7 November 2025, Christchurch – A half-century of service to the South Island’s property industry was celebrated tonight as Gary Sellars of Colliers took home both the Property Professional of the Year Award and the prestigious Hawkins Supreme Excellence Award at the 2025 South Island Property People Awards.
Hosted in Ōtautahi Christchurch, the annual awards — presented by Property Council New Zealand — recognise the individuals and teams whose leadership, innovation and collaboration are creating places where communities thrive.
Sellars, a respected valuer and advisor since the 1970s, has guided the region through property cycles, economic shocks and the aftermath of the Canterbury earthquakes. His long-running Christchurch Market Summit presentations became essential reading for banks, investors and developers. Judges described him as an “outstanding candidate with a long, storied career, consistently contributing to the industry and helping shape Christchurch into what it is today.”
Property Council Chief Executive Leonie Freeman said Sellars’ recognition underscores the human impact of the sector. “Gary embodies the professionalism, resilience and generosity of spirit that makes this industry so special. His knowledge and leadership have helped shape Christchurch into the thriving city we see today.”
The awards also celebrated emerging leaders and collaborative teams driving the South Island’s future. Honor Mills of Tavendale + Partners was named Young Achiever of the Year for her rapid rise through the legal profession. Now leading a team of eight, she specialises in complex rural property matters and was praised by judges for her strong values, leadership and ambition to become a managing partner.
In Māwhera/Greymouth, a remarkable collaboration earned the City Shaper Award. The Māwhera Regeneration Team — spanning mana whenua, local government and private partners — is delivering transformative projects including the Pounamu Pathway, Greymouth Library, Whare Rua and the Shakespeare Clinic. Judges commended the team for “bringing fresh energy to the region” and embedding cultural leadership at the heart of regeneration.
The RDT Pacific Best Team Award went to the Christchurch Youth Hub Team – Naylor Love Canterbury, who created Te Hurihanga ō Rangatahi, a first-of-its-kind facility co-designed with youth to bring health, housing and social services together. Judges praised the inclusive design and stakeholder collaboration that made the project a rare success.
The Women in Property Award recognised Hayley Fisher of Warren and Mahoney, a Principal and Group Board member who has led major tertiary and civic projects while mentoring young professionals and championing equity across the sector.
The Long Service Award honoured Graeme McDonald of Bayleys Real Estate, a respected valuer and mentor who has dedicated more than 25 years to the profession and served two decades on the Property Council’s South Island Regional Committee.
The Judges’ Choice Award went to Chloe Gordon of WT, recognised as one of New Zealand’s most dynamic emerging leaders. Since relocating to Queenstown in 2023, she has grown WT’s presence from a one-person base to a thriving team, securing major projects and mentoring the next generation. Judges highlighted her calm leadership, technical expertise, and rapid impact on the South Island sector.
As the evening closed, Freeman said the winners reflect an industry with people at its core. “From Gary Sellars’ half-century of contribution to the energy of emerging leaders like Honor Mills and Chloe Gordon, these awards show how property professionals shape not just buildings, but the future of our communities.”
ENDS
Winners at a glance:
- Greenwood Roche Young Achiever Award — Honor Mills, Tavendale + Partners
- City Shaper Award — Māwhera Regeneration Team (RM Designs; Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Waewae & Te Rūnanga o Makaawhio; Development West Coast; Grey District Council; Pokeka Poutini Ngāi Tahu; Smart Project Management; Engco; Tony Wilkins Builders)
- RDT Pacific Best Team Award — Christchurch Youth Hub Team – Naylor Love Canterbury
- Women in Property Award — Hayley Fisher, Warren and Mahoney
- Bayleys Real Estate Property Professional of the Year — Gary Sellars, Colliers
- Property Council Long Service Award — Graeme McDonald, Bayleys Real Estate
- Judges’ Choice Award – Chloe Mills, WT
- Hawkins Supreme Excellence Award — Gary Sellars, Colliers