KEEPING up with the latest developments in the Springfield district over the past few years is like trying to count the carriages of a bullet train as it roars through a Tokyo station.
While Covid forced a slowdown in many parts of the state Springfield has bolted ahead with record land and home sales, the construction of the Lions AFL Club’s stadium, major road upgrades and work starting on the much needed Mater Hospital Stage Two.
The two men who have led the charge of creating the Springfield Master City are Maha Sinnathamby and Bob Sharpless.
It’s rare for either of them to speak candidly about their journey and when they do business leaders line up to hear.
Last Friday the Brookwater Golf Club was packed to hear 82 year-old Maha (pictured) reveal the mountains they had to climb to build the first Springfield home.
ANYONE who knows Maha Sinnathamby will invariably say they always enjoy every conversation they have with the man many recognise as “Mr Springfield”.
His drive and energy are infectious and despite the pressures of crafting a region destined to house 145,000 people he has never waivered in his belief that his master planned city will be the envy of the world.
Last Friday the spritely 82 year-old delivered a speech he titled “The Beauty of Failure”. A packed house of business leaders at Brookwater Golf Club couldn’t help but be inspired by his words.
If Maha could sing, and it wouldn’t be surprising to know that he can hold a note, I’d recommend in future that he should start off each of his talks with the Frank Sinatra classic “My Way”.
In part it says: Regrets, I’ve had a few But then again, too few to mention I did what I had to do .. And more, much more than this, I did it my way The song and those words epitomise the man who came to
Australia six decades ago from Malaysia after growing up in a village without electricity and running water.
Maha’s talk traced his journey in life and the failures he had on the way and how he rebounded every time.
“If you believe what you are doing is right, don’t hesitate to speak up, just keep going,” was his message.
Maha said he has never taken no for an answer when he believed the answer should be yes and he mentioned the many politicians who could vouch for that.
“In Springfield we were told no to a hospital, no to a railway line, no to a golf course, no to a university and no to a stadium,” he said.
“But along with partner Bob Sharpless we just kept going and now Springfield has them all.”
Maha recounted many of his setbacks in life from failing at university in his first few years, losing everything he had when his development company in Perth crashed and how the 3000ha Springfield land was days away from the bank reclaiming it.
Now he looks over a district that is home to 54,000 residents, where some land blocks are selling for close to $1m and where schools are getting built every year.
The vision of Maha Sinnathamby is now a clear picture and he can claim with pride that building a city with a heart and a future if no longer just a dream, Springfield is a city of the future.
