Ross Whiston, owner of Ray White Gawler East, has recreated the group’s beloved foundation stone, The Shed, in his Adelaide office.
The proud auctioneer said he had always been drawn to the story and significance of the original shed in Crows Nest, the small country town in regional Queensland where Ray White himself began the business in 1902.
“More than just a structure, the shed symbolises the origins of our network: humble, hardworking and built on the values of service, integrity, and community,” said Mr Whiston, who is also a Chairman’s Elite level performer in the leading group.
“Over the years, I had often thought about recreating the shed as a way of honouring the legacy of the White family and what the brand stands for.
“With the growth of our auction business and the opening of our in-room auction space, it finally felt like the right time.”
The corrugated iron design pays tribute to Ray White’s beginnings. It’s a nod to where it all started and a reminder that even the most remarkable journeys begin in the most modest of places.
“We hope that everyone who walks into the room feels the same sense of pride, purpose, and potential that the original shed continues to inspire,” Mr Whiston said.
The sign writing was undertaken by a local artist from Gawler, Kyle Armstrong of Whale Tale Art. Ross’s brother, photographer and content creator, Scott Whiston of Estate Content Group, beautifully captured the first auction.
“Kyle finished painting at 5:15am Saturday morning and we called our first auction at 8:30am. 20 Holness Ave, Gawler East which sold under the hammer for $650,000 with 4 registered bidders,” Mr Whiston said.
Year to date Ray White Gawler East has held 115 auctions, a 75 per cent jump on the year prior. Ross Whiston has been an auctioneer for seven years.
“The previous Ray White Gawler principal Peter Souter really encouraged me to get into auctioneering. He felt it would make me a real point of difference agent in the market and fit the Ray White culture. John Morris was another inspirational person behind my step into auctioneering, and has also been a great mentor to me,” he said.
“It definitely makes us stand out. We list more homes than any other office in our area, with a high percentage going to auction. Other agencies around us are traditionally private treaty agencies.
“Another motivator behind the in room auction room was to encourage young agents within our office to embrace auction culture, really understand how auction campaigns work for our vendors and make us the competition creators, and also to give auctioneering a go themselves. “
Not many businesses in the world can pinpoint exactly where they start.
But Ray White can.
Ray White opened his first office in 1902. He was a young man, in his early 20s and with a restless spirit that was always part of him.
He sensed an opportunity to make use of the railway terminal siding at Crows Nest, north west of Toowoomba.
It was here that he launched his auctioneering business in this shed.
Ray White Chairman, Brian White AO, says this humble shed was where it all began for the group when his grandfather Ray White opened the business in 1902.
“I still get goosebumps every time I visit the property.”
This small corrugated iron shed holds such a special place in the history of one of the country’s most respected family businesses and real estate companies — the Ray White Group.
