Proud places, bright futures: the philosophy that drives Emily Wood.

As Executive General Manager Development at Frasers Property Australia, Emily Wood oversees a multi-billion-dollar pipeline of projects. And while the demands of delivery are ever-present – budgets, timelines, construction – Emily never loses sight of the bigger picture: creating distinctive neighbourhoods that people are proud to call home.

Amidst the daily demands of running the Development division of Frasers Property Australia, Executive General Manager, Emily Wood, always remains focused on the ultimate goal: creating stronger, smarter, happier neighbourhoods where people feel they truly belong. Places that foster genuine connections, strengthen local identity, and provide a foundation for opportunity and prosperity. In this interview with Live proud magazine, Emily shares her vision for the future.

Emily, you’ve had an interesting journey to your current role. Tell us a bit about your background and what sparked your passion for the property industry.

My property journey began over 25 years ago Caroline Springs in Melbourne’s west. As the marketing manager for a project that, at that time, was considered a real benchmark for large-scale master planned community creation in Australia, it was very clear to me that people want to live in neighbourhoods with a strong sense of character and identity. When they do, their relationship with their local community becomes deeper and they feel a real sense of pride. A quarter century later, this lesson still drives me today, especially as I think about how Frasers Property communities evolve for the next generation.

What’s important to get right for the next generation? What things are you focused on in your role?

I’m excited about our next generation of neighbourhoods, such as Mambourin Green and Bradmill Yarraville in Melbourne and Round Mountain in Queensland. They join groundbreaking projects like Midtown MacPark in Sydney, that represent the future of Frasers Property, where we’ll continue to push the boundaries of distinctive design, sustainability, and community building. Our ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance)strategy — ‘Stronger, Smarter, Happier’ —reflects our commitment to these priorities. We’ve said for many years that one of our most important roles as a developer is to foster more belonging in communities we create, so this is a big focus across all our communities.

How do you build more belonging at the neighbourhood level? Practically speaking, what does that look like?

There are a few different ways that we can influence social connection and belonging. The first is through urban design and making sure our decisions are always focused on people. At a practical level, this often means designing shared spaces that people in a neighbourhood love to be in. Take Barabool Park at our Mambourin community in Melbourne’s west. You can go out there any evening or on the weekends and it’s just full of kids and their families using the play equipment, zipping around on flying foxes, having picnics and so on. Sit out there for a half an hour and you’ll see parents meeting and chatting as they watch their little ones run through the sprinklers. These amazing parks and play spaces become magnets for organic social moments that really strengthen a local community.

The other focus is community development. We have a team of dedicated community managers that work with residents to develop programs, events, and opportunities for neighbours to get to know each other and take part in nurturing their own community. At our Brookhaven project in Brisbane, there are community groups and events for almost anything you can think of – mother’s groups, running clubs, groups for gamers, even Bush Kindy for children to learn about native wildlife and engage in nature play. Our Queensland Community Development Manager Marion Allard does invaluable work connecting residents and giving them opportunities to build lasting connections.

It’s often said that property is Australia’s favourite topic of conversation. What are the key themes of that conversation today, and how is Frasers Property responding?

Property is a constant topic of conversation in Australia because it’s seen not just as a home, but a ladder to security and future prosperity. Today, the property conversation is heavily focused on affordability, particularly for younger generations. The dream of homeownership feels increasingly out of reach for many, and this is a challenge we take seriously at Frasers Property. One of the things I’m focused on is making sure that we do what we can to deliver more housing choice in our developments. For example, a few years ago, we designed and built apartment buildings at Ed.Square in Sydney’s outer south west. I know there were a few people in our industry that were sceptical that it would work. But it has been hugely successful and created ownership pathways for segments of the market that either didn’t want or couldn’t afford more traditional standalone housing product. Our Midtown neighbourhood in Macquarie Park is another excellent example. It’s a mixed-tenure model that rethinks the way community, affordable, and market housing can exist side-by-side in the same neighbourhood, sharing the same amenity, and contributing in equal measure to the character of the neighbourhood. I’m proud that we offer a variety of housing types, from apartments to townhouses to freestanding homes. This allows us to cater to a broader range of aspiring homeowners and families of all shapes and sizes.

Speaking of pride, what are some of your proudest career moments, and what drives you in your work at Frasers Property?

Serving as an Executive Producer on The Great Separation documentary, which explored the growing issue of loneliness in Australia, was a profound experience and one of the highlights of my career. It reinforced our commitment to creating communities where people feel connected and supported. Through the support of that film, we developed a partnership with Ending Loneliness Together, Australia's peak advisory body on the issue of loneliness. Through that partnership we share research and develop initiatives that seek to eliminate chronic loneliness from Australian life. Another highlight was the launch of our annual Great Neighbourhood Survey a couple of years ago. It tracks how our residents rate their quality of life and connection in Frasers Property neighbourhoods, allowing us to hear directly from them, understand their experiences, and measure our success in creating connected communities. It’s been immensely rewarding to see that the rate of loneliness reported by our residents is half the national average. This tells me that our efforts are making a real difference.

Frasers Property Australia just celebrated 100 years. What will be the focus for the next 100? Last year, Frasers Property celebrated a century of shaping Australia’s suburbs and cities, tracing its roots back to property pioneer T.M. Burke in1924. Over the decades, the company has evolved through acquisitions and mergers, leaving its mark on iconic locations across Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and Perth, including Sunshine Beach, Centenary Suburbs, Freshwater Place, and King Street Wharf, to name just a few. And while we’re all very proud of our heritage, it’s the future we’re focused on. We know that there are challenges facing Australia and so we’re committed to creating neighbourhoods that foster belonging, offer diverse and affordable housing options, and prioritise environmental sustainability. It’s an ambition that will guide us into the next 100 years: to build stronger, smarter, happier neighbourhoods that promise greater futures .