On Friday 21 May, over 700 members of the Victorian construction and property industry converged on Albert Park Lake in Melbourne for Steps for Homeless Youth, raising an outstanding $163,000 through online donations, a raffle, and on-the-day fundraising activities. Every dollar raised goes directly toward The Haven Project — building safe, secure homes that change the lives of young people experiencing homelessness.
This milestone comes in a landmark year: 2026 marks the Property Industry Foundation’s 30th Anniversary — three decades of the property and construction industry uniting to rebuild young lives, one home at a time.
A Day by the Lake — and a Community at Its Best
With distances ranging from a cruisy 5km walk to an endurance 20km challenge, 56 teams rose to the fitness test — team spirit, fun and community at the heart of every step. Runners and walkers enjoyed a blue-sky day by the water, catching up with mates and colleagues well away from worksites and offices.
This year set a new record for relay participation, with 19 teams taking part. The numbers across all distances were impressive:
- Over 30 runners completed the 20km challenge
- Over 90 people ran the 5km
- Over 70 people ran the 10km
- Over 250 people walked the 5km
- Over 150 people walked the 10km
Coffee was on hand courtesy of Protecta, and CBRE kept everyone rehydrated with their juice cart. Participants also had the chance to snap a photo with the ever-popular Gracie, the Dulux Dog.
Official Results
- Highest Individual Fundraiser – Michael Herskope, Wilbow Group
- Highest Team Fundraiser – KERVALE
- 1st Place — 5km Run
– Female – Abbey De Lange, McCormack
– Male – Brendan Pearce, Plan Group - 1st Place — 10km Run
– Female – Imogen Pinnington, Architectus
– Male – Elliot Willcocks, McCormack - 1st Place — 20km Run
– Female – Rebecca Williams, Plan Group
– Male – Devon Osborne, PMDL McGlashan Everist - 1st Place — Relay Team – TEAM GURNER Group – JAM TEAM
“Steps for Homeless Youth is one of our most successful events, bringing the Victorian construction and property industry together to raise awareness for homeless youth and to fundraise towards secure homes and support so they can repair their lives and plan for a stable future,”
— Kate Mills, CEO, Property Industry Foundation
30 Years of Building Together
As we celebrate 30 years of rebuilding young lives, events like Steps for Homeless Youth remind us why the Foundation was established in 1996: because an industry that shapes the places people live cannot ignore the tens of thousands of young Australians without a safe place to call home. On any given night, nearly 46,000 young people under 25 are experiencing homelessness — and through The Haven Project, every dollar raised and every home built helps interrupt that cycle.
Building Homes, Rebuilding Futures
- 1st Prize Winner – Alyssa Finlay, Growthpoint – Medallion AFL ticket package for 6 guests – Collingwood vs Melbourne – Valued at $1,350 Kindly donated by McCormack
- 2nd Prize Winner – Charlotte Wong, Urbis – Flower Drum Dining Voucher – $500 Value Kindly donated by McCormack
- 3rd Prize Winner – Chris Wilson, Madigan Capital – Crown Melbourne Gift Voucher – Value $400 Kindly donated by DDEG
- 4th Prize Winner – Stefanie Knowles, Cadence – Comma Health Spa Gift Voucher – Value $300 Kindly donated by Architectus
- 5th Prize Winner – Sam Stanic, Plan Group – Endota Gift Voucher – Value $250 Kindly donated by The GPT Group
- 6th Prize Winner – Anthony Zammit, Mirvac – Air BnB gift card – Value $200 Kindly donated by Growthpoint Properties Australia
- 7th Prize Winner – Tommy Reynolds, Create Workspace – Muscle Nation Gift Voucher – Value $150 Kindly donated by DDEG
- 8th Prize Winner – Anna Louey, Mirvac – JB Hi Fi Gift Voucher – Value $100 Kindly donated by Growthpoint Properties Australia
Winner of the online The GPT Group Fundraising Incentive – $250 Rebel Sport voucher goes to – Ayla Mesic, Texco
“The fundraising effort of every stepper helps the Foundation to build more safe homes and provide wraparound support to at-risk young people, putting them on a path to a brighter future. We are enormously grateful to everyone involved in the event,”
— Priscilla Heathwood, Victorian State Manager, Property Industry Foundation
When housing comes first, everything else becomes more achievable. Health begins to stabilise. Life skills develop. Education and employment feel possible again. In three decades, the Foundation has built 278 bedrooms for young people in need — delivering 101,470 safe nights of sleep in the last 12 months alone. For every $1 invested in The Haven Project, $3.70 of social value is generated.
Thank You to Our Charity Partners
At the Property Industry Foundation, we believe solving youth homelessness takes collective action. That’s why we build safe homes, fund innovative solutions, and partner with those who share our vision to create lasting, systemic change for young people in need. Thank you to our Charity Partners who were there on the day.
- The Salvation Army
- Women’s Property Initiative
- Lighthouse Foundation
- Hope Street Family & Youth Services
- The Bridge Youth Services
Thank You to Our Supporters
A huge thank you to the VIC Future Leaders Committee, board members, volunteers, and every sponsor who helped make this day possible:
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Major Sponsor: McCormack
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Supporting Partners: Growthpoint Properties Australia, Plan Group and Dalton Consulting Engineers
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Activation: CBRE Juice Cart, Protecta Coffee Cart
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Advertising Partner: Ooh Media
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Bag Drop Partner: Design and Build Recruitment
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Digital Screen Sponsor: Built Environment Channel
Here’s to 30 years of rebuilding young lives — and to everything we will build together next.
