Land developer Nigel Satterley a finalist in the West Australian of the Year awards

West Australian

28-05-2025

Land developer Nigel Satterley has been nominated in the West Australian of the Year awards, after building a property empire that has helped house one in every 10 locals.
As the country's largest privately owned residential land developer, Satterley has sold 130,000 blocks of land, primarily in WA, accommodating an estimated 338,000 people, or more than 10 per cent of West Australians.
The land sits within 225 master-planned communities, which have won more than 100 awards, including the United Nations World Habitat Award for the Urban Renewal.
But the big figures do not impress Mr Satterley as much as the country-town feel he tries to create in each community.
It is, in his view, the best thing about life in Perth.
'It's a great place to live, like a big country town,' he said.
Mr Satterley grew up the Wheatbelt town of Cunderdin, learning the ropes of small business from his parents, who ran a garage and tow-truck business and Good Year tyre distributorship.
He attended boarding school in Perth, but says he was an 'average' student. His teachers recommended to his parents that they finish his tuition at the end of Year 10 at Governor Stirling High.
'They told my parents they would be wasting their money if I were to go to the fourth year of high school,' he said from his Peppermint Grove mansion.
'They said he would be better off getting a job.'
His first job was selling textiles. Following in the distributorship footsteps of his parents, he jumped at the opportunity to distribute Levi's jeans — a staple which he continues to wear to this day.
But when taking his earnings to the Town & Country Bank, he got to know founder James McCusker, who suggested he get into property.
He started Statesmen Homes, which he later expanded to include land development, with his company going on to create estates across WA, Queensland and Victoria.
But his career - which led to riches of more than $500 million- has been about more than land.
Mr Satterley said one of the greatest battles involved a concerted effort from key businessmen, such as himself, and the then State government, to fight the Federal government for a fairer share of the GST.
He said the group of businessmen met with then-prime minister Malcolm Turnbull to press WA's case, and also paid for some research to back up the fight.
His latest fight is to lobby the Government to allow businesses to provide health insurance to key staff, without subjecting it to fringe benefits tax. Similar to the US system, he claims it will take a lot of pressure off the State to ensure a better healthcare system.
'I think business can afford this, and health agencies like HBF will like it,' he said.
On the philanthropic front, he has been donating 5 per cent of his pre-tax income to charity for decades, including the block of land he has been donating for the Telethon home for the past 50 years.
In 2023, he became only the third West Australian inducted into the Property Council Hall of Fame.
Other finalists in the business category of the award are Dr Neale Fong and James Giumelli.
The winner will be announced on Thursday.