Henzells Agency has been a major influence in shaping the landscape of Caloundra today – both its physical appearance and the lifestyle on offer.

Henzells Agency’s partners Roy Henzell Junior and Garry Waters reflect on the past 75 years and make projections about the future.

The Henzells story began in 1935 when founding forefather Roy Henzell established the Farlow and Henzell real estate agency in partnership with Bill Farlow, a shopkeeper at Kings Beach who rented out accommodation and sold real estate to supplement his primary business. Roy was a keen fisherman and would often holiday in Caloundra with his family. Opening the agency was an opportunity for the family to permanently relocate from Brisbane. Roy was an accountant and would do local tax accounts and buy, sell and rent property while his wife Maysie Mines did the clerical work.

In 1946, Roy purchased 800 hectares of land on the coast of Caloundra. When he purchased the land for 2000 English pounds he definitely had development in mind, however he never imagined it would become the success story it has. Roy Henzell Junior, the grandson of Roy Henzell, has built on a dream and a family legacy. “When my grandad purchased the land he definitely saw a development of the land, though not to the extent that Pelican Waters is at now,” Roy said. “He didn’t envisage the canals, waterways and parks that we have now, it was probably more just the conventional subdivisions with estate after estate.” Roy Henzell Junior’s dad, Bevan Henzell, took over Pelican Waters when Roy was eight-years-old and came up with an idea that revolutionised the master planned community. “When my father took over, he had the idea of a main canal,” Roy said. “From that one idea, we have since developed lakes, waterways, and a lock and weir system.”

The Pelican Waters development, however, is just one division of Henzells Agency. Henzells holiday letting, permanent letting, commercial leasing and commercial sales dominate the Caloundra market. Henzells has also developed or marketed much of Caloundra’s business district such as Henzells Plaza, Caloundra City Centre, Centrepoint and Fox and Mildwaters building. And there are plans for expansion of the Henzells’ name on the Coast. The longstanding Maleny franchise has recently been joined by Henzells Mooloolaba and Henzells Commercial Central Sunshine Coast. The development division has produced projects such as the 520 lot Ridgehaven Estate, The Jetty Apartments, The Abbey Villas, Beach Cove, Ocean Ridge Estate and Pelican Waters, which has settled over 2000 allotments. Planning is underway for the final 1750 tenements of Pelican Waters plus a marina and town centre. Henzells also has a land holding at Mt Sippy that’s been surveyed seven feet higher than Buderim. “I doubt I’ll get to see that development,” Roy said. “I might need a walking stick to get around.”

Today, Henzells Agency supports the Met Caloundra Surf Life Saving Club, Ocean Thunder Professional Surf Boats, Pelican Waters Bowls Club, Pelican Waters Swimming Club, Caloundra Rugby Club and Caloundra Golf Club. As developers the company built the Pelican Waters Golf Club in conjunction with Greg Norman and Henzells also donated the land where Caloundra City School now educates hundreds of local children.

Roy started working in the family business as a mail boy when he was 14. After graduating in Accountancy from Queensland University of Technology he started working at Henzells in the property management section before moving into real estate sales. Roy took the helm of the family business in 1984 when his father Bevan died. He was 29-years-old and ran the family business in partnership with his mother Judy Henzell until 1990 when he invited Garry Waters to join as a partner. In 1989, with a friendship with Roy dating back to the early 1970s, Garry joined Henzells to implement the development of Pelican Waters. A year later he became a partner. Judy retired in 1999 leaving Roy and Garry as the Henzells Agency partners.

Roy has a joke about dynasties that he is fond of: “The first one starts it, the second one builds it up and the third one crashes it.” But with Henzells going from strength to strength, the prophecy is unlikely to eventuate. Under the direction of partners Roy and Garry the business has been transformed into a one-stop-shop for all property needs. Henzells has expanded its traditional business of general real estate and project management to include an advertising agency, finance arm and development division.

“It’s been a great journey these 75 years,” Roy reflected. Since Roy started as a mail boy during school breaks, he has seen many changes to the business of real estate. New technology has been the main driver of change and for the company to remain relevant for the next 75 years; Roy said it has to move with the times. Roy recalls coming to the office as a boy and finding his dad and the sales staffs at the pool hall behind the barber’s shop playing pool because nothing happened during the week – in those days real estate was sold primarily on weekends. He also remembers his grandfather driving a contract down to Grafton NSW to get it signed.

In his own experience in the 1980s, he had an offer from a buyer via teletex and had to go to the travel office at Alexandra Headlands to collect it. “Now with iphones, you can do everything instantly,” he said. Online tours of properties are becoming increasingly common in real estate and Roy said he’s had customers from Dubai buy land at Pelican Waters who have looked at the site on Google maps.

According to Roy, the job will remain the same – finding a property to meet a client’s needs – but the way it is executed will continue to change. “I think it would be exciting to come back in 40 years and say, ‘Look what’s happening here. Isn’t it great?’

Partner Garry believes the secret to Henzells longevity is the family values the business is run on. “It may be 75 years since Roy Henzell founded the business, and staff numbers have grown from three to 65, but the essence of the family business hasn’t changed greatly – the personal touch remains,” Garry said. “Our people tend to be with us for long careers because of the Henzells Agency culture.”

Another reason for the company’s longevity is its reputation. “Buying and selling property is one of the bigger transactions people do in life; if you can make it as honest and rewarding as you can, I think that’s good,” Roy said. “We pride ourselves on giving a good, honest experience.”

Of Roy’s six children, the one showing the most promise of entering the family business is 24-year-old McLean who has a project management degree and is currently living in New York and working in the property market. Roy is confident McLean will return to Caloundra and get into some development work at Henzells. The staff is the backbone of the business. “Garry and I are both the type who like to see people succeed and I think that helps to carry the business forward,” Roy said. Garry maintains that the Henzells team of sales and marketing people, administration staff, letting staff, engineers, town planners and accountants are at the top of the industry in their fields. “Our people are a key part of our future success and our core asset,” Garry said. “We are fostering a sense of custodianship for the next 75 years so that our people, being clients and staff, will have a vehicle which will carry their goals and aspirations.”

Generations of clients too have built a relationship with the company. “We have clients whose grandparents booked holidays with Henzells and who are now bringing their grandchildren to continue the tradition,” Garry said.

“We are very proud of the role Henzells Agency has played in the development of one of Australia’s top seaside destinations.”