most well respected and motivated agents bringing more than 20 years’ experience and knowledge to his role as Senior Director of Agribusiness Transactions and LAWD shareholder.
Awarded for his auctioneering capabilities at a national level representing Australia, Daniel is also prized in the business sphere, being presented as Young Executive of the Year in the 2016 NSW Business Chamber Awards.
Daniel understands the importance of face-to-face relationships, so is often out in the field, committed to understanding his clients’ requirements. He is deeply committed to exceeding client’s expectations, and has an exceptional history of securing results for his clients.
As a founding member of McCulloch Agencies, Daniel also provides strategic oversight of McCulloch Agencies Livestock Division and brings an intense drive and breadth of knowledge of livestock industries to LAWD.
Daniel is married to Karina and is a proud father of three girls.

Qualifications

• Licensed Real Estate Agent and Stock and Station Agent – New South Wales
• Licensed Auctioneer – New South Wales

Achievements

• 2007 Australian Young Auctioneer of the Year
• 2016 New South Wales Business Chamber Young Executive of the Year

LAWD Director, Elizabeth Doyle, has more than 14 years’ experience in agricultural transactions and property valuations.

Based in LAWD’s Melbourne office, Elizabeth’s extensive background in valuations has seen her act a valuer across a number of property sectors since 2011. She has personal experience in agriculture having spent much of her childhood at a family property at Berrigan in New South Wales.

Elizabeth has expertise in managing and assisting in the sale of institutional grade agricultural properties and agribusinesses throughout Australia. Notably, she managed the process for the sale of the $370 million Corinella Portfolio (in 27 separate contracts) in her inaugural year at LAWD. Included in Elizabeth’s diverse professional skillset are her exceptional organisational skills, superior analytical and communication abilities and excellent service to clients.

Qualifications

• Associate Member of the Australian Property Institute
• Certified Practising Valuer
• Bachelor of Applied Science (Valuation), RMIT University
• Certificate IV in Property Services (Real Estate)
• Licenced Real Estate Agent (Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania and Northern Territory)

Notable transactions

• Kimberley Cattle Portfolio (WA) – circa 2,06,483 hectare grazing property, more than $300 million
• Gundaline (NSW) – circa 15,000 hectares with circa 15,000 megalitres of various water entitlements, more than $120 million
• Corinella Portfolio (Victoria and South Australia) – circa 22,386 hectare cropping portfolio (sold to 27 individual parties), $370 million
• Kooba Ag Portfolio (NSW) – circa 19,896 hectare cropping portfolio more than $60 million
• Lawson Grains (New South Wales and Western Australia) – circa 103,006 hectare fully integrated grains business, PND
• Kalanga (Queensland) – circa 12,840 hectare irrigated and dryland cropping enterprise, $80 million

LAWD Director, Simon Cudmore, is a respected figure in the rural property market with more than 20 years’ experience in transactions throughout New South Wales and Queensland. His extensive career encompasses work in many roles in real estate and stock and station agency businesses, and auctioneering.

Simon has strong ties to agribusiness and has lived and worked in Quirindi, Coonamble, Mudgee, Goulburn, Sydney and Brisbane. This exposure to diverse markets and geographic locations has helped to forge Simon’s expertise and strong reputation in selling rural properties in the mixed farming, cropping, grazing, irrigated and dryland cotton, horticulture and poultry industries.

In the past four years alone, Simon has been directly involved in selling more than $400 million of rural assets.

As a former business owner, Simon personally understands the pressures, challenges and opportunities of operating a family enterprise, meaning he genuinely resonates with the vendors he works with. Additionally, Simon has a strong understanding of the succession planning process and can offer clients valuable guidance in this area, if required.

Qualifications

• Licensed Real Estate Agent and Stock and Station Agent – New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria
• Licensed auctioneer

Notable transactions

• Norman Farming (NSW) $ 105 million
• Kia Ora and Clyde (QLD) $ 95 million
• Kalanga Aggregation (QLD) $ 75 million
• Middlebrook (NSW) $ 56 million
• Wallam & Roydon (NSW) $ 28.4 million
• Ottley (NSW) $27 million
• Oodnadatta (NSW) $ 24.5 million
• Paradise Creek Station $ 23.5 million
• Kingswood (QLD) $ 16 Million
• Darran (QLD) $15 million

LAWD Director, Tim Corcoran, has more than 12 years’ experience selling rural property across New South Wales and eastern Victoria. Complementing Tim’s extensive sales experience is his on-farm expertise gained on his fifth- generation, family-owned mixed farming property west of Boorowa on the South West Slopes of New South Wales.

Tim’s market knowledge, combined with decades working in agriculture and agribusiness, helps Tim bring a genuine understanding of both vendors and buyers’ expectations, especially when taking complex rural assets to market.

Throughout his career, he has sold agricultural assets spanning mixed farming, cropping, grazing, dairy, cotton irrigation, forestry, horticulture and poultry. Significantly, Tim was responsible for selling one of Australia’s most iconic pastoral houses, Tubbo Station, located in the New South Wales Riverina District, at Darlington Point.

Qualifications

• Licenced Stock and Station Agent, New South Wales
• Licenced Auctioneer
• Systems Agriculture (HAC)
• Bachelor Agricultural Business, Charles Sturt University

Notable transactions

• Tubbo Station (New South Wales) – more than $40 million
• North Billabong (New South Wales) – $13.4 million
• Cowl Cowl and Wyadra (New South Wales) – $100 million
• ACE Dairy Portfolio (Victoria) – more than $50 million
• Wigg Dairies (Victoria)

Based in the Northern Territory, Olivia Thompson brings more than 20 years’ experience in property sales to her role as a Director of Transactions. Olivia has an outstanding property sale track record, and prides herself on providing excellent customer service and strong communication to steer her clients towards an excellent transaction result.

Raised on cattle stations throughout the Northern Territory, Olivia completed primary school through School of the Air providing a grassroots experience of station life in regions such as Central Australia, the Top End and Kimberley. After completing her education Olivia spent two years working at a cutting horse ranch in Texas, USA, after several years competing in the Australian Professional Rodeo Association circuit.

Olivia has been involved in more than 500 sale transactions throughout her career, including Neutral Junction Station, Limbunya and Maryfield Station, all in 2022, totalling more than $200 million in value. She also offers strong knowledge of the mapping of Far North Queensland, as well as insight into agriculture and tourism from her experience working in the aviation industry.

Qualifications

• Full Real Estate Licence

Notable Transactions

• Maryfield Station and Limbunya Station (Northern Territory), $170 million
• Neutral Junction Station (Northern Territory), $30 million
• Oolloo Hay Farm (Northern Territory), $6 million
• Mary River Wilderness Retreat (Northern Territory), $2.25 million
• Heartbreak Hotel (Northern Territory), $1.25 million
• Nixons X-ing (Northern Territory), $1.87 million

LAWD Director, Josh Ledingham, has more than eight years’ experience specialising in rural and agriculture real estate transactions and property valuations.

Josh grew up on his family’s dryland cropping enterprise in northern New South Wales, however now resides in Western Australia and is an integral member of LAWD’s Perth office. His practical on-farm experience and self-motivation were the key drivers for Josh’s successful career in agribusiness and in rural property valuations, and transactions.

Throughout his career, Josh has built a strong reputation as a detail-oriented specialist in dryland cropping and irrigation properties, as well as the grazing and horticultural sectors throughout Australia.

He brings positive energy to the broader team and to his trusted relationships with clients.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Urban Development, Majoring in Property Economics and Spatial Science – Queensland University of Technology
• Associate of the Australian Property Institute
• Certified Practising Valuer New South Wales, South Australia, Northern Territory, Victoria
• Registered Valuer Queensland, Western Australia
• Real Estate Certificate, Queensland and New South Wales
• Stock and Station Certificate, New South Wales

Notable transactions

• Wallam & Roydon (NSW) – $28.4 million
• Paradise Creek Station (NSW) – $23.5 million
• Grainfields (NSW) – $16.3 million
• Oodnadatta (NSW) – $24.5 million
• Inverell Station (NSW) – $10.641 million

Simon Wilkinson is a LAWD director and respected figure in Western Australia’s agriculture industry where he has more than 25 years’ experience in broadacre cropping, cattle breeding and feedlotting, sheep breeding, dairy, horticulture, forestry, senior sales and people management.

Over the course of his successful career, Simon has demonstrated an innate ability to create strong connections within agribusiness and holds an unwavering commitment to supporting and championing a thriving agriculture sector.

Simon has extensive experience working with large agriculture sales firms, and buyers and sellers across Western Australia have benefitted from his expertise in providing and executing real estate advisory, transactional and referral services.

Qualifications

• WA Real Estate and Business Sales Representative (2014)
• Cert IV (CPP40307) in Property Services – Real Estate (2014)
• Advanced Diploma Business Management, University Ballarat (2006)

Notable transactions

• Connawarrie Broadacre Cropping Sale (2021)
• Central Aggregation Horticultural Portfolio (2022)
• Borden Broadacre Cropping Aggregation (2022)
• Apache Broadacre Cropping and Livestock Aggregation (2022)
• Murchison Station (2022)

LAWD Director, Ian Robertson, has 35 years’ experience in agribusiness management and real estate, including working with major rural resellers, pastoral houses and corporate real estate service companies.

With deep rural farming connections, Ian is a well-regarded property professional and has established a strong reputation for his specialist expertise across New South Wales, particularly in the Central West region.

Recognising no two situations are the same, Ian uses a variety of selling methods including private treaty, auction, and EOI and tender, along with off-market transactions, to optimise outcomes for his clients.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Rural Science, University New England
• Licenced Real Estate Agent and Stock and Station Agent, New South Wales

Notable transactions

• Lunico Aggregation (New South Wales) – $23 million
• South Bowan Park (New South Wales) – $16 million
• Ladysmith Feedlot (New South Wales) – $16 million
• Elambone (New South Wales) – $10 million
• Warrakimbo (New South Wales) – $9.4 million
• Lawlingvale (New South Wales) – $8 million

LAWD Director, Trish Brewer, brings 15 years’ experience in residential, rural lifestyle, rural and lifestyle subdivision sales to the team.

Based in the Capital Region, incorporating the Australian Capital Territory and the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Trish has been directly involved in more than $55 million of residential, lifestyle and rural asset transactions in the past twelve months.

Throughout her career, Trish has focused on fostering positive client relationships and offers expert advice and insights into the property market to both vendors and buyers. In the past five years, Trish has been involved in more than $200 million of transactions.

Qualifications

• Licenced Real Estate Agent – New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory
• Stock and Station Certificate – New South Wales

Notable transactions

• Merrimba, Barton Highway, Yass – $12.4 million
• 512 Connells Lane, Jeir – $2.5 million
• Weaverally, Blakney Creek – $1.4 million
• Birradilli Lane, Murrumbateman – $3.3 million
• Elise, Blakney Creek – $2.407 million
• Ceradale, Murrumbateman – $2.072 million
• Moorbys Lane, Yass – $875,000
• 677 Mulligans Flat Road, Sutton (New South Wales) – $4.4 million
• 103 Geall Road, Cuttagee – $2.440 million
• 1350 Cooks Hill Road, Yass (New South Wales) – $1.1 million
• Francsdale, Yass River – $1.480 million
• Marian Vale Estate, Marulan (New South Wales) – $6.5 million

Darren is a highly experienced property specialist with a particular interest and skills in agribusiness.

Darren’s interest in agriculture was established early while growing up on his family’s mixed-farming property, which ran a large Hereford cattle stud and Merino sheep flock, in addition to producing award-winning wheat crops.

Building on this foundation, Darren has spent more than 15 years building a successful track record selling development sites and investments throughout Brisbane and regional Queensland.

He has worked at leading companies such as Micros and Singapore Airlines, and was most recently an Associate Director at CBRE. In these roles, Darren engaged with a wide range of clients, including developers, funds, listed companies, receivers, managers, and high-net-worth private owners.

Darren’s skills have been regularly showcased at various real estate industry events, conferences and online forums where he has served as a special guest speaker and contributor to panel discussions.

In his role as Director of Transactions at LAWD, Darren brings a wealth of experience, passion, and energy to the table, and is dedicated to helping his clients achieve their goals in the agribusiness sector.

Qualifications

• Masters Marketing Management, Macquarie Graduate School of Management

Notable Transactions

• Buranda Transit Oriented Development site (Queensland), $51.3 million
• Coorparoo Square Retail Precinct (Queensland), $49.7 million
• Gladstone Central Retail Precinct (Queensland), $20.2 million
• 365 St Pauls Terrace, Fortitude Valley (Queensland), $13.5 million
• Montpelier Road Retail Precinct (Queensland), $16.2 million
• Townsville commercial/retail buildings (Queensland), $30 million

Grant Veivers is a respected rural property specialist, particularly well-known and regarded for his knowledge of the Central Queensland market.

Grant was based in the Arcadia Valley for 25 years as a commercial and stud beef producer and brings extensive experience in corporate and family transactions to his role as Director of Agribusiness Transactions – Queensland at LAWD.

His market knowledge, combined with decades managing his family-owned mixed-farming operation, mean Grant has a detailed understanding of agribusiness. Grant’s diverse professional skillset includes his exceptional communications skills, solutions-focused outlook, and commitment to securing optimal results for his clients.

Qualifications

• Advanced Certificate in Agriculture
• Certificate IV in Property Science (Full Real Estate License Qld)
• Accredited Auctioneer Real Estate (AARE)

Notable transactions:

• Wyseby – Central Highlands Qld $68m (Beef & Cropping)
• Aldinga Station – Central Highlands Qld $42m (Beef Breeding Operation)
• Red Range & Laural Downs – Taroom Qld $34m (Beef/Finishing Operation)
• Bandana Station – Central Highlands Qld – $32m (Beef/Breeding Operation)
• The Rimrock – Central Highlands Qld – $25m (Beef Breeding Operation)

Nick Butler is a respected vineyards and wineries specialist, highly regarded for his knowledge and understanding of the Australian wine industry.

Nick brings more than 25 years of sales experience, specialising in viticulture to his role as Director of Agribusiness Transactions at LAWD, and has played a key role in some of Australia’s most high-profile vineyard and winery sales, including the Josef Chromy Wines and Stonier Vineyard transactions.

Throughout his career, Nick has developed a strong reputation as a detail-oriented specialist dedicated to achieving industry-best results for his clients. As founder of Cogito Wines, Nick has a personal investment in and understanding of the wine industry, meaning he genuinely resonates with the vendors he works with.

Qualifications

• Full Real Estate License (Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia, South Australia).

Notable transactions:

• Josef Chromy Wines (One of the largest single site/brand sales in the industry’s history).
• Stonier Vineyard (Mornington Peninsula icon) on behalf of Accolade Wines.
• Pokolbin Estate Vineyard, Hunter Valley (including significant development site at two times valuation).
• Record breaking sale of five regional hospitality assets in one line ($75 million).

Drawing on over 45 years of working and living in the agricultural sector, Don Fry brings extensive experience to our Transactions team.
Don specialises in rural and lifestyle real estate sales in Western Australia (WA), and has worked with numerous developers on the sale and marketing of a number of subdivisions throughout the south-west of the State.
In the past six years, together with his wife Lorelle, Don facilitated approximately 260 transactions worth just under $200 million in aggregate value.
Named as one of WA’s leading rural salespeople for the last five years, Don’s best practise negotiating, passion for the industry and collaborative style have contributed to his success.
Don is also a licensed auctioneer and is passionate about all things agriculture.

Qualifications

• Triennial Certificate (Real Estate and Business Agent)
• Licensed Auctioneer

Extensive experience in the agriculture industry has helped Lorelle work with a diverse range of clients in the residential, lifestyle and rural space throughout her career.
Lorelle brings a solution-based approach to her role as LAWD Director of Transactions, while priding herself on honest and empathetic communication. Her intimate knowledge of the local area helps her provide valuable insights to new and established clients.
In the past six years, together with her husband Don, Lorelle facilitated approximately 260 transactions worth just under $200 million in aggregate value.
Lorelle has been a passionate advocate for Australian agriculture for more than 30 years, representing the dairy industry at national and global conferences.

Qualifications

• Triennial Certificate (Real Estate and Business Agent)

Georgia Hole is an Associate Director in LAWD’s Agribusiness Transactions team in Brisbane.

With more than five years’ experience in corporate finance advisory and merger and acquisition transactions, Georgia brings a range of highly valuable commercial skills to the business. She has managed and assisted with the execution of transactions across diverse industries, however she has a particular interest in Australia’s agriculture sector.

Georgia’s commercial transactions experience is complemented by skills in financial modelling, valuation analysis and technical analysis.  She is tertiary qualified in applied finance and mathematics and holds certification in financial modelling and valuation analysis.

Qualifications:

• Masters of Applied Finance – QUT
• Bachelor of Mathematics – QUT
• Financial Modelling & Valuation Analyst Certification – CFI

Lauren Roellgen is an Associate Director in LAWD’s Agribusiness Transactions and Corporate Advisory Team.

With more than seven years’ experience as a Chartered Accountant, Lauren has provided strategic advice on mergers and acquisitions to a diverse range of agricultural clients and worked as an agribusiness analyst for the Australian arm of a large Canadian pension fund.

An agribusiness professional, Lauren’s industry experience is complemented by her core areas of corporate expertise including financial modelling, financial analysis and end-to-end deal management.

Throughout her career, Lauren has worked across several production systems within the agriculture sector, including cotton, grains, beef, horticulture, pork and seafood. During this time, she has advised listed companies, private family and corporate businesses, and start-ups.

When not supporting her clients at LAWD, Lauren applies her corporate expertise within her family’s award-winning, large-scale irrigated cotton enterprise, Tyunga Farms, on Queensland’s Darling Downs. She is Vice Chair of the Future Farmers Network Board of Directors and a member of the Royal Agricultural and Industrial Association of Queensland (RNA) Future Directions Committee, demonstrating her deep connection to industry.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor Commerce (Accounting) / Bachelor of Science (Plant Science) – University of Queensland
• Graduate Diploma. Chartered Accounting – Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand
• Governance Foundations for Not-for-Profit Directors – Australian Institute of Company Directors

LAWD Agribusiness Transactions Sales Director, Michael Corcoran, is a respected rural property agent and auctioneer with more than ten years’ experience working across private and corporate agribusinesses.
Michael has a unique mix of management, operations, sales, and business development skills and has held key leadership roles in several corporate livestock businesses.
Born in New England and raised in a family of stock and station agents, Michael was drawn to a career in rural property from a young age. Based in the Tamworth office, Michael regularly travels to New South Wales and Queensland to meet with key clients, developing relationships with large family businesses and pastoral houses across the country.
Throughout his career, Michael has facilitated growth across the Mid North Coast, Hunter Valley and North West New South Wales regions, managing major transactions and leading a team of property and livestock agents.
Michael works in partnership with vendors throughout the sales process, bringing a breadth of sector knowledge, key industry contacts and best in class client service and delivery.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Business, Queensland University of Technology
• Licensed Real Estate Agent and Stock and Station Agent – New South Wales
• Licensed Auctioneer – New South Wales
• Australian Rural Leadership Fund – Emerging Leaders Program

With more than fifteen years’ experience, LAWD Agribusiness Transactions Sales Director, George Barton has honed his skills in marketing, negotiating and bringing a creative approach to sales.

Working with international and domestic clients, George’s communication skills and results-driven approach has led to his outstanding success in business. He has travelled extensively throughout Australia for work, giving him a comprehensive knowledge of New South Wales, Queensland, and the Northen Territory.
George has established himself as a high performer within the rural sales market negotiating more than $60 million of rural property transactions in the 2021-22 financial year. He was awarded the highly acclaimed REINSW “Rural Marketer of the Year” award in 2021, which was judged by a panel of leading industry peers and contested across against all other agencies across the State.

A proud Tamworth local, George comes from a third generation family-owned farm. Whether it be in sheep and cattle yards, or marketing rural property, George is enthusiastic and committed to providing his clients with a premium level of service.

As a highly accomplished sporting champion, George Barton understands how to operate with drive, determination and focus. Recognised widely for his representation of Australia in two Olympic and two Commonwealth Games, where he won both silver and bronze medals in clay target shooting.

Qualifications

• Licensed Real Estate Agent – New South Wales
• Licensed Stock and Station Agent – New South Wales
• Licensed Auctioneer – New South Wales

Patrick Kerr is a Sales Executive in LAWD’s Melbourne-based Agribusiness Transactions Team and has built an impressive track record of selling freehold and investment grade assets across Melbourne and its surrounding regional areas. 

Prior to joining LAWD, Patrick worked within commercial real estate, where he obtained experience in securing and selling for numerous private investment families. Establishing himself as an accomplished performer during the early years of his career, Patrick brings an array of exceptional leadership and negotiation skills to the business.  

With family roots in the agriculture industry throughout the Yarra Valley, Patrick has a wealth of knowledge in specialised sales and stakeholder management, making him a valuable addition to the LAWD team. He was also a senior AFL player at the Carlton Football Club prior to commencing his real estate career. 

Patrick holds an Agent’s Representative Certificate from REIV, as well as a Certificate IV in Property Services (Real Estate).  

Qualifications 

• Certificate IV in Property Services (Real Estate)   
• Agent’s Representative Certificate – Victoria, South Australia & New South Wales 

Nathan Cleeland is a Sales Executive working across LAWD’s Agribusiness Transactions team based in Melbourne.

Growing up on the family sheep and beef farm in Phillip Island, Victoria, Nathan has a detailed knowledge of the rural property sector, making him a valuable addition to the LAWD team.

Throughout his career, Nathan has been involved in more than $150 million of real estate transactions including large agricultural holdings and high-quality lifestyle properties.

Bringing more than two years’ experience to the business, Nathan also has strong expertise in, and knowledge of, the Gippsland region rural property market. He is well known and respected in the industry for his dedication to achieving the best outcome for his clients.

Qualifications

• Certificate IV (Real Estate), Real Estate Institute of Victoria
• Diploma (Construction Management), Builders Academy Australia

Notable transactions:

• 545 Densley Road, Woolamai ($2.3 million)
• 112 Bass Road, Bass ($1.62 million)
• Paul Street, Grantville ($1.45 million)
• 5 Smith Road, The Gurdies ($1.23 million)

Based in Dubbo, Mark Mudford is a Sales Executive in LAWD’s Agribusiness Transactions Team. With 15 years’ experience working across agricultural, business and marketing sectors, Mark brings a variety of professional expertise to the LAWD team.

Mark’s deep connection to the agricultural industry and rural and regional communities was established at a young age growing up in a farming family from Central West New South Wales. Early in his career, Mark spent three years in the Northern Territory and Queensland on cattle stations as a station hand, working his way up to head stockman, before heading to the United States where he gained knowledge in contract farming and heavy haulage.

On returning home to Australia, he started his own fertiliser and transport business before purchasing his first rural property in 2015. It is these invaluable experiences that allow Mark to understand the challenges and opportunities associated with business and property ownership, and better relate to vendors and clients he works with.

Notable Transactions

• “Mountain View” & “Allenden” Lansdowne Road, Upper Lansdowne (New South Wales) 353Ha – $5.9million
• “Part Myall View” 1447 Castlereagh Hwy Gilgandra (New South Wales) 568Ha – $3.05million
• “The River Run” Toms Creek Road, Ellenborough (New South Wales) 316Ha – $2.3million
• “Camden Vale” 563 Lorne Road, Upsalls Creek (New South Wales) 18Ha – $1.5million
• “Riverview” 39 Mary’s Bay Road, Euroka (New South Wales) 19Ha – $1.21million

Qualifications

• Class 2 Agent-Real Estate and Stock and Station Licence
• Certificate III in Agriculture

Fraser Robertson is a Sales Executive in LAWD’s Agribusiness Transactions team servicing our New South Wales clients.

With more than five years’ experience as a certified practising valuer, Fraser has undertaken a broad, and often in-depth, range of agribusiness and commercial property valuations.

Born and raised in Central West New South Wales, he is well-respected for his detailed market knowledge of the local region, as well as the neighbouring Central Tablelands area.

Throughout his career, Fraser has also worked across rural property transactions, demonstrating a client first approach with exceptional communication and customer service skills. He continues to grow his career in the industry and is currently completing Real Estate Agent licenses in both New South Wales and Queensland.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Property (Central Queensland University)
• Certified Practising Valuer (New South Wales)
• Currently completing Class 2 Real Estate Agent License (New South Wales)
• Currently completing Real Estate Agent License (Queensland)

Eline Wesselink is a Sales Executive in LAWD’s Agribusiness Transactions Team based in Katherine, in the Northern Territory.

She has extensive knowledge and understanding of agricultural sales after working in senior roles for an agricultural products and services company. Her experience in marketing, administration, and finance is complemented by a strong work ethic and outstanding interpersonal service, which has been highly regarded by customers throughout the Northern Territory.

Eline’s time spent working on a cattle station and live export facility was the catalyst for her love of agriculture and has enabled her to develop significant stakeholder relationships throughout the industry.

Qualifications

• Certificate IV, Business
• Diploma in Management & Leadership
• Northern Territory Agents Representative

George Berry is a Sales Executive with LAWD’s Real Estate Transactions Team.

Growing up on his family farm in Walcha, New South Wales cemented George’s passion for the agricultural industry since he was a young boy. This drive is complemented by his further study at renowned agricultural school, Marcus Oldham College.

Prior to his career in real estate, George worked on a large cattle station in Northern Queensland for three years, and then travelled to Canada where he guided tourists on horseback through the Rocky Mountains.

Known for his outstanding communication skills and high-quality work, George has become a valuable member of LAWD’s Real Estate Transactions team and is looking forward to continuing to grow his career in rural property.

Qualifications

• Diploma in Agribusiness (Marcus Oldham)
• Certificate III in Agriculture (QLD)

Alex Horan is a Sales Executive in LAWD’s Agribusiness Transactions Team in Brisbane.

With a deep-rooted family history in farming, Alex’s parents were raised on cattle and sheep properties in Toowoomba and Roma meaning he has a genuine connection to agriculture and regional communities. This has been further entrenched through his hands-on experience working within the two Angus cattle operations his family now manage and operate in New South Wales.

With three years’ experience in commercial and industrial property transactions, Alex is looking forward to further progressing his career in rural property. He holds a Bachelor of Business, majoring in Property Development and Real Estate at Griffith University.

Alex has played professional rugby in Japan, and the United States, equipping him with the essential skills needed to contribute to a high-performing team. These attributes help Alex build meaningful relationships with clients and support the team in achieving optimal results for clients and partners.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Business (Property Development and Real Estate) Griffith University
• Real Estate License – Queensland

Tim McKinnon is a founding partner of LAWD and is the Senior Director of LAWD’s Valuations Team. He is a respected industry professional known for his ability to conduct complex valuations and brings more than 17 years’ experience in a broad range of asset classes to his role, including the valuation of large-scale institutional grade agricultural holdings and portfolios.

Growing up on a dairy farm in Western Victoria, Tim was drawn to a career in rural property and is highly regarded for his ability to establish strong relationships with clients and stakeholders.

While based in LAWD’s Brisbane office, Tim travels extensively throughout the nation to complete valuations for a diverse range of clients.

Throughout his career working with institutional investors, ASX-listed companies and large corporate families, Tim’s expertise has been called upon to value some of Northern Australia’s largest multi-million-dollar pastoral holdings, as well as irrigated and broad hectare cropping enterprises, horticulture/permanent plantings, feedlots, dairy and poultry farms throughout Australia.

Additionally, Tim is skilled in valuing water entitlements and processing facilities for agricultural commodities including meat, grain, milk, nuts and cotton. He is also an industry leader in completing compensation assessments for compulsory land and property acquisitions and resumptions.

Qualifications

• Associate of the Australian Property Institute (AAPI)
• Certified Practising Valuer
• API Accredited Specialist Water Valuer
• Registered Valuer, Queensland
• Licenced Valuer, Western Australia
• Bachelor of Business (Property) – RMIT University
• Australian Rural Leadership Program Graduate

Tom Burchell is the Senior Director in LAWD’s Melbourne Valuations Team and brings more than 13 years’ experience in Australian agribusiness, primarily valuing irrigated and dryland cropping assets, along with livestock holdings.

Hailing from a cropping and livestock grazing enterprise in the Wimmera region of Victoria, Tom brings personal insights and practical farm experience to his role and continues being involved in the operations of a dryland cropping enterprise.

Tom is experienced in undertaking valuations for a range of institutional investors for both financial reporting and due diligence, as well as providing valuations for large scale local farming families for mortgage security and accounting purposes. Tom has an enviable reputation as one of the country’s most sought after valuers of cropping portfolios, with corporate clients often seeking his expertise and knowledge on acquisitions across Australia.

Tom has been involved in valuing some of the largest pastoral and cropping assets in Australia and also specialises in valuing bulk grain handling facilities. Tom’s diverse range of expertise extends to the valuation of specialist equine and horse training facilities, dairy farm portfolios, forestry portfolios, water entitlements and intensive irrigation assets.

Qualifications

• Associate of the Australian Property Institute
• Certified Practising Valuer
• Registered Valuer Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and Tasmania
• Licenced Water Valuer, Western Australia
• Bachelor of Applied Science (Valuation), RMIT University
• Real Estate Sub Agents Licence

Geoffrey Brown is a Senior Director at LAWD, leading its Specialised Valuations business unit.

With more than 34 years’ continuous experience in property valuations, Geoffrey is considered one of Australia’s pre-eminent specialist valuers of childcare, educational and medical facilities. He has also been involved in windfarm and forestry valuations in Victoria and New South Wales.

During his career, Geoffrey has built a strong reputation for his expertise in compulsory acquisitions, having worked on some of Australia’s most significant infrastructure and economy building projects spanning roads, tunnels, rail, water and gas.

He has represented clients on various litigation matters including family law and compulsory acquisitions, utilising his outstanding communication and negotiation skills to deliver outcomes for clients. Geoffrey has also acted as an Expert Witness in the Federal Court, Supreme Court and Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

Along with his role leading LAWD’s Specialised Valuations business unit, Geoffrey is a shareholder and member of LAWD’s executive leadership team.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Business in Property
• Advanced Certificate in Real Estate
• Certified Practising Valuer
• Licensed Estate Agent
• Fellow of the Australian Property Institute

Andrew Wise is LAWD’s Operations Manager for its valuation business and holds more than 15 years of experience within the industry. During this time, Andrew has gained significant expertise in performance management, quality assurance, and process management.
At LAWD, Andrew manages its national valuation program, and is responsible for liaising with key stakeholders such as banks on panel management, quality assurance and risk management, and day-to-day operations.
Andrew has worked across the private and government sectors, including most recently as a national rural valuation panel manager for Australia’s largest rural lender, National Australia Bank. His experience is backed by several qualifications, including holding positions as a Certified Practicing Valuer and an Associate of the Australian Property Institute (AAPI), a Graduate Diploma in Property from the University of South Australia coupled with a Bachelor of Agricultural Economics from the University of New England.
With extensive experience in panel management and acting as an intermediary between internal stakeholders and panel valuers, Andrew is skilled in forging strong relationships. Throughout his career he has been pivotal in developing industry-leading panel management processes and valuation firm reporting, to ensure the timely delivery of quality reports.
Andrew has made several notable contributions to the agriculture and valuation industries, including his work with the NSW API Country Conference 2022 Committee, the API Working Group on Carbon Projects Guidance Paper, and the Technical Information Paper on the Market Value of Rural and Agribusiness Properties. He also regularly presents at API events and to other groups on the expectations banks place on rural valuation reports.

Qualifications

• Associate of the Australian Property Institute (AAPI)
• Certified Practicing Valuer
• Graduate Diploma in Property, University of South Australia
• Bachelor of Agricultural Economics, University of New England

LAWD Director, Josh Ledingham, has more than eight years’ experience specialising in rural and agriculture real estate transactions and property valuations.

Josh grew up on his family’s dryland cropping enterprise in northern New South Wales, however now resides in Western Australia and is an integral member of LAWD’s Perth office. His practical on-farm experience and self-motivation were the key drivers for Josh’s successful career in agribusiness and in rural property valuations, and transactions.

Throughout his career, Josh has built a strong reputation as a detail-oriented specialist in dryland cropping and irrigation properties, as well as the grazing and horticultural sectors throughout Australia.

He brings positive energy to the broader team and to his trusted relationships with clients.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Urban Development, Majoring in Property Economics and Spatial Science – Queensland University of Technology
• Associate of the Australian Property Institute
• Certified Practising Valuer New South Wales, South Australia, Northern Territory, Victoria
• Registered Valuer Queensland, Western Australia
• Real Estate Certificate, Queensland and New South Wales
• Stock and Station Certificate, New South Wales

Notable transactions

• Wallam & Roydon (NSW) – $28.4 million
• Paradise Creek Station (NSW) – $23.5 million
• Grainfields (NSW) – $16.3 million
• Oodnadatta (NSW) – $24.5 million
• Inverell Station (NSW) – $10.641 million

Based in Melbourne, Ben Grice is a Director in LAWD’s Valuations Team and brings more than 10 years’ experience valuing some of the largest investment-grade agricultural assets in Australia to the team.

Ben’s background growing up on a beef property in Victoria’s western district sparked his interest in a career in rural property and he has since established himself as a respected valuer in the agribusiness sector. He has led the valuation of several of the nation’s largest institutional-grade agricultural and horticultural assets and is a trusted advisor to both major institutional and intergenerational family farming investors.

Prior to becoming a property valuer, Ben worked in the agribusiness banking sector, gaining experience and insight into working capital, equipment finance and term debt requirements for a range of horticultural businesses.

Ben’s career highlights include leading the valuation of both Australia’s largest poultry portfolio and one of the largest horticultural portfolios for institutional investors, with both transactions subject to a long-term, triple-net lease. His experience also extends to all the horticultural industries, as well as the wine industry where he has undertaken valuations on behalf of major wine producers in Western Australia, Tasmania, New South Wales and Victoria. Ben has also completed valuations of some of the largest water entitlement portfolios within the Southern Connected Murray Darling Basin.

Qualifications

• Associate of the Australian Property Institute
• Certified Practising Valuer
• Registered Valuer Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland
• Licenced Valuer, Western Australia
• Bachelor of Business (Agribusiness), Marcus Oldham
• Graduate Diploma of Property, Deakin University

Nick Houston is an Associate Director in LAWD’s Valuations Team and has more than six years’ experience valuing agricultural assets throughout Australia. Growing up on a broad hectare cropping property in Mungindi in north west New South Wales, Nick was drawn to a career in rural property and is a valued member of the LAWD team. While based in the Brisbane office, Nick travels across Australia to provide valuation services to clients.

Throughout his career, Nick has gained experience valuing irrigated and large-scale dryland cropping assets, along with significant grazing enterprises. He is skilled in the valuation of water entitlements and intensive agricultural holdings and undertakes valuations for mortgage security and financial reporting purposes, and pre-purchase due diligence advice.

Qualifications

• Associate of the Australian Property Institute (AAPI)
• Certified Practising Valuer
• Registered Valuer, Queensland
• Bachelor of Property Economics (Valuation and Business Management) – Queensland University of Technology

Lachie Smith is an Associate Director in LAWD’s Valuation Team based in Albury, New South Wales and brings five years of valuation experience to the firm. Growing up on a mixed-farming property in the Central-West of New South Wales, Lachie pursued a career in the agriculture industry and completed an Agribusiness (Rural Science) degree, followed by post graduate studies in property valuation.
Throughout his career, Lachie has gained experience valuing irrigated and dryland cropping assets, high rainfall and broad hectare pastoral grazing enterprises, as well as permanent plantings, rural lifestyle properties and water entitlements across New South Wales and Victoria. Lachie has previously undertaken valuations for mortgage security, family law as well as, pre-purchase and pre-sale due diligence advice.
Lachie primarily undertakes valuations across southern New South Wales and northern Victoria, including the Upper-Murray, Riverina and North-East Victorian regions and splits his time between Albury and the Melbourne office.

Qualifications

• Associate of the Australian Property Institute (AAPI)
• Certified Practising Valuer
• Bachelor of Agribusiness (Rural Science), University of New England
• Graduate Diploma of Property, Deakin University

Nick Turnbull is an Associate Director in LAWD’s Valuation team and brings five years of experience working in property valuation. He has a personal connection to his role and Australian agriculture, given his upbringing on a sheep and cattle station in Tambo, central-western Queensland.
Nick travels extensively throughout Australia to valuing large scale livestock and cropping properties, including portfolios with particular expertise throughout Queensland, Northern New South Wales and into Central/Northern Australia. He is committed to the industries he works in and delivers clarity to clients through his excellent communication skills and strong attention to detail.
Nick brings extensive on-farm knowledge to his role, and in 2021 spent six months on sabbatical broadening his experience by working on a station in Western Australia’s Kimberley region.
He is also capable in the valuation of irrigation properties and a variety of horticultural assets. Nick undertakes valuations for mortgage security and financial reporting purposes, as well as pre-purchase/pre-sale due diligence advice.

Qualifications

• Associate of the Australian Property Institute (AAPI)
• Certified Practising Valuer
• Registered Valuer, Queensland
• Licenced Valuer, Western Australia
• Bachelor of Property Economics (Valuation and Construction Management) – Queensland University of Technology

Sam Julian is an Associate Director in LAWD’s Valuations Team and has more than seven years’ experience working for international property firms. Raised on his family farm in the New South Wales Southern Tablelands region, Sam has direct knowledge and experience of rural property. Throughout his career, he has been exposed to a variety of rural property types and has experience in high rainfall grazing, equine properties, irrigation and dryland cropping, horticulture, vineyards, dairy and poultry.

Sam primarily undertakes valuations across rural regions in New South Wales, including the Southern Tablelands, Central Tablelands, Riverina, New England and Northern Tablelands, Hunter Region and Western Division. With the ability to embrace new concepts quickly, Sam has a strong understanding and appreciation of the diverse range of commercial enterprises linked to the agricultural sector and uses his excellent communication skills to develop positive relationships with clients.

Qualifications

• Associate of the Australian Property Institute (AAPI)
• Certified Practising Valuer
• Graduate Diploma of Property – Deakin University
• Bachelor of Commerce – Australian National University

Mick McNamara is an Associate Director in the Melbourne-based Valuations Team and has more than five years’ experience in the valuation of large-scale irrigated and dryland cropping/grazing assets throughout southern Australia. He has specific expertise in properties spanning southern New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, and across Western Australia.
Mick was raised on, and managed, a dryland cropping and horticultural property growing walnuts and vines in central Victoria, which brings a valuable practical understanding of agricultural assets to his role.
Mick has also been involved in valuing largest investment-grade livestock, and grazing portfolios throughout Australia. He has strong attention to detail and is experienced in undertaking valuations for mortgage security purposes and financial reporting, as well as providing pre-purchase due diligence advice.

Qualifications

• Associate of the Australian Property Institute
• Certified Practising Valuer
• Certificate III In Agriculture
• Bachelor of Applied Science (Property and Valuation) (Honours) – RMIT University
• Real Estate Sub Agents Licence

Sam Hopkins is an Associate Director in LAWD’s Valuation team and brings four years of experience working in agricultural property valuation. Sam’s upbringing on a beef cattle property in South-West Queensland, sparked his interest in a career in rural property and provided an excellent foundation for his enthusiasm in the agriculture industry.
He brings extensive on-farm knowledge to his role, having spent the past twelve months on sabbatical broadening his experience working on several stations in North-West Queensland, along with his family property in Taroom, Queensland where he now resides.
Sam travels extensively throughout the Central and Southern Queensland, while also working further afield throughout Australia. He is committed to the agricultural industry and delivers clarity to clients through his excellent communication skills and strong attention to detail.
Throughout his career, Sam has gained experience in the valuation of numerous agribusiness holdings with a particular focus on grazing properties and irrigated/dryland cropping assets. Sam is experienced in undertaking Mortgage Security Valuations and Financial Reporting Valuations, as well as providing pre-purchase/pre-sale due diligence advice.

Qualifications

• Associate of the Australian Property Institute (AAPI)
• Certified Practicing Valuer
• Bachelor of Property – Central Queensland University

Edward Trowbridge is an Associate Director in LAWD’s Melbourne-based Valuations Team and has more than five years’ experience in valuing a wide range of agricultural assets. His early start in life on his family’s beef and sheep properties in north-east Victoria and southern New South Wales was a key influence in his decision to pursue a career in rural property.

Edward’s particular property experience is in valuing large-scale institutional grade permanent plantings, including grape, almond, walnut, macadamia, citrus and avocado assets. He also has experience in valuing hydroponic facilities, poultry enterprises, grazing, dairy and rural lifestyle properties, in addition to water entitlement portfolios within the Southern Connected Murray Darling Basin.

Edward has been involved in valuing some of the largest investment-grade agricultural and horticultural assets across Australia for financial reporting and mortgage security purposes, as well as for pre-purchase due diligence. His career highlights include assisting in the valuation of Australia’s largest poultry portfolio on behalf of an institutional investor, with the transaction subject to a long-term triple-net lease. He has also undertaken valuations on behalf of major wine producers in Western Australia, Tasmania, New South Wales and Victoria.

Qualifications

• Associate of the Australian Property Institute
• Certified Practising Valuer
• Registered Valuer, Queensland
• Licenced Valuer, Western Australia
• Bachelor of Property and Real Estate/Bachelor of Laws – Deakin University
• Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice, College of Law (estimated completion 2022)

Edward McKenzie is an Associate Director in LAWD’s Valuations Team, with six years of expertise in the valuation of complex, large-scale assets and portfolios across southern Australia. Based in Melbourne, Edward has a connection to the rural property sector having grown up in an irrigated dairy, beef and cropping region of northern Victoria.

Edward values large-scale dairies and portfolios, irrigated/dryland cropping and grazing properties and portfolios, market gardens and rural lifestyle properties across Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and southern New South Wales.

His professional highlights include undertaking valuations of some of Australia’s largest dairying portfolios, including a 29-property portfolio within the north-west of Tasmania, a 28-property portfolio in the Gippsland region and Western Australia’s largest dairying portfolio situated in the south-west.

He also regularly values significant private and corporate portfolios in the northern and western districts of Victoria.

Earlier in his career, Edward undertook municipal revaluation programs for rating and taxing purposes throughout Victoria, Tasmania and New South Wales, across various asset classes and using assorted valuation methodologies.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Politics & Economics, La Trobe University
• Master of Property, RMIT University
• Certified Practising Valuer

Toby McNamee is an Associate Director in LAWD’s Valuations Team and brings energy, a deep knowledge of rural industry and excellent communication skills to his role. He is based in LAWD’s Brisbane office and has more than three years’ experience in property valuation.

Hardworking and always approachable, Toby has specific experience in valuing grazing and cropping assets, along with more intensive agricultural holdings including horticulture, permanent plantings, feedlots and other intensive animal husbandry sites.

Throughout his career, Toby has worked across Australia in the valuation of livestock, cropping and forestry portfolios. He has also undertaken valuations for mortgage security purposes, financial reporting and pre-purchase due diligence advice.

Qualifications

• Associate of the Australian Property Institute (AAPI) Certified Practising Valuer
• Registered Valuer, Queensland
• Bachelor of Business Management (Real Estate and Development) – University of Queensland

Lachlan Bell has more than four years’ accounting experience and brings his analytical approach and attention to detail to LAWD’s Valuations Team.

Lachlan’s career as a Chartered Accountant and strong analytical background has allowed for his seamless transition into the valuation industry. The skills gained from his previous career are now leveraged to assist him in undertaking the valuation of complex large-scale assets and portfolios within poultry enterprises, abattoirs, permanent plantings and viticulture.

He also has personal experience in agriculture, growing up in Goondiwindi in southern Queensland, where his family own and operate a fuel distribution business that services farmers and agricultural enterprises.

Before joining LAWD in 2023, Lachlan worked on the grain harvest in southern Queensland and northern New South Wales, further fuelling his passion for the sector.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting and Finance), The University of Queensland
• Chartered Accountant, CA ANZ
• Graduate Diploma of Property, Deakin University (Currently Studying)

Jessica Ziesemer brings extensive, hands-on experience in agriculture to her role as an Assistant Valuer at LAWD. Her understanding of a diverse range of asset classes was founded on her upbringing on cropping and grazing enterprises, as well as a macadamia orchard in south-east Queensland. She also spent three years working on pastoral properties throughout north Queensland and the Northern Territory before joining LAWD’s Brisbane team.

Jessica’s enthusiasm to contribute fresh ideas makes her a valued member of LAWD’s team. She has assisted with valuing numerous agribusiness assets, including farming properties and more intensive agricultural holdings for both mortgage security and financial reporting purposes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Agribusiness – Marcus Oldham College, Geelong, Victoria
• Graduate Diploma of Valuations and Property Development – Bond University (currently studying)

Jeremy Phillips is an Assistant Valuer in LAWD’s Melbourne-based Valuations Team.

Jeremy’s strong interest in the Australian and international property markets drew him to a career in property valuations, with a particular interest in servicing the agribusiness sector.

Currently in the second year of his career, Jeremy has travelled throughout Victoria, Tasmania and New South Wales to assist in valuations for mortgage security purposes and financial reporting across a variety of assets including vineyards, livestock and cropping portfolios and other large investment-grade horticultural assets.

He has strong financial and analytical investment knowledge and capabilities and has gained an in-depth understanding of economics through his undergraduate major.

Jeremy is currently completing his registration as Certified Practising Valuer.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Commerce – University of Melbourne (Double Major in Finance and Economics)
• Master of Property – RMIT University

Hamish Rowlands is an Assistant Valuer in LAWD’s Melbourne-based Valuations Team and is enthusiastically building his career in the property sector. After growing up on a dairy farm in northern Victoria, and later managing its operations, Hamish brings an honest and reliable approach to his role, along with a first-hand understanding of the rural property sector.

Hamish majored in economics while completing a Bachelor of Agriculture degree and is using this strong financial and analytical base in the valuation of assets. He is currently completing his registration as a Certified Practising Valuer and is undertaking a Graduate Diploma of Property at Deakin University, placing him on track to complete his Australian Property Institute admission by the end of 2023.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Agriculture (Economics) – The University of Melbourne
• Graduate Diploma of Property, Deakin University (currently studying)

Gus Morris is an Assistant Valuer in LAWD’s Brisbane-based Valuations Team, enthusiastically carving out a property career.

Growing up on an irrigated cropping enterprise in Goondiwindi, Gus brings personal knowledge of the south-east Queensland area as well as a passion for the agriculture industry.

His interest in valuing animal husbandry assets was sparked from his experience building sheds for a piggery enterprise, and he looks forward to building on that in his role at LAWD.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Property Economics – Queensland University of Technology

Annie Bignell is an Assistant Valuer with LAWD’s Valuations Team and complements her role with personal agriculture experience.
Annie grew up on her family’s dairy farm in the southeast corner of Tasmania, where she worked fulltime for 12 months after finishing school and continues to be involved with the operation during university holidays. Her strong work ethic allows her to balance work commitments whilst completing her final year of Bachelor Property Economics at Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane.
Annie’s love of agriculture is an asset to the LAWD team and she brings an authentic, reliable approach to her role.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Property Economics (Applied Economics and Finance), Queensland University of Technology (Currently Studying)

Wiley Anderson is an Assistant Valuer in LAWD’s Sydney-based Valuations Team.
Wiley’s strong interest in the Australian property market, and agriculture more broadly, is a passion that has been developed through his lifelong association with the farm sector. After growing up in Dubbo, New South Wales, Wiley worked on his family cane farm in Tully in far north Queensland, and has also spent time employed on cattle stations in north west Queensland.
This time on-farm helped Wiley hone his excellent communications skills, while demonstrating his ability to work hard, and build and maintain good relationships.
Wiley is currently in his third year of studying a Bachelor of Property Economics at the University of Technology, Sydney. He also holds a Certificate III in Agriculture.

Qualifications

• Third year student studying a Bachelor of Property Economics at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS)
• Certificate III in Agriculture

Digby Webster is an enthusiastic and hard-working Assistant Valuer with a strong connection to the agribusiness sector. He also has on-farm experience at a prime lamb enterprise in Victoria’s Western District.

After graduating with a Bachelor of Agriculture (Economics) from the University of Melbourne, he is excited to commence his property career with LAWD.

Digby will be undertaking a Graduate Diploma of Property at Deakin University in 2023.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Agriculture (Economics) – The University of Melbourne
• Graduate Diploma of Property – Deakin University (commence study 2023)

Peter Payne is LAWD’s Quality Assurance Manager and brings more than 35 years’ experience in the valuation of agricultural assets across Australia to the team. Raised on farming and grazing properties, Peter has also developed an irrigation operation near Allora in southern Queensland. This background was the catalyst to Peter pursuing a career in rural property valuation, culminating in his professional skills being highly regarded by individual and corporate clients. In his role, Peter reviews all valuation reports prepared by LAWD valuers, and takes a keen interest in providing ongoing guidance and mentoring to the team.

Based in Toowoomba, Peter is a Fellow of the Australian Property Institute and has specific expertise in valuing assets Australia-wide including post-farm gate processing facilities, large-scale cattle feedlots, cattle stations and irrigation/broad hectare cropping properties.

Earlier in his career, Peter was a foundation grower of purple pigeon grass for the Department of Primary Industries and bred sorghum seed for a seed distribution company. He is a respected member of the agriculture industry and, in the late 1980s and early 1990s, lectured in rural valuation at the University of Queensland, the Queensland University of Technology and the University of Western Sydney.

Qualifications

• Fellow of the Australian Property Institute (FAPI)
• Certified Practising Valuer
• Registered Valuer, Queensland
• Diploma of Agriculture – Dookie Agricultural College
• Bachelor of Business (Real Property Valuation and Administration) – Queensland Agricultural College
• Master of Commerce (Land Economy) – University of Western Sydney

Geoffrey Brown is a Senior Director at LAWD, leading its Specialised Valuations business unit.

With more than 34 years’ continuous experience in property valuations, Geoffrey is considered one of Australia’s pre-eminent specialist valuers of childcare, educational and medical facilities. He has also been involved in windfarm and forestry valuations in Victoria and New South Wales.

During his career, Geoffrey has built a strong reputation for his expertise in compulsory acquisitions, having worked on some of Australia’s most significant infrastructure and economy building projects spanning roads, tunnels, rail, water and gas.

He has represented clients on various litigation matters including family law and compulsory acquisitions, utilising his outstanding communication and negotiation skills to deliver outcomes for clients. Geoffrey has also acted as an Expert Witness in the Federal Court, Supreme Court and Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

Along with his role leading LAWD’s Specialised Valuations business unit, Geoffrey is a shareholder and member of LAWD’s executive leadership team.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Business in Property
• Advanced Certificate in Real Estate
• Certified Practising Valuer
• Licensed Estate Agent
• Fellow of the Australian Property Institute

Based in Melbourne, Michael Mitra is an Associate Director in LAWD’s Specialist Property Valuations Team.

Michael started his career in the United Kingdom before moving to Australia in 2017 and has more than 15 years’ experience in the real estate industry.

His broad expertise includes mortgage valuations across a range of industrial, commercial and retail asset classes, with a specialist focus on childcare centres.  Michael also has extensive experience valuing land and providing advice for compulsory acquisitions and compensation, and has prepared valuation reports for litigation purposes.

Michael has used his strong analytical and problem-solving skills to provide valuation advice on several major infrastructure projects in Victoria, including the Suburban Rail Loop, West Gate Tunnel, Outer Metropolitan Ring Road and Melbourne Water stormwater assets.

Renowned for his leadership skills, Michael has been actively involved in graduate programs to mentor young professionals starting out in their career.

Qualifications:

• Associate of the Australian Property Institute
• Certified Practising Valuer
• Member of Royal Institution of Charted Surveyors (MRICS) 2012-2017
• Bachelor of Science (Honours) – Business Property Management
• Higher National Diploma – Business Property Management

Conaill Auty is an Associate Director in the Melbourne-based Valuations Team who is responsible for the delivery of litigation and development valuation and advisory assignments.

Conaill offers a diverse range of experience across most property types having serviced Private and Government clients in matters of compulsory acquisition for state and local government major infrastructure, public open space and conservation reserve projects.

Conaill’s specialist experience has led to undertaking development valuations for development feasibility, development contribution plans, ratings and taxation, quarry buffers, stormwater treatment assets and school sites.

Project Involvement

• Level Crossing Removal Project
• Outer Metropolitan Ring Road
• North East Link Project
• West Gate Tunnel Project
• Western Grassland Reserve Project
• Suburban Road Upgrade Project (Road Widenings)
• Biodiversity Offset Credits value assessments
• Melbourne Water stormwater treatment assets
• Land tax and rating objections for institutional grade development sites

Qualifications

• Associate Member – Australian Property Institute
• Certified Practising Valuer
• Bachelor of Applied Science (Property and Valuation) (Honours) – RMIT University
• Certificate IV in Real Estate Practice

Lexie Nolen is an Assistant Valuer in the Melbourne-based Valuations Team and one of the next-generation members of LAWD’s growing team of professionals.

Enthusiastic about a career in the property industry, Lexie has already completed a Certificate IV in Real Estate Practice and is in her final year of study to complete a Bachelor of Applied Science in Property and Valuation with Honours.

Lexie has a practical understanding of agricultural processes and assets gained from part-time work as a Sample Stand Operator in the grain industry over the past four years, and through assisting on her family’s small rural cropping farm near Yarrawonga, Victoria.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Applied Science – Property & Valuation (Honours) RMIT University (currently studying final year)
• Certificate IV in Real Estate Practice (Victoria)

Peter Sagar is a founding Senior Director of LAWD with more than 30 years’ experience in senior roles for market-leading property organisations.

Peter has been involved in facilitating some of Australia’s largest development site transactions, which collectively account for more than 15,000 hectares of development land across the nation. He has also been responsible for transacting many of Australia’s most significant greenfield development sites and major portfolios.

Throughout his esteemed career, Peter has built trusted relationships with C-Suite corporate and private developers, as well as an extensive network of influential relationships throughout Australia’s property development sector.

Peter has a detailed understanding of the real estate and property development landscape and the necessary experience to deal with major, sophisticated and complex transactions across multiple asset classes. He is well-recognised as a trusted advisor to clients, with expertise in strategy, transactions, negotiations and due diligence, property development, distressed property and property valuation.

Qualifications

• Associate of the Australian Property Institute – Certified Practising Valuer
• Certificate IV in Property (Real Estate) – Licensed Real Estate Agent
• Bachelor of Business (Property Valuation), RMIT University
• Bachelor of Business (Business Administration), RMIT University

Notable transactions

• Lensworth Portfolio (National) including Highland’s at Craigieburn – $905 million
• Cloverton (Victoria) – Development Agreement – end value $1 billion+
• The Grove (Victoria) – $202.5 million
• Aura Community (Queensland) – in excess of $150 million for a 50 per cent share
• Donnybrook Road, Victoria (various) – $150 million+
• Mt Atkinson, Victoria – end value $1 billion+
• Beveridge (various) – $180 million+

LAWD Director, Paul Callanan, has 15 years’ experience in the property sector and has held senior positions with several global real estate agency firms. Based in Melbourne, Paul draws on a diverse and finely honed range of skills to deliver outstanding results for clients. He has extensive experience across various disciplines such as transactions, valuations, real estate advisory and consulting.

Throughout his career, Paul has transacted more than $5 billion worth of real estate including many strategic greenfield development land holdings of significant scale. With experience in consultancy and as a qualified valuer, Paul has structured complex transactions requiring a sophisticated and innovative approach. He also specialises in highest and best-use analysis and discounted cashflow modelling.

Paul’s extensive master planned community and greenfield development expertise has been instrumental to his success in delivering outstanding results for clients. He has also forged trusted relationships with many large-scale corporate and private developers.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Business (Property Economics) – GMIT
• Member of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (MRICS)
• Certified MRICS Valuer
• Certificate IV in Property Services (Real Estate) – Licensed Real Estate Agent

Notable transactions

• Clyde Major Town, Clyde – $61.50 million
• 75 Stewarts Lane, Beveridge – Reported as $125 million
• 690 Western Port Highway, Cranbourne West – Reported as $150 million plus
• The Grove, Tarneit – $202.5 million
• Aura Community (Queensland) – in excess of $150 million for a 50 per cent share
• Donnybrook Road various – $150 million plus
• 1568 & 1580A Thompsons Road, Cranbourne East – $60m plus
• Harpley Town Centre – $18.5 million

Henry Burbury has almost two decades’ experience in the property and finance sectors and is Director – Development & Projects based in LAWD’s Melbourne office.

In this time, he has developed sought-after expertise in project marketing, development site sales, property management and feasibility studies, and has a thorough understanding of all facets of the property development cycle.

Henry has worked closely with international developers, ASX-listed companies, and large private family offices, assisting with site acquisition, seeking and amending development permits, developing sales strategies and managing international marketing campaigns.

Henry has built an extensive network of agents, developers, and consultants both in Australia and globally. He has worked in Melbourne, and Hong Kong, developing strong connections within the Asian and broader international markets, having sold and exhibited property all over the world.

Qualifications

• Certificate IV in Property (Real Estate) – Licensed Real Estate Agent
• Bachelor of Business (Accountancy), RMIT University

Notable Transactions

• The International, Brighton – Landream & V-Leader Group
• Oakwood, Kew – Walker Corp
• Domain House, South Melbourne – Virgate Property Group
• Greenhills Park, Bundoora – Sunkin Group
• Melbourne Qtr – Lend Lease
• Voyager, Melbourne – Mirvac
• The Pacifica, Auckland NZ – Hengyi
• Waterfall, Sydney – Crown Group
• 443 Queen St, Brisbane – CBUS

Lukas Byrns is a Director of Development Transactions & Advisory at LAWD, and brings a wealth of experience spanning more than 23 years in the property sector. Prior to his current role, Lukas held senior acquisition and development positions at some of Australia’s leading property organisations, including Mirvac and Stockland. He was also Head of Metropolitan Markets at Cushman & Wakefield, where he led several significant development site transactions.
Lukas has been involved in the planning, development, and delivery of several of Victoria’s foremost projects, and has an outstanding track record of success across middle and inner ring development sites, infill townhouses and investment properties, as well as build-to-sell and the emerging build-to-rent apartment markets.
He also has extensive experience in acquisitions and the divestment of properties that require complex negotiations, and specialist expertise in structuring suitable partnership arrangements.
Lukas holds a Bachelor of Business Property (Property Investment) from RMIT, as well as a Certificate IV in Property Services (Real Estate).

Qualifications

• Certificate IV in Property (Real Estate) – Licensed Real Estate Agent
• Bachelor of Business (Property Investment), RMIT University

Notable transactions

• 397-411 Albert Street, Brunswick – $41m
• 194 Lorimer Street, Docklands – $20.5m
• 6-34 High Street, Preston – $14.04m
• 36 High Street, Preston – $5m
• 5-7 Inverleigh Street, Hawthorn – $4.4m
• 51 Surfcoast Highway, Torquay – $2.15m

Development Experience

• Waverley Park, Mulgrave – $1b+
• Beacon Cove, Port Melbourne – $1b+
• Allisee, Gold Coast – $300+m
• The Melburnian, 250 St Kilda Road – $250m+
• Tooronga Village, Tooronga – $250m+
• The Heath, Heatherton – $200m+
• 2-4 Yarra Street, South Yarra – $200m+

Henry Sayers is a Director in LAWD’s newly established Industrial team based in Melbourne.

Renowned as an industrial specialist, Henry has extensive experience providing strategic commercial advice to developers and occupiers on assets of varying sizes and scales. This has included land sales, subdivisions, multi-unit developments, pre-leasing, warehouse sales and leasing to both occupiers and investors across Melbourne’s southeast corridor.

As a former practising solicitor, Henry’s strong commercial acumen, combined with his excellent relationship skills, enables him to negotiate and structure transactions that deliver benefits to both selling and buying parties.

His tertiary qualifications in both law and commerce, with a major in accounting, means Henry has impeccable attention to detail which he applies to all transactions.

Qualifications:

• Certificate IV in Real Property Services (Real Estate) – Real Estate Academy 2021
• Diploma of Management, Business Services – Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology 2012
• Admitted to the Supreme Court of Victoria and High Court of Australia – Law Institute of Victoria, High Court of Australia 2007
• Bachelor of Laws, Corporate Specialisation – Bond University 2005
• Bachelor of Commerce, Major in Accounting – Bond University 2005

Laura Prendergast is a Sales Executive in LAWD’s Development Transactions and Advisory Team, based in the Melbourne office.

With more than five years’ experience in the Irish commercial property sector, Laura’s expertise spans capital markets, consulting on significant development land transactions and providing strategic property advice on all aspects of insolvency.

Prior to moving to Australia and joining LAWD, Laura was responsible for the disposal of commercial investments and advised clients on value, marketing methods, asset management and disposal strategies. From her time spent working in the industry, Laura has gained significant experience working across the deal life cycle from inception to close, including transaction negotiation, structuring and execution.

Laura has also been involved in several distressed asset sales and understands the complexity and sensitive nature of dealing with receivership sales and the restructuring of commercial assets.

Laura has a proven track record of delivering excellent results for clients, particularly in challenging markets, and is well renowned for her thorough analytical, communication and negotiation skills.

Qualifications:

• Professional member of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (MRICS)
• MSc. Real Estate Management and Development, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh
• BSc. Business and Management (Hons), Technological University, Dublin

Notable transactions:

• Disposal of 20,500 sq m (220,660 sq ft) suburban office campus – Waterside Citywest €65 million (approx. $104.5 million)
• Sale of 15,000 sq m (162,500 sq ft) retail park for €29.5 million (approx. $47.4 million)
• Successful disposal of Irelands largest stand-alone retail warehouse €26.6 million (approx. $43 million)
• Disposal of CBD office building with development potential, on behalf of receivers Grant Thornton for excess €11 million (approx. $18 million)
• Disposal of a residential development site extending to approximately 16.10 acres located on Malahide Road for excess €8 million (approx. $13 million)

Darcy Tobin is a Sales Executive in LAWD’s Melbourne-based Development Transactions and Advisory Team and is enthusiastically paving the way for a long and successful career in property.

Already, Darcy has been involved in more than $200 million worth of real estate transactions and has developed expertise in market research, transactions and negotiations, targeted acquisitions, business development, strategic consultancy advice, land development and capital markets.

Prior to joining LAWD, Darcy worked in the large commercial real estate industry, where he gained experience in real estate transactions, and developed exceptional skills and an understanding of diverse asset classes.

Darcy brings an excellent work ethic to his role which, combined with his attention to detail and excellent communication skills, has allowed him to progress significantly since joining the LAWD team. He is passionate about the property industry and always looking to grow both personally and professionally. During his short time in real estate, Darcy has had significant exposure to high profile development land sales within the greenfield growth areas. He assists the team with a range of tasks including prospecting, conducting market research and establishing and maintaining positive and trusted relationships with LAWD’s clients.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Property and Real Estate (Distinction), Deakin University
• Certificate IV in Property Services (Real Estate – Agents Representative)

Notable transactions

• Catholic Church portfolio – undisclosed
• 40 Dalton Road, Thomastown – $13 million plus
• Merrifield various – approximately $5 million
• 1290 Mickleham Road, Greenvale – $5 million plus
• Beveridge various – $10 million plus

Cris Santoro is an Analyst with LAWD’s Development Transactions & Advisory Team, based in the Melbourne office.

Cris brings a deep enthusiasm for the property industry to this position and is currently in his third year of studying a Bachelor of Applied Science in Property and Valuation (Honours). He holds strong analytical and communications skills, along with an attention to detail, eagerness to learn and practical, on-farm experience.

Cris grew up on his family orchard, which produces peaches, nectarines, plums, capsicums, eggplants and chillis, helping him gain crucial insight and knowledge into the operations of an agricultural enterprise.

He supports the LAWD team with a range of important functions, including production of marketing materials, market research, due diligence and transaction management.

Qualifications

• Currently Studying Bachelor of Applied Science – Property Valuation (Honours)

Patrick Flatman is an Analyst in LAWD’s Development Transactions Team, based in the Melbourne office.

Currently studying a Bachelor of Business, majoring in Finance and economics, at RMIT University in Melbourne, Patrick keenly follows market trends and economic events. This interest is complemented by his strong analytical skills, attention to detail and the ability to solve complex problems.

As a former school captain, Patrick is well-respected for building rapport with people through his communication skills. Prior to joining LAWD, he worked in a specialised contact centre which gave him exposure to real estate, property valuations and client relationships.

Patrick’s upbringing on a farm has provided a foundational knowledge of farming areas and property zoning throughout Victoria. He is thrilled by the prospect of building an enduring career in the property sector and working with the LAWD team.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Business, Finance & Economics (currently studying)

Throughout her successful career, LAWD Real Estate Transactions Sales Director, Kristy Reid has demonstrated outstanding stakeholder management skills, and the ability to create strong relationships with her clients.
As a well-known and respected local, Kristy has an excellent property sale track record and is highly regarded for creating a positive transaction experience for all parties involved.
Supported by the LAWD Marketing Team, Kristy embraces digital strategies and keeps up with industry trends to ensure her clients receive maximum exposure to the market.

Qualifications

• Licensed Real Estate Agent – New South Wales
• Licensed Stock and Station Agent – New South Wales

LAWD Sales Executive, Jess Slade, has more than 14 years’ experience in the real estate industry, specialising in residential and lifestyle transactions.

Based in Quirindi, New South Wales, Jess has developed a highly successful career and exceptional reputation as an experienced property specialist.

As a Quirindi local, Jess has extensive knowledge of the region, its people and the community and uses this expertise to service clients in the Liverpool Plains and Upper Hunter areas.

Highly motivated and dependable, Jess brings a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to the LAWD Agribusiness Transactions team and is committed to securing the best results for her clients.

Qualifications

• Certificate IV in Property Services (Real Estate)
• Certificate IV in Property Services (Stock & Station)

Belinda McCarthy is a Sales Executive in LAWD’s Real Estate Transactions Team and has more than 20 years’ experience in customer service, sales and management roles. Belinda began her real estate career in 2016, moving into property management before transitioning into her true calling, real estate sales.

In her first twelve months as a selling agent, Belinda assisted in more than $20 million of sales, helping many families find their dream homes. With a strong understanding of industry legislation and trends, Belinda embraces the growing presence of technology to deliver exceptional service and achieve optimal results for her clients.

Born and raised in regional New South Wales, Belinda has strong ties to agribusiness after being raised on several large agricultural holdings. She now resides on a small lucerne block at Kootingal, north of Tamworth with her husband and daughter.

Qualifications

• Licensed Real Estate Agent and Stock and Station Agent – New South Wales
• Certificate IV In Property Services CPP40307 (Real Estate Licence)
• Advance Certificate in Office Administration

An unwavering work ethic and excellent communication skills has made Oliver Smith a valuable member of the LAWD Real Estate Transactions team.

Based in Tamworth, Oliver has a passion for the property industry complemented by his exceptional knowledge of the residential and lifestyle property sector. He has a proven track record of achieving outstanding results for his clients.

Oliver is a member of the Tamworth Junior Business Chamber and prides himself on his commitment to steering clients towards the best transaction outcome.

Qualifications

• Class 1 – Real Estate Licence & Stock & Station agent – New South Wales

Jo Beamsley is LAWD’s Office Manager and has more than 20 years’ experience in operations, office management and bookkeeping across various industries including real estate, construction, financial services and the not-for-profit sector.

Throughout her career, Jo has gained valuable experience in information technology and is a problem-solver focused on developing and streamlining compliance systems and processes. Importantly, this provides a solid foundation for the LAWD team to successfully deliver outcomes for clients.

Qualifications

• Cert IV, Accounting and Bookkeeping

Candice May has spent more than 20 years as a C-Suite Assistant and running high-level, multi-million dollar events and offers a wealth of experience to her role as National Event Manager at LAWD. Candice brings a creative approach to events, engaging with staff and clients at every level to ensure the best outcomes for all parties.

Rowan Daley is the Sales Support Operations Manager with more than five years’ experience in marketing and real estate, complemented by 10 years spent in customer service.

Rowan has specific expertise in the Hilltops and New England regions of New South Wales, supporting the transaction team in marketing assets from lifestyle farms to broadacre aggregations. His extensive industry knowledge, coupled with his attention to detail, ensures he achieves optimal results for his vendors.

Rowan was involved in the historic sale of Lawson Grains and is responsible for marketing budgets ranging from $5,000 to $100,000, and beyond. His experience in customer service across a range of industries has helped Rowan to understand the needs of vendors and purchasers, while striving to create a smooth transaction for all parties.

Qualifications

• Licenced Stock and Station Agent, New South Wales
• Licenced Real Estate Agent, New South Wales
• Accredited Auctioneer, New South Wales

Rachel Boag is an Analyst working closely with the LAWD team to provide expert marketing advice on property sales campaigns. She has more than seven years’ experience in marketing and operations within the real estate industry and has previously worked in the financial services sector both in Australia and New Zealand, supporting financial advisers.

Throughout her career, Rachel has developed a unique understanding of the essential elements of a successful sales campaign. The LAWD team draws on her expertise to ensure institutional assets worth more than $100 million through to lifestyle properties valued at less than $1 million, are marketed professionally for the vendor.

Rachel is enthusiastic to learn additional skills to complement her integral role at LAWD and is currently enrolled to study a Diploma of Graphic Design.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Fine Arts – Whitecliffe College of Art & Design (Auckland, NZ)
• Diploma of Graphic Design (currently studying) – Open Colleges

Creativity and a strong eye for detail ideally place Cian Reid to offer a unique approach to marketing at LAWD.

After graduating from a marketing degree and gaining experience at the Grey Dog agency in Dublin, Cian relocated to Australia where he now works in LAWD’s Melbourne office as a Marketing Coordinator.

With more than five years’ combined experience in marketing and customer service, Cian knows how to understand clients’ needs and deliver successful campaigns.

The LAWD team benefits from Cian’s experience in graphic design, market research, campaign management, and strong analytical and communication skills.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Marketing Practice, National College of Ireland

Dominque Ritter has more than ten years’ experience in property management, specialising in asset management, and offering a wealth of experience providing sales support to LAWD’s Real Estate Transactions Team.

Dominique is known for her clear communication, calm demeanor, and commitment to ensuring the best outcomes for clients by understanding their unique expectations and requirements. She thrives on helping clients navigate through asset management processes.
She is skilled at coming up with innovative solutions and is focused on driving efficiencies through process improvement.

Qualifications

• Certificate of Registration Assistant Agent – Stock and Station
• Certificate of Registration Assistant Agent – Real Estate

Sarah Weatherly brings more than nine years’ experience to her role as Executive Assistant & Real Estate Sales Support for LAWD’s Agribusiness Transactions Team.

Sarah is highly regarded as an industry leader in the modern agency experience, overseeing day-to-day operations with exceptional people skills and a strong commitment to achieving the best results for all parties involved in property transactions.

She is a valued team member, excelling at providing tailored, innovative solutions using the latest digital capabilities.

Qualifications

• Licensed Real Estate Agent – New South Wales
• Diploma in Office Administration

Lee McCosker is Sales Support for LAWD’s Transactions Team in the Brunswick, Western Australia, office.
With 22 years of administrative experience in the real estate industry, Lee brings great value and experience to the LAWD team, specifically in rural, lifestyle and residential sales, including land identified for sub-division purposes.
She is skilled in property appraisals, listings and marketing to support sales and settlement processes and has been awarded the West Australian administrator of the year award four times.
Lee is organised, has strong communication and problem solving skills, works well with a team or autonomously and is a confident support officer.
Her career experience in the banking industry adds depth to her role and supports financial decision making.

Qualifications

• Real Estate Sales Registration

Jihyun Park is based in LAWD’s Sydney office where she supports the Development & Advisory team in her role as a Marketing Coordinator.

Known for her flexibility and adaptability, Jihyun applies her skills in video editing and design to develop impactful marketing materials, with a keen eye for detail and excellent time management.

Jihyun is fluent in Korean, English and Polish and holds a Bachelor in English Interpretation and Translation from Busan University of Foreign Studies in South Korea. Now focused on growing her career in the real estate sector, she is currently completing a Master of Property Investment and Development at Western Sydney University.

Qualifications

• Bachelor in English Interpretation and Translation, Busan University of Foreign Studies
• Master of Property Investment and Development, Western Sydney University (currently completing)

Simon Mercuri is a Mapping Analyst for LAWD and brings more than 12 years’ experience in the geographic information systems sector (GIS) to the team.

Throughout his career, Simon has worked for major real estate companies, creating maps to support the marketing of significant rural asset sales across Australia and New Zealand. He has outstanding technical skills and works effectively and independently while under pressure. Simon is highly skilled in using programs including Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, MAPublisher, MapInfo Professional, ArcGIS Online and Desktop, and QGIS.

Based in LAWD’s Melbourne office, Simon is hardworking and has an excellent understanding of design principles and attention to detail, as is reflected in the quality of the maps he produces as part of his role.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Applied Science (Cartography and Geovisualistion), RMIT University

Anne McDonald is a Valuations Manager with LAWD and brings 30 years of experience to the team. A highly regarded team member, Anne leverages the extensive knowledge she built over two decades working in the banking industry to complement her work in property valuations.

Anne works closely with LAWD’s valuers and is focused on assisting the team to deliver exceptional client service. She also provides ongoing mentoring to LAWD’s next generation of valuers and supports them to attain the skills that will further develop their careers.

Teresa Di Martino is LAWD’s Valuation Manager and brings more than 30 years’ experience in office administration and management to the Melbourne-based Valuations Team.

Her strong attention to detail, exceptional organisational skills and drive to provide high-quality assistance supports LAWD’s valuers in their delivery of excellent service to clients. A natural communicator, Teresa is integral to the preparation of valuation reports and proposals.

Teresa’s previous experience as a legal secretary and working in administrative roles for valuation companies has given her the skills to mentor and provide training to develop other administrative staff and assistant valuers.

Deanne Beer is the Valuations Administration and Executive Assistant to the Senior Director of LAWD’s Specialist Property Valuations business unit.

A career administrator, Deanne brings more than 30 years’ experience providing exceptional administration support to property valuers. During this time, she has gained an in-depth understanding of the property valuation lifecycle and its unique vernacular and is able to proactively pre-empt issues and allow the team to focus on the technical aspects of their work.

Deanne has a keen eye for accuracy, always displaying strong attention to details that others may miss. She takes pride in her work and communicates effectively to build strong relationships with her colleagues, stakeholders and, importantly, clients.