CONTENT with the life of a stockman, Paul White never planned on pursuing a career in real estate but a severe drought coupled with record low cattle prices spurred him to make the shift which eventually led him to help create Australasia’s largest real estate group, Ray White.
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Today, Paul is the joint chairman of the Ray White Group. Spanning across residential, commercial and rural property as well as livestock, hotels, marine, property management and property funds investment, the business turns over $25 billion a year.
As the grandson of Ray White, the world of real estate was in Paul’s blood. The family business had already roped in his uncles and his father but as a young man Paul’s true passions lay in outback Queensland.
“Having been to boarding school in Brisbane I had a lot of country mates whose properties I visited during school holidays. My mate’s property in Tara was my dream place and where my love of the land come from,” Paul said.
After school Paul worked as a jackaroo and an overseer on properties around Tambo, Texas and Biloela for eight years.
“I loved riding horses as a young fella so to get a job as a jackaroo riding horses for a living was unbelievable,” he said.
His first property purchase was a cattle and wheat station near Condamine where he settled and raised his children Tom, Stephanie and Matthew.
“I always loved the land and never thought I would leave it.”
But severe drought in the late 70s forced his hand. His brother, Brian (now joint chairman), had recently joined the family business – which at that time existed only in Brisbane and the Gold Coast – so Paul packed up and headed east.
The two brothers had big plans for their grandfather’s business and transformed the company to a franchise model. As the network expanded the Ray White brand took hold in Melbourne and Sydney and soon spread to New Zealand and Indonesia.
In 1994 business was booming but Paul wanted to reconnect with his love of rural life so began his passion, Ray White Rural. Today, there more than 80 Ray White Rural offices.
Ray White Rural’s yellow uniforms are now a hallmark of saleyards throughout the country but livestock sales weren’t part of the original plan.
“It was our franchise operators who were selling property and livestock and wanted to have it all under the one brand and that made perfect sense to us.”
While the demands of the business are hefty, Paul said it’s a “thrill” working with his family.
“Our family history is our glue. There’s a real pull factor which brings the next generation into the fold.”
His son, Matthew, operates his own Ray White business in Melbourne.
While outback Australia has Paul’s heart, he enjoys travel, adventure and sailing. He’s soon to embark on a motorbike trip through Mongolia and has taken part in The Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race 11 times.
