The Urban Developer’s inaugural lifetime achievement award has been presented to Walker Corporation's co-founder and chairman Lang Walker, in recognition of the city-shaping projects and contributions Walker has made to the built environment.
Fully owned and operated by the high-profile co-founder, Walker Corp has delivered more than 1000 projects across Australia, the United States, Canada, Fiji and Malaysia.
But as he approaches his 75th year, are there signs of slowing?
“We want to keep going from strength to strength and continue to raise the bar,” Walker said.
“I am honoured to be recognised for this award but I’m also very proud to look back at the meaningful contribution Walker Corporation has made to communities and cities across Australia in creating great places.”
More than 400 guests were in attendance at The Urban Developer’s Awards for Industry Excellence hosted at the Howard Smith Wharves in Brisbane.
The property stalwart has a project pipeline of $25 billion to complete over the next 15 years.
But rewind to 1964, Walker founded the company with his father Alec, as a civil engineering and earthmoving business.
“It was from there we expanded into all areas of property,” Walker said.
“As we built our expertise, we diversified geographically and across project type… taking on commercial, residential, retail and industrial projects.”
Walker Corporation was founded as the Walker Group in the 1970s following the success of his family's earthmoving business.
And by the mid-1980s Walker was worth around $20 million.
Following a lifetime immersed in property, today the AFR rich-lister is worth around $4.7 billion.
He sold the lion's share of Walker Corp, twice. The first time in the late 1990s and then again in 2006 before the global financial crisis.
More recently, he’s been at the helm of major projects including the $3 billion Collins Square development, a six tower commercial office, retail, and entertainment precinct, in Melbourne’s western CBD.
And the $3.2 billion redevelopment of Parramatta Square city centre, previously named as “one of the largest commercial developments in the country”.
Walker's sharp business sense allowed him to navigate residential sector lows and commercial market highs “at the right time”.
“We have had to back ourselves on all our projects and our commitment to place-making,” he said.
Kokomo is a Fiji based resort he’s poured more than $110 million into after snapping up the 57-hectare island of Yaukuve, south of Suva, in 2017, one of his most recent passion projects.
“We want to keep going from strength to strength and continue to raise the bar and deliver large scale place-making projects.”
