Key Milestones

The History of LJ Hooker

The rise of a great Australasian business enterprise

1903 Leslie Joseph Tingyou is born in Canterbury, Sydney, on 18 August.

1925 "LJ", as he is known, changes his surname from Tingyou to Hooker, disguising his Chinese heritage as a response to the social climate in Australia.

1928 LJ opens the first LJ Hooker Limited office in Maroubra, Sydney. The Depression begins and for the next years, LJ struggles to keep the business alive.

1934 LJ can afford to hire the company's first salesman and opens LJ Hooker Limited's second office, in Sydney's city centre.

1936 LJ purchases other real estate companies, expanding LJ Hooker Limited into a five-office chain, with offices in Kensington, Kingsford, Randwick, Maroubra and the city. It was at this time that LJ put together his core team, who stayed with him throughout his career.

1938 LJ Hooker Limited's head office is established on the corner of Martin Place and Pitt Street, Sydney, and its first auction rooms are opened. LJ manages to keep the company functioning with a skeleton staff during the difficult WWII years, and LJ Hooker Limited soon becomes Sydney's largest agency.

1947 On 1 July, LJ Hooker Limited is floated on the Australian Stock Exchange. The shares are popular and high dividends are paid, up to 25% per annum.

1951 LJ expands a hotel division, Rex Investments, owning interests in 25 hotels.

1953 LJ Hooker Limited has expanded to 14 offices across Sydney, becoming the largest real estate agency in Australia.

1956 LJ's development company, Hooker-Rex, is established and by 1959 has developed 10 metropolitan and seaside estates in NSW and Queensland.

1957 The first interstate LJ Hooker Limited office opens in Palm Beach, Queensland.

1958 LJ creates a parent company, LJ Hooker Investment Corporation, of which LJ Hooker Limited, Rex Investments and Hooker-Rex are subsidiaries, among other companies.

1959 LJ Hooker Limited, the real estate agency subsidiary, has 33 offices in NSW, Queensland, Victoria and the ACT. The aggregate sales turnover for LJ Hooker Limited alone is £125 million. The Australian Land Trust Limited (later Hooker Property Trusts) is formed, Australia's first property unit trust.

1960 LJ starts a pastoral division, Hooker Pastoral Company, and becomes the largest private landowner in the Australia, holding 30,000 square kilometres (7.3 million acres). LJ Hooker Limited offices are opened in South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania, giving the agency complete nationwide coverage. LJ Hooker Investment Corporation purchases a home building operation, later known as Hooker Homes.

1965 At Winston Hills in north-western Sydney, Hooker-Rex co-builds Australia's largest private residential development project, comprising 2200 homes. The company also builds Australia's first large suburban shopping centre, Warringah Mall, on Sydney's Northern Beaches.

1967 LJ Hooker Investment Corporation's name is changed to Hooker Corporation. Australia's first franchise offices are opened by LJ Hooker Limited, the country's pioneer. Other renowned franchise brands, such as McDonald's, open in subsequent years.

1973 LJ is knighted and becomes Sir Leslie Hooker in recognition of his services to commerce and the community. Among many other philanthropic endeavours, LJ had been on the Sydney Hospital Board for 26 years, Chairman of the Sydney Eye Hospital Management Committee, President of the Council for Integrated Deaf Education, and Deputy Chairman of the Committee to raise funds for the Olympics.

1974 Sir Leslie retires as Chairman of the Hooker Corporation but remains on the Board as Founder Chairman.

1976 Sir Leslie passes away, aged 73.

1978 The company celebrates its 50th anniversary with the opening of its 100th franchised office.

1989 LJ Hooker Limited, the real estate agency subsidiary, is purchased by the Queensland financial institution Suncorp.

1994 Australia's first major real estate agency website, ljhooker.com, is launched.

1996 LJ Hooker Limited purchases the Challenge Realty Group, one of the largest in New Zealand.

2000 Offices are opened in Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong and Shanghai.

2002 The franchise network grows into Indonesia.

2004 The company starts operations in India.

2007 The network expands to Vanuatu and Fiji.

2009 With nearly 700 offices bearing the LJ Hooker name throughout Australasia, LJ Hooker Limited returns to the Hooker Family, having been acquired by Leslie Janusz "LJ" Hooker and his co-investors.

2010 LJ Hooker acquires Harveys real estate group in New Zealand

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