Maha Sinnathamby turned $7.9 million gamble into Greater Springfield’s multi-billion-dollar transformation – but still has some battles to fight
WHEN visionary Maha Sinnathamby stepped foot on thousands of hectares of undeveloped bushland between Brisbane and Ipswich, he saw something nobody else could in an entire city that would become Greater Springfield.
In an exclusive interview with Local Ipswich News, the man behind one of Australia’s most ambitious master-planned communities has revealed the determination required to transform his dream into reality, while vowing to continue fighting for more schools, better educational opportunities and greater investment in young Australians.
Forward thinker recalls his commitment to a new city
In 1992, Mr Sinnathamby and business partner Bob Sharpless negotiated the purchase of 2860 hectares of undeveloped land southwest of Brisbane for $7.9 million.
Only a fraction of the land was zoned for residential development, transport connections were inadequate, essential infrastructure was non-existent and a nearby State prison hardly suggested the beginnings of a thriving modern city.
“My planners and surveyors told me not to buy it. They said the terrain was difficult and challenging to develop,” he said.
“But I didn’t see the obstacles. I saw a city.”
When he was presented with a proposal to subdivide the land into 40-hectare blocks, he rejected it outright, with his ambition to build an entire city from the ground up.
There was no established planning precedent for a development of such scale, requiring special legislation from the Queensland Parliament.
“The Queensland Planning Minister at the time, Terry Mackenroth, called it the impossible dream,” Mr Sinnathamby said.
In 1997, the Queensland Parliament supported the legislation, providing the foundation for the development.
“From the moment we acquired the land we were unconditionally committed,” he said.
“Governments have changed, circumstances have changed and Springfield has grown, but the vision has remained constant.”
The three pillars of that vision in education, health and technology and innovation are reflected in a community boasting 12 schools, 22 childcare centres, the University of Southern Queensland and an expanding healthcare precinct.
This year has marked another significant chapter, with Brookwater Golf and Country Club celebrating its 25th anniversary, the university marking 20 years at Springfield and the opening of the Mater Public Hospital.
“We never wanted healthcare to simply mean treating people when they became sick,” he said.
“We wanted to create an environment that could help people live healthier lives in the first place.”
For all the attention surrounding Greater Springfield’s physical transformation, Mr Sinnathamby believes the city’s greatest achievements must ultimately be measured by the opportunities available to its people.
“I have always believed that if you want to build a great city, you must first invest in its people,” he said.
“The greatest investment you can make in people is education, health and future-proofing lives with innovation. Education is the currency that can never be taken from you and can be cashed anywhere in the world.”
When asked what he wanted his legacy to be, he returned to the principle that has guided him from the beginning.
“I hope my legacy will be that I created something that improved people’s lives,” he said.
“I wanted to build a city around what I believe are the foundations of a successful life: education, health and innovation.”
For a man who has spent more than three decades turning an impossible dream into reality, there remains one final message he wants future generations to carry forward.
“Commit to education and invest in our young people,” he said.
“Give them every opportunity to succeed because they will determine the future of this country.”
