Crow Awards Hall of Fame honour bestowed on the founder of Fitzpatricks Real Estate – Mr Geoff Fitzaptrick

The Wagga Business Chamber’s highest individual honour, the hall of fame was bestowed to Geoff Fitzpatrick on Friday 17th May 2013 at their gala Crow Awards Evening.

Geoff, the inaugural recipient, was granted the honour for his lengthy involvement in the business and community world of Wagga Wagga. Geoff actually commenced the business in 1950 as a 21 year old and continued in the business until his retirement in 1998.

Some of Geoff’s achievements include:

• Purchasing the land now known as San Isidore to establish that settlement in the late 1950s. Geoff was the main driver in establishing a co-operative to allow people to have the ability to buy land to build a house and land package with the ability of subsistence living.
• Purchasing the land now known as Lakehaven in the 1960s, re-zoning it to residential and subdividing it.
• Being involved and instrumental in developing land in Turvey Park, Kooringal, North and South Ashmont, Lakeside, San Isidore, Boorooma, Tatton, Mount Austin, Lloyd, Tolland and Lake Albert.
• The sale and leasing of thousands of blocks of land, homes and commercial properties during his time at the office from 1950 to 1998.
• Establishing an agency of the Newcastle Building Society to counter the credit squeeze of the 1970s as so many first home buyers where being denied finance.

The chamber remarked on Geoff’s outstanding dedication to his business and to Wagga, noting his hallmark as honesty and integrity. Richard Fitzpatrick, Geoff’s son who still remains in the business, stated that in so many ways, we are still seeing the amazing contribution Geoff made to the business and the broader community.