Western Sydney’s 50 most powerful and influential people
They shape our everyday lives – in political arenas, on our televisions and sporting fields or developing this great region. But who are they? See the full list of western Sydney’s most powerful people.
Parramatta
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They are the movers and shakers of Western Sydney — either pushing for major change that matters to those who call the region home, or representing us on the world stage.
See NewsLocal’s comprehensive list of Western Sydney’s 50 most influential people, and have your say in the comments below on who did or didn’t make the cut.
LANG WALKER
Parramatta’s sprouting skyline has Walker Corporation chairman Lang Walker’s $3.2 billion footprint all over it.
The developer is behind Parramatta Square — one of Australia’s largest urban renewal projects and the nation’s biggest commercial investment — with four towers looming over the CBD once it is complete in 2022.
The square will be home to 35,000 workers including government employees and NAB workers who moved into Parramatta Square 3 tower last year and 5000 Planning Department staff who occupy PS4.
The project will transform Parramatta into a corporate heavyweight that will have more office space than Macquarie Park and North Sydney.
Beyond the white collar world, Mr Walker has used his influence to entice restaurateurs to add a cosmopolitan touch to the square.
When Finger Wharf at Woolloomooloo was unveiled in 2004, Mr Lang approached Maurice Terzini to open a restaurant, which happened to become the famed Otto. Last year, after Terzini took up an offer to run a restaurant in Parramatta Square’s alfresco domain, he opened Italian noshery CicciaBella.
Those culinary connections are understood to be enticing Asian institution Golden Century to establish a branch in Parramatta.
Parramatta Square is already home to LilyMu, Ruse Bar & Brasserie and more casual eateries Threefold Pastry, Rivareno gelato, Betty’s Burgers, Fishbowl and Harvey’s Hot Sandwiches.
TONY AND RON PERICH
The dairy farmers turned property developers whose significant land holdings in southwest Sydney has seen the rise of a family empire estimated to be worth $1.8 billion.
The Perich family, led by brothers and sons of Croatian immigrants Tony and Ron, hold mega sway across western Sydney and often hold the audience of political heavyweights.
The family operate as one of the biggest dairy farmers in the country through their company Leppington Pastoral Company, with their construction arm responsible for the development of Oran Park.
The family’s land holdings have been earmarked as the future CBD of Bradfield, Sydney’s third major city and home of the future Western Sydney Airport.
LISA WILKINSON
Lisa Wilkinson was born in Wollongong but grew up in Campbelltown where she attended Campbelltown High School, now Campbelltown Performing Arts. The TV personality and former magazine editor has said in the past she has fond memories of the area where her family made strong roots.
“I was at school back when the only high schools in the area were Campbelltown High, Ingleburn High and Camden High,” she said.
“I have family planted in this area. The Wilkinson family goes back to the 1860s. Wilkinson St in Camden is named after an ancestor.
“My childhood homes on Sturt and Lindesay streets in Campbelltown are still intact and I still have fond memories of them.”
The Wilkinson name is also attached to the Campbelltown Showground, the home of Campbelltown Harlequins Rugby Club where her late father Ray was president and has a stand named in his honour.
MEL MCLAUGHLIN
Mel McLaughlin is proof that you can take the girl out of Blacktown, but you can’t take Blacktown out of the girl.
The popular sports presenter developed her love of sport growing up in Quakers Hill, where she lived for more than 20 years.
As a child, McLaughlin went to school at St Andrew’s Primary School at Marayong and later, John Paul II, now known as St Andrew’s College.
Her high-flying career has taken her around the world, including the 2016 Rio Olympics and 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.
BRETT MCGRATH
Brett McGrath encourages professional and personal development of members and advocates for law reform through conversations with governments, parliamentary bodies and the Law Society of NSW.
“I am a Senior Registrar of the Family Court and Federal Circuit Court of Australia, where I hear and determine interim parenting and property matters in family law proceedings, as well as convene conciliation and family dispute resolution conferences,” he said.
Last year he was also appointed as the National COVID-19 Registrar, superheading the Courts’ new COVID-19 List.
“Prior to joining the Courts in 2019, I was in private practice at Marsdens Law Group and the national firm, Gadens,” Mr McGrath said.
“I am also the Treasurer of the Law Society of New South Wales, having been elected as a councillor in 2018. I am a board member for the Legal Aid Commission of NSW, which is a statutory appointment made by the Attorney-General of NSW.”
Mr McGrath has also been the head lecturer for Family Law at Western Sydney University since 2017.
DAVID BORGER
Business Western Sydney executive director David Borger is on the forefront of championing for infrastructure in the region, primarily lobbying the state government to extend the $2.4 billion Parramatta Light Rail to Olympic Park and to complete the Powerhouse Museum.
Despite the furore surrounding the museum, Mr Borger, 51, has long been one of its biggest cheerleaders, believing its inherent value overrides vehement public criticism over demolishing the heritage-listed Willow Grove and its chosen location on a flood-prone site.
He counts the state government approving the project in February as one of his significant achievements, after first pushing it when he was the Granville state Labor MP from 2007 to 2011.
He steered the campaign for Sydney’s second airport with the Western Sydney Business Chamber (now known as Business Western Sydney) in 2012 and it is now an under-construction aerotropolis and part of a city that will be home to 200,000 extra jobs.
Along with the light rail extension, Mr Borger has supported the Sydney Metro West. Upgrading transport is nothing new for the creative Mr Borger who was the Minister Roads, Housing and Western Sydney under the Rees and Keneally governments.
Over the next 12 months, a major focus will be bolstering Westmead as a “jobs-generating juggernaut’’, ensuring the government does not neglect the rapidly growing Sydney Olympic Park precinct, consolidating the Liverpool Innovation Precinct and breathing new life into Church St, Parramatta when light rail construction ends.
Mr Borger, who became the youngest Lord Mayor of Parramatta when he was 29, was instrumental in introducing alfresco dining to Parramatta’s Church St but his insight into the region extends beyond boardrooms.
In June 2019, David Kingston bought the 90-year-old Art Deco building, which he plans to covert to a pokies-backed pub.
Mr Borger envisages Parramatta vibrating with the sound of live music just like the soundtrack of his youth, when “Parramatta was full of live music — they were all over the joint”.
JAMES TEDESCO
The superstar fullback graduated from St Gregory’s College in 2010, debuting for Wests Tigers in 2012.
The Menangle product, who played his junior football with the Camden Rams, suffered a number of serious injuries in his early seasons such as a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
Since these injury setbacks, Tedesco has achieved everything in rugby league including two premierships with the Sydney Roosters, State of Origin player of the series and Australia Kangaroos fullback.
In 2019, he was awarded the Dally M player of the year.
CHAD STAPLES
For more than 20 years, Chad Staples’s passion for animals has seen him become one of the nation’s most famous wildlife advocates.
Starting his career at Featherdale Wildlife Park in 1997, where he is now the Director of Life Sciences, Staples was thrown into the global spotlight last year during the devastating bushfires.
Just weeks after being handed the keys to Mogo Zoo, Staples found himself battling to save it.
The dedicated zookeeper continues to shine a light on Australian wildlife and the importance of its protection.
TONI COLLETTE
She is best known for her breakthrough role in the classic Muriel’s Wedding, but her western Sydney upbringing is less known.
The Hollywood star was raised in Blacktown and attended Blacktown Girls High School before accepting a scholarship at the Australian Theatre for Young People when she was 16.
Collette’s acting talents have seen her take home many accolades, including an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for The Sixth Sense.
5 SECONDS OF SUMMER
Before they were winning over teenage hearts across the world, the boys from rock sensation Five Seconds of Summer or 5SOS were honing their skills in Blacktown.
The band’s founding members, Luke Hemmings, Calum Hood, and Michael Clifford attended Norwest Christian College in Riverstone before going on to sell out stadiums around the world.
The boys have opened for One Direction and are the first Australian act to achieve three number one albums on the Billboard 200 album chart.
JOEL EDGERTON
Few may know Joel Edgerton actually spent his formative years in Blacktown before he went on to make a name for himself in Hollywood.
Long before the fame, Joel and his brother Josh were mucking around in their backyard in Prospect, making movies on their home video camera.
The accomplished actor, writer, director and producer is famous for his roles in two Star Wars films as well as the acclaimed Great Gatsby.
SARAH HARRIS
The happy-go-lucky Studio 10 host came from tough beginnings, growing up in a housing commission flat in Mt Druitt.
But these challenging early days only made the sunny star more determined to succeed in her media career.
Harris has let nothing stand in her way, launching her career in Brisbane, before appearing on Nine News, The Project and Have You Been Paying Attention.
KATHRYN SZYSZKA, SISTER OF ANITA COBBY
Life took a horrific turn for Kathryn Szyszka and her family in 1986 after the brutal murder of her sister Anita Cobby.
But in true Blacktown form, Ms Szyszka channelled something positive from the tragedy, taking on the work of her late parents, Garry and Grace Lynch, with the Homicide Victims Support Group.
Ms Szyszka is tireless in her role as patron of Grace’s Place, the world’s first trauma recovery centre for children affected by homicide, which is currently under construction in Doonside.
AMANDA ROSE
Western Sydney Women founder Amanda Rose is driven to empower women in the business world and stamp out discrimination against “westies’’ based on their postcode.
“Growing up being a westie, you didn't get the opportunities and the stigma’s still there,’’ she said.
“A lot of people try to make out it’s not because of all the investment happening in the area. It’s very much still there. People still shy away from where they come from or where they live.’’
The prolific leader has formed six businesses — she is the founder and publisher of Business Woman Media, the director of Western Sydney Women and Western Sydney Executive Women, the managing director of Western Sydney Advisory, CEO of Small Business Women Australia and the non-executive director of Excelsia College.
With a title-heavy plate, she is still on the frontline supporting women, from school leavers and small business owners to women climbing the corporate ladder.
“We don’t limit and say, ‘Sorry, you have to be poor to be in this and you don’t have to be in a certain area’ but it’s the fact that women in western Sydney don’t have the access and the accessibility and the connections, available to them,’’ she said.
Her success is written in the figures.
Since establishing Small Business Women Australia, she has assisted an “unprecedented’’ 6600 members over the past 12 months and reached more than 10,000 women directly through her programs. That’s two million if you count her social media audience.
She also made history as the first member of the NSW Council for Women’s Economic Opportunity to represent western Sydney.
Her acumen and contribution were most recently recognised when she became a finalist in the Women of Excellence for NSW Women of the Year awards.
Not one to keep still for long, Ms Rose’s experience and knowledge is dispensed weekly in News Corp’s BossLady careers column, while she has also appeared on Q+A.
“Everything I’ve done has been my own creation,’’ she said.
“I’m not employed by anyone or representing any association or government body. I am completely independent.’’
ROB SHEHADIE
When he’s not cracking jokes about the stomping ground where he grew up and still lives, comedian Rob Shehadie is serious about putting Parramatta on a pedestal.
“I love promoting Parramatta. My tag is the ‘unofficial mayor of Parramatta’,” he said.
“This is the heartland. I call it the real Australia. It’s like the eastern suburbs realises what’s going on 30 minutes away.’’
After living at Westmead until he was 10, the family moved to “Lebanese Vaucluse’’, aka Oatlands, and, proving he walks the talk about loving his native turf, Shehadie remains in the area and he and his wife Jaslyn Hewitt-Shehadie raise their two children at Northmead.
The 44-year-old has offered a glimpse of western Sydney’s diversity through his comedy, which included the Logie-award winning Here Come the Habibs! when it ran over two seasons from 2016.
“Habibs for me is a massive achievement, being part of the creation, just because it kind of represented western Sydney,’’ he said.
“The usual suspects — the Lebanese, the Greeks, the Italians love it but I started getting the Indian and Asian communities watch it. It made it feel like home in a way.’’
He is equally proud of the western Sydney TAFE campaign that was designed to smash stereotypes.
“It still gets talked about. I was able to cut through to the youth, which people find very hard to do. It started to make TAFE look cool,” he said.
“Not only is the west where his heart is but it’s got market potential.
“I’ll never sell this house because of what’s happening in Parramatta, from an investment point of view,’’ Shehadie said.
He can’t wait to see the Hilton Hotel pop up and watches the Parramatta skyline expand, but also adores its heritage, particularly the Cumberland Hospital precinct near Parramatta Gaol, which he likens to The Rocks.
“I’m for seeing the city grow but I’m all for the heritage too,’’ he said.
BHART BHUSHAN
He’s not called the ‘Baron of Blacktown’ for nothing.
Property developer Bhart Bhushan is changing the face of western Sydney with his development companies, which include The Bathla Group, among many others.
In less than 25 years, Bhushan has developed thousands of properties, with his sometimes controversial proposals often ending up in court battles.
JANA PITTMAN
The Hills local rose to fame as one of Australia’s top track athletes.
Pittman, a three-time Olympian, had a highly-successful athletic career spanning 14 years, and four Commonwealth Games gold medals.
The Girraween High School graduate became the first female to represent Australia in both the summer and winter olympics after competing in the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.
Last year, Pittman began work as a junior doctor at Blacktown Hospital after years of study.
MARISE PAYNE AND STUART AYRES
The political power couple that is Federal Foreign Affairs and Women’s Minister Marise Payne and State Western Sydney Minister Stuart Ayres secures them both on the list of Western Sydney’s most influential.
Payne, who has been a Liberal Senator since 1997, became a cabinet minister in 2013 before becoming Australia’s first female Defence Minister from 2015-2018.
Her partner, Stuart Ayres has been Western Sydney Minister since 2017 and currently holds the portfolio alongside his role as Jobs, Investment and Tourism Minister.
ROSS SINCLAIR
Veteran business man Ross Sinclair has been stalwart of western Sydney for decades, and for many years, was the owner of some of the region’s most iconic locations.
The former owner of The Log Cabin, which famously burnt to the ground on the banks of the Nepean River in Penrith on March 9, 2012, as well as the Penrith Valley Inn.
Sinclair also opened Sinclair Ford in Kingswood back in 1969.
MARK LATHAM
The politician, who has lived near Camden in south west Sydney for the best part of a decade, has used his political status and social media army to campaign on issues including improved education and healthcare infrastructure, particularly in southwest Sydney.
Mr Latham was elected leader of the Labor Party in 2003, narrowly defeating Beazley in a leadership vote after Simon Crean’s resignation.
One of the most memorable moments of the 2004 federal election campaign was his intense handshake with prime minister John Howard on the eve of the election.
The Labor Party lost five seats, and the Howard Government was re-elected to a fourth term.
Mr Latham resigned as leader in January 2005 and left federal parliament.
He has since been elected to the NSW Legislative Council as state leader of Pauline Hanson’s One Nation in 2019, and has continued to throw his weight around the corridors of power.
SHARON ROBERTSON
Tireless community hero Sharon Robertson has dedicated countless hours to supporting her neighbours, epitomised by the establishment of a local charity which helped farmers pull through one of the worst droughts in living memory.
The founder of the Dilly Drought Drive and finalist in the 2021 NSW Woman of the Year awards, Ms Robertson is the perfect example of Western Sydney’s ethos of pulling through for your mate.
GINO MARRA
As chairman of new A-League franchise Macarthur FC Bulls Gino Marra has united southwest Sydney like never before, launching a series of networking and community outreach programs across the region.
The Gregory Hills man, who is the director of property and investment company Marra Capital, has been a key driver behind saving iconic community clubs from extinction, school education and health programs and the formation of an indigenous soccer academy in Campbelltown.
MARK GEYER
Panthers great Mark Geyer played 10 seasons with our club, but had a five-year break in the middle of his career, including one year out of the NSWRL.
The second-rower was building quite a career for himself in the late 80s and early 90s, and was a key part of the club’s inaugural premiership in 1991.
However, Geyer left the Panthers after the 1992 season, and wouldn’t return until the 1998 season.
In that time, he played one season for the Balmain Tigers, three season for the Western Reds, and one season with the Umina Beach Bunnies on the Central Coast.
After his retirement in 2000, Geyer moved into the media with Triple M and Fox Sports, and is involved with MG Activ, a personal training studio, with his son Logan.
SUZETTE MEADE
There’s always a battle to fight when it comes to saving heritage in Parramatta, a city polarised by the desire to preserve historic properties and progress.
North Parramata Residents’ Action Group spokeswoman Suzette Meade was a founding volunteer committee member of the group when it formed in 2015 in response to UrbanGrowth NSW’s North Parramatta Urban Renewal Project proposal to rezone the land to enable 3000 apartments to spring up.
Ms Meade, whose family connection to Parramatta goes back to three generations, and the group enlisted the assistance of environmental activist Jack Mundey and the plan was quashed.
The state government has also spared the wrecking ball on St George’s Terrace, a row of two-storey properties on Phillip St built in 1881, after it was threatened to make way for the Parramatta Powerhouse.
Saving Willow Grove is NPRAG’s most prolific campaign but certainly not the only one, with a fight to ensure the Cumberland Hospital precinct is not crowded with the government’s tech start-up and the Sydney University campus.
Gaining world heritage status for the Parramatta Female Factory also keeps Ms Meade busy. Despite the Powerhouse getting the green light, Ms Meade’s efforts to influence the CFMEU to place two green bans on Willow Grove and St George’s Terrace was a significant win.
She also wants to ensure less over-development of the Cumberland Hospital and Parramatta Park precincts.
“We’ll continue to demand greater protection of Parramatta public green space focusing on increasing Parramatta Park for it to include the heritage-listed, 26-hectare Cumberland Hospital precinct in North Parramatta,’’ she said.
AYKUT SAYAN
Ask any Sydneysider serious about coffee and they’ll quickly drop the name Circa Espresso, and the man behind it, Aykut Sayan.
Somewhat of a pioneer when it comes to the caffeinated beverages, Mr Sayan’s vision to convert an uninhabitable terraced house into a charming cafe came to fruition just over a decade ago when the Auburn-raised chef was near the Wentworth Ave site.
After a major refurbishment project, he prides himself of introducing specialist coffee including blends from Ethiopia and Kenya, to locals.
Since 2010, Sydneysiders continue to travel to Circa Espresso for not just fine coffee but gourmet drawcards like the cafe’s signature Ottoman eggs.
Mr Sayan, who helmed Aqua Dining at Milsons Point, is constantly developing projects, including a cafe in Potts Point and his favourite turf, Parramatta, where there are plans to open a neoclassical-inspired wine bar.
“Most people I speak to know Circa, whether I’m in Crows Nest or the CBD,’’ he says
“We’re always from Parramatta, always will be.”
BRENT GRUNDY
Brent Grundy started a trampoline park out the back of Panthers over the Christmas period in 2012 after going broke on a bad business deal.
Now, just nine years later, Mr. Grundy is worth millions of dollars and has taken his company, Flip Out, to the world.
Although no longer involved with the Australian arm of Flip Out, Mr. Grundy is still heavily involved in Great Britain, where Flip Out is the number one children’s entertainment centre in the country.
He moved back to the area at the start of COVID, and is looking to expand his business interests around Penrith.
JIM MARSDEN
Jim Marsden is one of the leading legal figures of Western Sydney, using his decades of experience to guide Marsdens Law Group as a senior partner alongside his unofficial role of passionately championing his hometown of Campbelltown.
Without doubt one of the biggest movers and shakers in the region, Mr Marsden has connections to some of the state’s biggest property developers, leading politicians and business gurus resulting in the NSW Premier recently helping celebrate his firm’s 50-year anniversary. The community advocate has a long history of supporting countless charities, including Ingham Institute, Youth Solutions and Lifeline.
Mr Marden’s brother John Marsden represented serial killer Ivan Milat, who murdered seven backpackers between 1989 and 1993.
John Marsden, a former president of the Law Society, died in 2006 after a battle with cancer.
HANNAH DARLINGTON
Rising female cricketer, 19-year-old Hannah Darlington, has already hit the record books as the youngest state captain in NSW’s 165-year history. The Erskine Park product and former Westfields Sports High student has had a meteoric rise to the top with the all-rounder a frequent addition to national teams as a junior coming through the ranks. The Sydney Thunder player is currently touring New Zealand as part of the national women’s team, with plenty of good judges tipping higher honours for the Western Sydney star.
CHRISTOPHER BROWN
Christopher Brown is a man that can bring, not only political rivals, but the biggest powerplayers in the state to western Sydney’s doorstep — and demand action to continue to put the region on the map.
The chairman of the Western Sydney Leadership Dialogue could be considered one of the most influential people in the state, who recently called out the government for improved flood mitigation in the Nepean and Hawkesbury Valley with the fast-track of plans for the Castlereagh Connection evacuation route, as well as the creation of a world-class Aboriginal Arts Museum as an act of “national reconciliation and celebration” in Western Sydney.
“When we started the Dialogue we saw it as an opportunity to speak out for Western Sydney, because it deserves to be heard,” Mr Brown said. “We were determine to secure the Western Sydney Airport at Badgerys Creek and represented the region on the Federal Government’s Advisory board.
“Being a pain in the backside of the government has been my most important role.”
The Parramatta-raised, Western Sydney champion is the founding chair of regional think-tank Western Sydney Leadership Dialogue.
Sporting a long list of contributions to the rise of region including serving on a panel which recognised Parramatta as Sydney’s second CBD, chairing the Western Sydney Rail Alliance which secured more than $5 billion for a North South Rail Link as well as chairing the South West Sydney Local Health Advisory Board, Mr Brown is one of the region’s leading contributors.
PROFESSOR PETER SHERGOLD
Western Sydney University Chancellor, Professor Peter Shergold, has headed some of the most senior bureaucratic roles in the country, including his five-year stint as the Secretary for the Department of Prime Minister from 2003.
Professor Shergold, who also holds a role on the board of the Western Sydney Leadership Dialogue, has worked across portfolios in the Howard and Rudd governments, before taking on the role of Chanellor in 2011.
In 2019, Shergold was appointed as the chair of the NSW Education Standards Authority — the board responsible for the design of teaching and school standards across the state for students ranging from Kingergarten to Year 12, and spanning across all public, Catholic and independent schools.
The Western Sydney University Chancellor was awarded the Companion in the Order of Australia (AC) for service to the community.
KEIYNAN LONSDALE
Keiynan Lonsdale grew up in St Marys, but is now taking his acting and musical talents to the world.
The 29-year-old got his start in the Mockumentary Razzle Dazzle: A Journey into Dance in 2007 before a guest appearance on the popular medical drama All Saints in 2008.
He made his big break in the United States in 2015 when he was cast as Kid Flash in The Flash, and followed it up in 2016 with a role in The Divergent Series: Insurgent.
Mr. Lonsdale’s most famous role is possibly Bram in Love, Simon, which saw him win MTV’s best kiss award alongside co-star Nick Robinson.
ROYCE SIMMONS
There may be no name more loved in Penrith than Royce ‘Roycey’ Simmons.
Simmons was born in Gooloogong, a small town near Cowra, and made his first-grade debut with the Penrith Panthers in 1980.
He played 238 games with the Panthers, but his finest moment was his last when he became the club’s first premiership captain in 1991.
He also played 10 games for both his state and country.
Since his retirement, Simmons has coached several first-grade teams, including the Panthers from 1994 to 2001.
He also has the honour of having The Royce, an aged-living facility at Panthers, named after him.
DR KERRY SCHOTT
The visionary managing director and chief executive of Sydney Water from 2006 to 2011, Dr Kerry Schott, was the mind behind the decision to relocate the organisation to the Parramatta CBD — sparking the masterplan for Parramatta Square.
Dr Schott is the chair of the Energy Security Board, on the board of governors at the Committee for Economic Development of Australia, chair of the Moorebank Intermodal Company and former chair of Sydney Metro.
The Energy Security Board chair recently called for “national leadership” on Australia’s emission policy to protect the reliability of the country’s energy grid.
JESSICA FOX
Penrith’s Jessica Fox is one of the most decorated slalom canoeists in history, male or female.
She has won 15 medals at the ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships, including 10 golds, and has a silver and bronze medal from the Olympic Games.
She’s also won 30 World Cup events and seven overall world cup titles.
Despite her worldwide success, Fox still regularly trains at the Penrith Whitewater Stadium alongside her sister Noemie, who is also a competing canoeist.
AMANDA LARKIN
Amanda Larkin is the head of one of NSW’s largest, and most diverse, local health districts — managing an annual budget of $3 billion and servicing a growing population expected to reach 1.3 million in the next decade.
Ms Larkin is responsible and oversees management of all public health services across hospitals including Liverpool, Bankstown, Fairfield, Campbelltown and Bowral.
The NSW Health chief recently appeared before a parliamentary inquiry regarding shortfalls in services and funding in her LHD, however, Ms Larkin defended her management of the hospitals, telling the committee it was “an exciting and historic time for development of health services in the southwest Sydney growth region”.
JIM AITKEN
Jim Aitken started his first business at the age of 15 selling goods in a “hole in the wall” at Penrith railway station.
Now, Mr Aitken runs one of the biggest real estate agencies in the Penrith area as well as serving as a councillor on Penrith City Council.
Mr Aitken said his real estate company, Jim Aitken + Partners, started in 1995 after he got out of the meat business.
“I did a real estate course because I wanted to retire up the coast and earn a few dollars,” he said.
“My friend’s son, who was also in the meat game, and my daughter, a hairdresser, said they wanted to find a business, so that’s how it started, and the rest was history.”
Mr Aitken said the people of Penrith made the area a great place to live.
“They’re pretty straight and honest out here,” he said.
“It’s a place where lots of people come to afford a house with plans to leave, but they like it so much they never do.
“The people are very active, they’re always happy to help a neighbour out, and they’re very generous.”
IVAN AND NATHAN CLEARY
Two members of this family are currently very important people at the Penrith Panthers, so we didn’t want to split them.
Family patriarch Ivan played in the NRL for 11 years with Manly, North Sydney, Sydney, and New Zealand before starting his coaching career in 2006.
He coached the Panthers from 2012 to 2015, and returned to the club in 2019.
His son Nathan is the current Panthers and NSW halfback at the tender age of 23, and will look to captain the side to a premiership in 2021 after a heartbreaking grand-final loss in 2020.
UNCLE IVAN WELLINGTON
Aboriginal elder Uncle Ivan Wellington is a treasured member of the Campbelltown community as a sought-after public speaker who proudly conducts the Welcome to Country and traditional smoking ceremonies at important civic and community events across the region. Uncle Ivan also mentors Aboriginal youth who may have drifted off the track. Born in Kiama, Mr Wellington is part of the saltwater Yuin people. He was awarded the 2021 Citizen of the Year Award in Campbelltown for his dedication to educating the community, particularly young people, about local Aboriginal Culture. Uncle Ivan was also instrumental in the creation of the Campbelltown 2020 Yarning Circle at Koshigaya Park.
DOCTOR ANDY MARKS
Doctor Andy Marks is an Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Strategy and Policy) at Western Sydney University, driving the school’s collaborations with government, industry, corporates and the community.
He is also a co-founder of the University’s “Launchpad” business incubator which was established in 2015. LaunchPad is focussed on expanding innovation across Western Sydney through intensive support for Startups and existing tech-focussed businesses.
He was previously a senior researcher in the social services sector and holds a PhD and first-class Honours in “politics and literature”, specialising in critically interpreting the representation of politics in contemporary culture and the media.
TAMLYN VAN ZYST
Tamlyn van Zyst is well-known in the Macarthur region with more than 23 years experience in design, marketing and communications and is currently the director and founder of Tamlyn Creative and president of the Campbelltown Chamber of Commerce.
Ms van Zyst has collaborated with marketing executives across all levels of the industry, with her approach allowing a unique insight into consumer and user behaviour, helping her forster long-lasting relationships with businesses.
She became president of the Campbelltown Chamber of Commerce in September 2019 and has since worked with the board through the COVID pandemic, assisting members and local communities online.
“I personally made a lot of changes in my business during the pandemic and know many also did this in order to strive, thrive or even just survive,” she said. “I believe there are great opportunities if we take the time to adapt and find new ways to make things the new norm.”
PAT CUMMINS
Despite having a long cricketing history, Penrith doesn’t have an extremely successful history when it comes to Test cricketers, but Pat Cummins is certainly breaking that curiosity.
The fast-bowler is currently the number-one ranked bowler in Test Cricket, and was far-and-away Australia’s most effective bowler in the recent series loss to India.
Cummins made his Test debut as an 18-year-old in South Africa in 2011, but injuries prevented him from playing another match until 2017.
He has now played 34 Tests for 164 wickets, and is Australia’s highest-ranked bowler since the legendary Glenn McGrath.
Cummins is touted by the press as a potential future captain of the Australian side.
DOMINIC PURCELL
Dominic Purcell has built a solid acting resume since his childhood in Penrith.
After attending Blaxland High School, St Dominic’s College, and McCarthy Catholic College, Purcell enrolled at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts where he studied alongside Aussie legend Hugh Jackman.
He landed a role in Mission: Impossible 2 in 2000, and played Drake in Blade: Trinity before he was cast in his defining role in Prison Break in 2005.
Purcell is now known worldwide for his role as Lincoln Burrows, and has since flipped that fame into the role of Heat Wave on DC’s Legends of Tomorrow.
TANVEER SANGHA
The son of Indian migrants living in Ingleburn in Sydney’s southwest, teenage cricketer Tanveer Sangha has been thrust into the national spotlight as potentially Australia’s future leg-spinner following a remarkable BBL season. The softly-spoken 19-year-old, who developed the spin trade with the Campbelltown-Camden Ghosts, is currently touring New Zealand with the national T20 squad in what is expected to be the first of many international caps.
STEPHEN MCMAHON
With extensive experience in the property development space, Stephen McMahon is one of the leading voices in the industry as a NSW president of the Urban Development Institute of Australia. Mr McMahon, who is currently the general manager of southwest Sydney-based Cameron Brae Properties, has played a role in major development projects in Leppington, Bringelly and Wilton.
JAYLA LI ON WING
Jayla Rose Li On Wing is only young but is making a name for herself as a teen actor, model, soccer player and influencer with more than 37,000 followers on Instagram. Jayla has featured on the ABC TV series Wow! That’s Amazing with Donna Hay and has also appeared in a string of other TV shows and promotions. The youngster has also modelled on the runway and in magazines, and is also a skilled soccer player competing at state level. Jayla is represented by national modelling and casting agency Bettina and has made more than $10,000 over the last few years from modelling and acting.
TANYA WHITEHOUSE
Tanya Whitehouse is a powerful figure leading the fight against the number of domestic violence incidents in southwest Sydney.
The Camden woman has led the Macarthur Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service for more than 25 years and has been instrumental in the establishment of a shelter in Camden. Ms Whitehouse was awarded an Order of Australia Medal last year, and has previously been named Camden Woman of the Year.
ADRIANA CARE
Adriana Care is the principal solicitor of the mostly female team at Coutts Solicitors & Conveyanders.
She is also a chairwoman on the Camden Economic Taskforce and former president of the Greater Narellan Chamber of Commerce and remains a towering figure in the Macarthur region business community. Ms Care has described herself as a “Macarthur girl through-and-through”.
After giving up her life here and moving to the city to make her mark in the legal world she now advocates for flexible work for women and people re-entering the workforce. “We are predominantly female, but it’s for senior lawyers who have stepped out of their career and thought they had to leave their career behind,” Ms Care said.
GREG WARREN
Campbelltown state Labor MP Greg Warren wrestled the seat from the Liberal Party in 2015 and has since become a dedicated representative for the community.
He was a Camden councillor for two terms from 2008, including time as deputy mayor and mayor from 2010-2012. Mr Warren has also held positions of director and vice president of the Campbelltown Chamber of Commerce.
He is extremely passionate about supporting the local community and is a strong voice in parliament for issues regarding the area.
“I think the most powerful people in our community are our local families, businesses and the people I’m privileged to serve,” a humble Mr Warren told Macarthur Chronicle. “Without any doubt the thing that makes me most proud about our community and our region is our people, who really come together during times of need, whether its charity or what’s been displayed during the pandemic.”
Mr Warren said the community is “strong and resilient” despite growing so rapidly. “We are an accepting and compassionate community that embraces new family and embrace challenges we have and navigate through them together.”
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