About Us

Founded in 2004 off the back of the current trustee entity, ECS Group, the trust has expanded in varying property markets, allowing diversification to capture every corner of the exciting Australian property arena.

These properties include; hotels and leisure, commercial, retail, pubs and gaming and land subdivision, the trust is nearing its initial target level of $100m.

A further round of expansion is unfolding presently with the expected portfolio to increase to a value of $200m within the next few years.

The relationship with many reputable hotel management companies has developed over the past fifteen years, initially when ECS Group managed hotel refurbishments and redevelopments for the likes of Rydges Hotels & Resorts.

Mr. Mark Etherington, Managing Director, ECS Group (Aust) Pty Limited and CEO of the Australian Property Trust commenced the journey in 1986 and soon formed the building company, which in turn formed the platform for the trust.

One of our key objectives is to identify properties that have a future value add benefit. Either through refurbishment, redevelopment, rebrand or relaunch, preferably all of the aforementioned, these assets quickly generate equity, which enables the further expansion at an extremely aggressive speed.

Proof of this objective being successful, has seen no third party investors required to achieve the current portfolio value. Via the key banks the trust has secured finance and is geared at a mere 45% of total portfolio value.

By utilizing the value add principles, utilizing the in house building companies' expertise and empowering the management companies it engages, the Australian Property Trust in essence is a one stop investment and development vehicle.

The business model is very sound, engage those external services required and engage them under an accountability performance structure, utilize their expertise to complete the necessary tasks, as the driver of each task the Australian Property Trust manages the investment and ensures it continues trading efficiently.

To create a long term return where risk is mitigated through low gearing and value add equity gain is and always will be paramount.

Some hotel investment EBITDA's are currently tracking at 20% of purchase and redevelopment cost. Their sworn valuations have more than doubled their purchase price, simply by using the methods above.

It will be a constant objective to identify properties where we can create stronger revenue's through the above initiatives. A combination of securely leased assets, along with going concern operations, those investments will allow the rapid expansion, until the founder finally releases the opportunity to the outside investment world.

The trust was formed with a unit quantity (100 million) which clearly leaves it the option to release part or all to the public domain.