Monthly Newsletter
Dear Team, Spring is here, a season of fresh energy, growth and new beginnings It feels like the perfect reflection of where we are as a business right now We’ve wrapped up a great financial year, and I’m pleased to say this new quarter has started even stronger than we had expected
Across all our brands, we’re on a steady course with 8 projects under mobilisation and more in the pipeline, a real testament to the hard work and collaboration happening across all of our teams
I’m looking forward to connecting with you at our Group Information Session on 18 September, where we’ll share more about these projects and outline our strategic goals for the months ahead.
In this newsletter, you’ll also see our refreshed Vision, Mission and Values, plus updates from IT, and some helpful reminders. Each of these is designed to support you in your roles and keep us all aligned as we continue to grow
Thank you for everything you do each dayyour contribution makes the difference
Warm regards,
Tomas Johnsson Chief Executive Officer
Add to your calendar:
1 Thurs, 18 Sept - Group Info Session
2. 15-21 Sept - 50th anniversary of Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori (NZ)
3 Sun, 5 Oct - Daylight Saving
4. Fri, 10 Oct - World Mental Health Day
See more important dates on Viva Engage
Shout Out To Our Top Most Engaged Teams
Wentworth Quarter 100%
UniLodge on Margaret 100%
UniLodge Townsville 94%
UniLodge
Recognition of Top Most Engaged Regions
Fun Walking Facts
Have you seen the Engagement Survey Results video?
With Steptember in full swing, we thought it was the perfect time to share some of the surprising benefits of putting one foot in front of the other.
10,000 steps = roughly 8 km (depending on stride length)
Walking just 30 minutes a day can lower your risk of heart disease by up to 40%
A brisk walk burns about 150 calories per 30 minutes, that’s roughly one chocolate bar!
Walking boosts creativity, research shows people generate 60% more ideas while walking compared to sitting and regular walkers have sharper memory and focus, just 20 minutes of walking increases blood flow to the brain
The world record for most steps in 24 hours is over 228,000 steps - that’s more than 180 km!
The Community Support Officer program at ANU has marked its first year delivering the first large-scale model of after-hours care at UniLodge With a dedicated team of 18+ permanent staff and 20+ casuals, the program provides 24/7 support to a campus of more than 5,000 beds Achieving a 90% retention rate, the CSO team brings an exceptional mix of backgrounds - from hospitality and security to counselling nursing teaching and more This diversity enables a level of care and cale
Community Support Officers (CSOs) ANU 1 Year On
UniLodge on Show at Open Days Across Aus & NZ
RMIT City Campus Open Day Success
A MESSAGE FROM BRADLEY BROWN, REGIONAL GM
Open Days are one of our biggest opportunities to connect with futu residents, showcase the UniLodge experience, and build brand awareness on campus. Thanks to the teamwork and energy of our staff, this year’s RMIT City Open Day was a standout From the vending machine giveaway to Red Frogs flipping pancakes all day, our stand was buzzing and became the place to be
Together we achieved:
�� 1,000+ prospective resident emails collected
�� 1,200 chocolate bars handed out (70kg!)
�� 5,000+ pancakes served
�� 5,250 Red Frogs shared
A giant thank you to everyone involved I encourage you to view the video on Viva Engage and more pics of the team that helped make the day a success
The University of Melbourne Open Day 3 Open Days for the UniLodge Herston Team
The NZ team took part in the Uni of Auckland Open Day
RMIT University City Campus Open Day
La Trobe Open Day
Our Vision, Mission & Values A Reminder of What We Stand For
Our Vision continues to guide where we’re heading, our Mission defines how we get there, and our Values underpin everything we do, from the way we work with each other to the way we support our residents, partners and communities
Take a moment to revisit them in this edition They’re not just words on a page, they’re the foundation of our culture and the reason we achieve what we do together
Our Vision: To create communities for inspired living
Our Mission: To be the leading operator in the Living sector
Our Values:
1. We care for each other and our residents
2 We pursue excellence
3 We value diversity and inclusion
4 We grow together
5. We build relationships on trust
6 We seek to inspire and be inspired
Together, these principles define our ambition to set new benchmarks in the Living sector and reimagine what urban living can be
Essence Communities’ Success
A MESSAGE FROM LIZZIE WHEELER, EXECUTIVE GM
I’m excited to share that Essence Communities is charging ahead with strong results and meaningful impact
Indi Southbank has now reached practical completion and been handed over to us – a huge milestone and another big step forward for our portfolio!
Shoutout to Lisa Hyland and her team for their outstanding contributions
Wentworth Quarter hit a major achievement in August, stabilising just 11 months on from opening A massive thank you to Kate Mansell and her team for kicking goals.
Realm Kangaroo Point continues to shine, setting the benchmark at 99% leased and showing the strength of our approach to leasing and community building
Our commitment to excellent community engagement continues to be front and centre. Residents at Dickson Village enjoyed pasta-making and felt-animal workshops, as well as a star-gazing excursion to the observatory, while Realm Caulfield residents came together over a fun and flavour-filled ramen workshop These moments are a great reminder of the vibrant, connected communities we’re creating every day
We couldn’t be prouder or more grateful to every one of our team members, who continue to provide passion, hard work, and collaboration With new mobilisations underway and incredible talent joining our business, it truly feels like a period of unstoppable growth.
We’re still on the hunt for a few key roles, so if you know someone who’d love to be part of this journey, please send them our way
Dickson Village Pasta Making Workshop
The Team at Indi Southbank
Dickson Village Felt Workshop
Realm KP Skincare Workshop
We loved seeing the RA’s welcome the
Canva Project
A MESSAGE FROM KATE STOCK, GM MARKETING
The Marketing Team are thrilled to share that our Canva project rollout has officially launched!
Each team will soon have their own dedicated Canva folder, packed with: Fresh, ready-to-use templates (reports, posters, invites + more).
Brand resources including logos, colours, and imagery
Easy layouts designed to keep everything polished and on-brand
This rollout is all about making your work
UniLodge Kensington On Camera - Keep an eye out for new pics & videos
Brennan IT Support: Now in Full Go Mode
A MESSAGE FROM MATT WHYKES , GM, CORE IT
Since late June, our IT support has been provided by Brennan After a period of transition and hypercare, we are now in “full go mode”.
Brennan brings a professional and mature service offering to the UniLodge Living Group, including:
A significantly enhanced self-service portal for faster resolution of common issues and requests
A strong focus on IT process automation to improve efficiency and reduce delays
A collaborative and proactive approach to help us future-proof our IT services.
For your ticket to be handled in the best possible way, you can help by being very specific in your requests. It is good practice to upload screen shots of errors or network paths of servers you need access to, or to refer to colleagues that something might be working for them but not you. Include any information on how your issue may have been resolved prior
Brennan will respond quickly to your ticket logged via email or self service (usually within 30 minutes)
Please be prepared to receive a call soon after, and if you miss the callback three times running, Brennan will resolve your ticket with a failure to contact
Indi SouthBank
Brennan Hosted Morning Tea at Head Office
Have you seen James’ Top Tech Tips on Viva Engage?
You’ve asked for help, and here it is - see some great tips that you can use in every day actions
This new series will focus on getting the most out of your time on the platform, covering things like bookmarking posts, customising notifications, and joining communities.
UniLodge Biscuit Treats shared by Jacob Waitere the Times Higher Education Campus Live ANZ Conference 2025
La Trobe University - North & South Apartments (NASA) Property Showcase
UniLodge Team having fun at the ANU Ball
UniLodge Perth Central - Countdown to PC