Donald Cant Watts Corke (DCWC)

Industry | The Property Council of Australia has announced its 2025-26 committee members, and we’re proud to share that two of our senior leaders have been appointed to key Victorian committees! Belinda Nash, Director of Project Management, has been appointed as Co-Chair from Deputy Chair of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, this being her third term. Jason Armstrong, Executive Director of Project Management, has been reappointed to the Education and Social Infrastructure Committee for a second term. We look forward to the valuable contributions Belinda and Jason will continue to make in shaping the future of Victoria’s property industry! Property Council Victoria #PartnersForExcellence

As 2024 comes to an end, we want to thank all our clients and industry peers for another fantastic year! Our offices will be closed from Monday, December 23, and will reopen on Monday, January 6. We look forward to seeing you in 2025! 🧡🧡🧡

People | Big news to wrap up 2024! We're thrilled to announce five well-deserved promotions within our team! Henry Ashton has been elevated to Director, Chris Arnold to Associate Director, and Janine Jonathan to Associate. Additionally, we are proud to welcome Matthew Walker and Michael Kil to the role of Senior Project Manager and William Haoqing CHEN to the role of Senior Quantity Surveyor. These promotions reflect the outstanding contributions and dedication of these individuals. Please join us in celebrating their achievements! To learn more about our newly promoted colleagues: https://lnkd.in/gyse5rD9

People | This month, DCWC is proud to celebrate a significant milestone – Denis Symeopoulos' 10-year anniversary. Denis first joined us as a university placement student, turning a two-week placement into a 12-week assignment to meet course requirements. His exceptional dedication quickly earned him a valued spot on the team, transitioning into a permanent part-time role for 10 months before stepping into a full-time position after completing his final exams. Over the past decade, Denis has demonstrated remarkable expertise, bringing extensive experience in the Tertiary sector along with valuable insights from the Aquatic, Sports and Recreation industries. As an Associate Project Manager, his collaborative approach and commitment to every project have been instrumental in delivering exceptional outcomes for our clients. Outside of work, Denis balances his professional aspirations with family and sport, and a sharp sense of humour that has added great value to our workplace culture. We thank Denis for his outstanding dedication and contributions over the past 10 years and look forward to many more years of success together. Congratulations, Denis!

Project | DCWC is honoured to have played a key role as Quantity Surveyor, managing costs and ensuring the project stayed on track financially. Through our expertise, we’ve supported the delivery of a project that not only changes lives but also sets a new standard for collaboration and social impact in the housing sector. Make Room provides transitional and supportive accommodation for individuals experiencing homelessness. Located in the existing City of Melbourne owned building at 602 Little Bourke Street, it involved extensive refurbishments and upgrades to the fabric, finishes and services. The project includes 50 studio apartments, rooftop garden and communal spaces to encourage community interaction, as well as health and well-being services. This adaptive reuse project showcases the transformation of existing assets into vital resources for vulnerable populations. Residents will receive comprehensive support to help them transition to long-term housing. Unison Housing leads the initiative with assistance from cohealth and Ngwala Willumbong Aboriginal Corporation (Ngwala) for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents. https://ow.ly/vZzK50UoME1

Scholarship | DCWC is excited to announce that the recipient of our 2024 RMIT University scholarship is Albert Aljarash, a third-year student pursuing a Bachelor of Applied Science (Construction Management) (Honours). Our annual cash scholarship is designed for students from underrepresented communities studying Project or Construction Management who can demonstrate challenging circumstances that impact their studies. Albert and his family migrated to Australia as refugees from Syria six years ago and have faced numerous obstacles since then. Despite these challenges, Albert has achieved remarkable milestones, including completing a Diploma of Building and Construction in 2022. His resilience and dedication to his educational and career goals in the construction industry are inspiring. We look forward to welcoming Albert as a Cadet Quantity Surveyor in 2025!

Project | Another stunning project to close out 2024, City of Armadale's Piara Waters Library designed by Hunt Architects 🧡 #partnersforexcellence #projectmanagers #projectmangement

We're excited to welcome Damien Gallagher to the DCWC Sydney team as Associate Director of Quantity Surveying! Damien brings extensive experience in the residential, commercial and infrastructure sectors. With a 13-year career that spans Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, he has developed expertise in cost control, forecasting, estimating, and managing complex insurance claims. As a proven leader with a strong track record in business growth and client success, Damien specialises in dispute resolution, financial reporting, tender analysis, and project cost management. He is particularly skilled in handling large loss claims, mediation and strategic decision-making, consistently achieving outstanding results for clients. Group Director John O'Callaghan remarked, "This appointment reflects our expanding operations in NSW. We’re looking forward to what 2025 will bring with Damien on board." Welcome to the team, Damien! To read more: https://ow.ly/C5J650UpBom

Project | Over the weekend, the highly anticipated Fawkner Leisure Centre redevelopment officially reopened, just in time for the summer school holidays! Merri-bek City Council engaged DCWC to manage this transformative project, which included a major refurbishment and expansion of the facility, including its conversion to an all-electric system. Designed by CO.OP Studio and constructed by Built Environsthe redevelopment features a new outdoor 50-meter lap pool, an outdoor leisure pool with interactive water features, and upgraded indoor amenities like a spa, sauna, and steam rooms. The 25-meter indoor pool also received essential repairs. The extension includes a modernised entryway, an expanded gym and a new group program room. The original building was reconfigured to include a café, redesigned foyer and reception, upgraded gym spaces, a program room and accessible fitness changing rooms. Staff and administration areas were also improved, along with upgraded WC facilities, community health corridor amenities, and renovated changing rooms. https://lnkd.in/gTCDgqUJ

Project Update | DCWC is excited to have provided the Cost Management Services on this project. Congratulations to the Team on this Award!