Arriving in New Norfolk in 1980 with a wife and six children Jim fell in love with the Derwent Valley. Working first in Glenorchy before joining what was Australian News Print Mills now Norske Skog. In 1983 he ventured into Real Estate in the Valley and the rest is history. Real Estate New Norfolk and the Derwent Valley and Jim just all came together as successful team. His first foray seen him put New Norfolk on the map before he went to Hamilton and opened a general store. His second foray into Real Estate in 1987/88 seen him become L.J.Hookers top residential salesperson with his New Norfolk office being the Top all round office for the state of Tasmania. In 1990 Roberts bought him out and he moved out of town. After spending 5 plus years in the Goodwood news agency a short spell with Roberts Glenorchy and a couple of years on the mainland he was drawn back to New Norfolk and the Derwent Valley to start over again in 2002. Derwent Valley Real Estate is now the leading agents in the Valley employing 5 sales people and receptionist and many others directly and indirectly. Jim became President of the Chamber of Commerce, Chair of the Business Alliance, on the board of Spatial Planning, on the board of the Councils special committee for the redevelopment of Willow Court and Valley Vision. Recently he was elected to serve on the Derwent Valley Council. A great believer in giving back to the community that supports him Jim via his company has supported nearly every club school and organisation in the Valley in some manner or other.
Jim has completed in 2004 his Diploma of Property, In 2007 was one of the first graduates from the of Auction Academy, is on the committee of FIABCI the international Real Estate Federation and has spoken at Real Estate Conferences in Indonesia and China as well as giving many local talks. He is also a member of Real Estate Institutes of Tasmania and Australia.
On a personal note Jim is married to Jesangel (Ally). Ally comes from Singapore and is of Indian descent. Ally is very bubbly and colourful and can speak sixteen languages. She is very supportive of Jim in most things he aspires to.
My wife and I decided on a seachange back in 1990 before any one knew what a seachange was. We were sick and tired of the rat race of Sydney, and decided we would move to Tasmania for a cooler climate and a clean green environment. We short listed some areas but just fell in Love with the Derwent Valley and moved lock stock and barrel to the Lachlan Area on a few acres where we brought up our 3 children over next 13 years.
We knew we had discovered something special, New Norfolk had everything we needed and an amazing 200 year history as well. The River here is one of most beautiful spots in Australia, and the town has a good choice of schools, shopping, pubs clubs, restaurants and cafes. And if thats not enough, Hobart is just 25 minutes easy drive.
Well the man who sold me my 1st house in Tasmania, Jim Elliott, is now my boss and I inherited his job when he sold his business to another real estate company way back in 1990. Thats how I got into real estate, and I soon realized that if I could not drive trains for a living (my first love) then real estate was a very close second. After an absence of over ten years Jim returned to the valley and set up Derwent Real Estate and I rejoined him. That was almost 5 years ago ( March 2003) and since then we’ve made a great team, both completed the Diploma of Property (2005) and become registered Real Estate Agents, members of the REIT and the international real estate organization FIABCI.
Now I mentioned my love of trains and a desire to drive them, well it so happen there is the Derwent Valley Railway in New Norfolk. A volunteer tourist railway with its headquarters in Station St New Norfolk. Naturally I joined, and have since realized my boy hood dream to drive trains. I’m not yet a driver in my own right, but a learner driver, a fireman/2nd engine man in railway parlance but I still get to drive occasionally under instruction through our beautiful valley, over the Derwent River and up to Mt Field National Park.
It’s no wonder I’m so passionate about the valley, its fabulous place to live and its still affordable too. Where else in the world could you be in the World Heritage wilderness in just 30 minutes in one direction, or the convenience of a great little capital city just 30 minutes in the other. Only in Tasmania!! Only in the Derwent Valley.!!
