As we close the chapter on 2024, we take a moment to reflect on a year filled with growth, achievements, and impactful milestones. From celebrating our team’s successes to sharing our unified vision with industry professionals, this year has been a testament to the strength and integrity of WCG.
2024 shaped up to be a remarkable year of growth and recognition at our organisation. Our team grew larger, welcoming 12 new faces across our teams.
We proudly announced some well-deserved elevations. Yvonne Taylor ascended to Associate of Project Delivery, Bruce Williams and Nick McKelvey stepped up as Directors of Surveying, and Angela Dahn and Glenn Hanton also elevated to Principal Surveyors.
Additionally, we celebrated noteworthy milestones in the careers of our dedicated staff. This year, Waimana Kingi, Glenn Hanton and Joel Fielding all celebrated 10 years of service at WCG.
We proudly acknowledged the amazing achievements within our team. Natalie Rayment was announced as a finalist for both the Women in Leadership Award at the UDIA National Awards for Excellence and the Industry Impact Award at Queensland Inaugural People in Property Awards, recognising her incredible contributions to the industry. Our Landscape Architecture team earned a finalist position in the 2024 AILA QLD Landscape Architecture Awards for their project Wulkuraka Trail Head and Arbour Design. Our assistant planners also garnered recognition, with Sophia, Monique, and Rory taking home well-deserved awards at the PIA QLD Students Academic Prizes.
This year, WCG proudly sponsored several key events, showcasing our commitment to industry excellence. As Silver Sponsor Partners at the Q Shelter CEO and Leaders Lunch and Forum, and Gold Sponsors of the QUT Planning Students Association Awards of Excellence, we celebrated the achievements and future of our industry. We were honoured to sponsor the Excellence in Community Engagement Award at The Urban Developer Awards, further highlighting our dedication to impactful urban initiatives.
In the latter half of the year, we were thrilled to be Gold Partners for Urbanity 2024 and sponsors of the Market Hall, where our leadership team played a pivotal role. Natalie participated in a panel talking all things housing and moderated a discussion on Innovative Solutions to Solve Australia’s Housing Crisis, while Brent O’Neill and Alastair Leighton led an engaging workshop on infill development strategies. Additionally, we joined the Proptech LIVE 2024 event as a Future Brisbane Property and Construction Category Partner. Brent O’Neill was a featured speaker, emphasising the transformative role of technology and data in shaping the future of our industry.
We proudly celebrated the thought leaders within our team for their shared insights throughout the year. Natalie Rayment participated in a dynamic panel discussion at the UDIA National Congress, exploring the complexities of NIMBY, BANANAS, and YIMBY perspectives. Our CEO, Dan Best, took our expertise global, presenting at the IMLA Conference in Orlando. He shared valuable insights on population growth, housing availability and diversity, and the parallels between South East Queensland and Florida. Closer to home, we attended the PIA Queensland State Conference on the stunning K’Gari, where emerging planners Keana Munro and Tom Kennedy delivered exceptional presentations, inspiring the next generation of young leaders. Waimana Kingi led a Beyond the Build workshop for teams at Brisbane, Logan, and Gold Coast City Councils, focusing on compliance and plan sealing. This workshop provided an invaluable opportunity to share his expertise and offer practical insights into this critical aspect of the development process. Amy Marsden also made an impact, presenting at Beyond 2032: Building Brisbane’s Legacy. She shared her vision for Brisbane’s identity and its evolution into a premier global destination.
Adding to an already eventful year, we celebrated many exciting moments together. Our annual International Women’s Day event, hosted by our Women of Wolters (WOW), was a standout. The day featured vibrant conversations and an inspiring speech by Karni Liddel, whose honesty and engaging stories captivated everyone. We also continued to foster connections and growth through our Young Professionals of Wolters (YPOW) networking events held throughout the year. It was truly amazing to see the shared enthusiasm for connecting with like-minded peers.
We had many project highlights of 2024, acknowledging the strenuous work of our team. In June, all the demanding work from our team came into fruition with the publication of the Towards 2050: Directions Paper for Cairns Regional Council. The paper culminated 12 months of technical studies and in-depth analysis to produce a well-informed foundation for the future planning of Cairns. The release was followed by the T2050 summit series with our team leading discussions with the community and youth.
We were also honoured to assist The Salvation Army in becoming the first registered community housing provider to successfully lodge and secure approval for a social/ affordable housing project under the new Ministerial Infrastructure Designation (MID) process.
Driven by our commitment to fostering a strong sense of community, we held many staff events and initiatives throughout the year. Highlights included Lunch + Learn sessions, 10-week bootcamp at Facilities Fitness, Global Surveyors Day, Look-Alike Day, Trivia Night, World Town Planning Day, and team excursions to WCG project sites.
Our dedication to our core value of Citizenship was evident through participating in various fundraising efforts. Part of our WOW initiative, we proudly served as a collection point for the Share the Dignity Drive. We also embraced fundraising initiatives like Bridge to Brisbane, Wear a Hat Day, Bring Your Dog to Work Day, and IWD Fun Run. In November, we once again dusted off our Molter Consulting Group team badge to kick-start our month-long fundraiser for Movember, which culminated in $6,365 raised. The year ended with a successful Salvation Army Christmas Appeal, doing our part to make the holiday season a little brighter.
2025 marks an exciting new chapter for WCG, filled with positive change and fresh opportunities. As we begin the year with a move into our new office – a space designed to support innovation, collaboration, and growth, we embrace the new opportunities that will come our way.
But that’s not all. 2025 also brings a hint of something even bigger. A change that is a marker of our evolution and power of a passionate collective. As we reflect on all we accomplished in 2024, the view is both inspiring and encouraging, setting the stage for an exciting year ahead of Leading positive, impactful, and lasting change.