Welcome to Season 3 of The Land Pioneers Podcast!

We are honoured to present today’s episode featuring The Honourable Nick Champion, South Australia’s Planning Minister — a driving force behind the state’s strategic planning, housing infrastructure, and urban development reforms. With responsibility for Housing and Urban Development, Infrastructure, and Planning, as well as oversight of SA Water, Minister Champion brings a deeply informed and visionary perspective to the challenges and opportunities shaping South Australia’s built environment.

Since taking on the portfolio, Minister Champion and his team have been instrumental in elevating South Australia’s planning system — with outcomes that are increasingly recognised across the nation, including Adelaide being named Australia’s happiest city for 2025. Today’s conversation offers rare insight into how thoughtful policy and practical action are transforming the state’s growth corridors, housing landscape, and future communities. We can’t wait to share his journey, insights, and the bold initiatives reshaping South Australia’s planning future.

Full Episode

In this episode, Minister Nick Champion joins us to discuss the evolution, reforms, and future directions of South Australia’s planning and housing sectors— and why clarity, predictability, and strategic infrastructure investment are essential to sustainable growth.

Minister Champion begins by reflecting on the state’s planning transformation. Over successive governments, South Australia has built a digital, code‑based planning system that delivers certainty for property owners and investors alike—a system rooted in bipartisan support and predictability rather than complexity. According to Minister Champion, this approach avoids the pitfalls of convoluted regulations that slow development and deter capital, allowing good projects to move forward efficiently while respecting private property rights.

The discussion then turns to recent planning reforms, including the Future Living Code Amendment and changes to the Accommodation Diversity Code Amendment. These reforms aim to create more flexible housing typologies—such as accessory dwelling units—and provide homeowners and developers with more creative ways to deliver diverse, functional, and site-responsive homes without sacrificing amenity or community character. Early examples, such as adaptive reuse in the City of Adelaide, unlocking new housing within small properties, illustrate how even modest policy shifts can make space for hundreds more residents and enliven urban precincts.

Population growth and its implications for land development are next on the agenda. Minister Champion highlights how strong interstate migration and a growing jobs market have strengthened Adelaide’s appeal. With that growth in mind, the Greater Adelaide Regional Plan is guiding development in both established and emerging corridors—from inner‑city neighbourhoods like Southwark, Bowden, and Highmarsh to evolving growth fronts further afield. He emphasises strategic infill, infrastructure availability, and transport connectivity as key anchors for the state’s future communities.

Minister Champion also shines a spotlight on regional opportunities — especially places like Murray Bridge, which he describes as well‑positioned to become a vibrant regional centre with both housing and employment potential. He explains how local economic strengths, such as food manufact

Join Our Community: We invite you to participate in this enlightening voyage. Whether you’re here to gain industry insights or find guidance on your professional journey, Land Pioneers is your compass in the world of land development. Subscribe and become an integral part of our community today. Visit https://landpioneerspodcast.com/

Welcome to the grand finale of Season 2 of The Land Pioneers Podcast! This marks not just the final episode of the season, but our last release for 2025.

And we’ve saved one of the very best for last.

We’re excited to feature a standout guest in the world of property marketing and community building — Judi Carr, founder of Property Republic and co-founder of PropSquad. With over 30 years of industry experience, Judi brings a fresh, honest, and practical approach to how land estates are planned, promoted, and brought to life.

In this episode, she shares real stories, actionable insights, and powerful lessons on why great communities start with great communication — and how smarter, simpler marketing strategies can drive long-term success.

Don’t miss this inspiring episode for this season!

Full Episode

Judi Carr has worked with some of Australia’s most prominent property developers, including Stockland, Lendlease, Mirvac, and Lifestyle Communities. In 2012, she started Property Republic to help developers put the customer at the centre of every decision. More recently, she co-founded PropSquad — a clever new way to let residents help market their neighbourhoods by sharing their experiences and getting rewarded for it.

Judi’s work is about building strong connections between developers and communities — and it’s based on honest conversations, not just marketing slogans. In this episode, she explains how PropSquad came to life, what developers often get wrong about branding and communication, and how to keep things simple while delivering outstanding results.

Key Insights from the Podcast

From Industry Leader to Independent Thinker: Judi’s early work with UDIA and Stockland gave her a front-row seat to how big communities are built. But she quickly saw a gap — too many decisions were being made without hearing from the people who would actually live there.

Why She Started Property Republic: Judi wanted to bring a fresh approach to project marketing — one focused more on the people than the packaging. Her goal is to help developers truly understand their buyers and build places where people are proud to call home.

The Story Behind PropSquad: Frustrated by outdated “refer-a-friend” programs, Judi and her business partner Monika, created PropSquad — an easy-to-use platform that helps residents become community ambassadors. It’s simple: share your love for where you live, invite others to check it out, and get rewarded if they make a purchase.

Curious how PropSquad is changing the game? Check out the Eagle Vision Propsquad Link!

A Real Example — Woodlea: In just 10 weeks, PropSquad helped generate over $5.5 million in sales for the Woodlea community in Melbourne’s west. Judi explains how the program works, how it stays fair and secure, and why it’s proving to be more powerful than traditional advertising.

Building Real Communities Takes Commitment: Judi discusses openly what happens when developers reduce community support during tough times — and why short-term decisions can cause long-term damage. The best projects, she says, are the ones that invest in people from day one.

What Works (and What Do

Join Our Community: We invite you to participate in this enlightening voyage. Whether you’re here to gain industry insights or find guidance on your professional journey, Land Pioneers is your compass in the world of land development. Subscribe and become an integral part of our community today. Visit https://landpioneerspodcast.com/

Welcome to Episode 20 of The Land Pioneers Podcast. We’re joined by James Polacek, Director at Polly Property and one of South Australia’s most respected voices in land project marketing.

With a deep, practical understanding of both broadacre and infill developments, James brings a uniquely grounded perspective on what it takes to sell, scale, and create successful communities in a changing market. In this episode, he shares hard-won insights on the evolution of display homes, the shifting dynamics of regional migration in South Australia, and the traits young professionals need to succeed in a project marketing career.

If you’ve ever wondered how land developers adapt to buyer behaviour, regional pressure points, or digital-first marketing environments, this is an unmissable conversation.

Let’s dive in!

Full Episode

James Polacek’s experience in land development runs deep. At Polly Property, he leads a nimble and collaborative team focused on navigating the real-world complexities of sales, product delivery, and customer trust in high-growth markets like Mount Barker, Murray Bridge, and Metro Adelaide.

In this conversation, James reflects on how buyer expectations have shifted—from once relying on the “must-see” display home to now trusting digital representations and virtual tools. He discusses the reality behind ROI-driven decisions on display infrastructure and how developers are adapting to deliver more with less.

James also breaks down the evolving drivers of regional migration. He highlights how affordability, once a leading factor for towns like Mount Barker, is now being overtaken by lifestyle decisions and work-from-home capabilities. Meanwhile, towns like Murray Bridge are seeing more permanent, employment-based population growth rather than commuter-dependent demand.

Finally, for those looking to enter the industry, James offers a masterclass on what it really takes to succeed. His top three traits are patience, deep product understanding, and an unwavering commitment to collaboration.

Key Insights from the Podcast

1. From Display Homes to Digital Confidence
   James explains how the traditional role of display homes is shifting. While still useful, many buyers are now confident enough to commit without physically stepping into a show home—driven by digital fluency and changing developer priorities.
2. Regional Growth with Real Purpose
   Towns like Mount Barker and Murray Bridge are no longer just “affordable alternatives”. James discusses how lifestyle change, infrastructure investment, and local employment are redefining the growth story in these key regions.
3. The Reality of ROI in Land Sales
   With rising costs, developers are questioning the return on traditional marketing tools like display suites. James outlines how this conversation has evolved and how savvy operators are adapting with leaner, smarter models.
4. Patience Over Pressure
   Newcomers to the industry take note: James emphasises that success in project marketing isn’t about fast wins—it’s about consistency, relationship-building, and the long game.
5. Mastery Through Learning
   Unlike selling a renovated villa, land sales demand a granular understanding of product design, pricing, buildability, and staging. James explains why true professionals invest in learning the details.

Learn more about James and Polly Property

Join Our Community: We invite you to participate in this enlightening voyage. Whether you’re here to gain industry insights or find guidance on your professional journey, Land Pioneers is your compass in the world of land development. Subscribe and become an integral part of our community today. Visit https://landpioneerspodcast.com/