On Thursday 23 April, over 160 guests gathered at The Trust in Melbourne’s Flinders Lane to celebrate 6 decades of Millar Merrigan. It was a black-tie affair, with professional photography on arrival, floral styling, shared food and drinks, and plenty of time to talk, laugh and reconnect. 

More than the setting, though, it was the room itself that made the night. For the first time in several years, we brought our whole community together – not just our team, but the partners who support them. It was a rare and welcome chance to reconnect as one group, and to celebrate a milestone that belongs to all of us. 

‘It’s amazing to see staff, partners and friends of Millar Merrigan together to celebrate this massive occasion,’ said Scott McJannet, director at Millar Merrigan, who opened the evening and encouraged everyone to step outside their comfort zone and get to know the people behind the colleagues they work with every day. 

Sixty years in rare company

Sixty years is a long time in any industry. In land development and professional consultancy, it is genuinely rare.

Starting as a small land surveying firm in Croydon, Millar Merrigan has grown into a multidisciplinary consultancy working across 3 locations in Victoria. Our work now reaches the full development cycle with expertise across planning, design, engineering and project delivery. Through 6 decades of change, one thing has stayed constant: a commitment to thoughtful, high-quality work and lasting relationships.

A milestone built on people

If there was one theme to the evening, it was that Millar Merrigan’s story has always been a story about people.

Managing director Simon Merrigan reflected that the night was not just about marking time, but about recognising how the business has been shaped – not just by projects or plans, but by the people who built our firm, led our teams and stood alongside one another through decades of change. ‘The DNA of Millar Merrigan flows directly from its people and its leadership,’ he told the room.

A slideshow of photographs threaded through the evening offered a trip down memory lane: colleagues, families, friendships, and plenty of moments of both hard work and celebration. More than 400 people have been a part of Millar Merrigan across our 60 years, and a growing honour board of those who have reached 15 years and beyond speaks volumes to the culture and loyalty we work to inspire. In a lovely coincidence, 2 of our people, Sean Ryan and Lyn Van Der Zwart, even share their 60th birthday year with Millar Merrigan!

Launching the Icons Hall of Fame

The centrepiece of the evening was the launch of something new: the Millar Merrigan Icons Hall of Fame. The honour recognises individuals whose contributions helped shape the firm’s values, culture and reputation, and whose influence continues to be felt long after decisions were made or projects delivered.

Three inaugural Icons were inducted on the night. Peter Merrigan, our founder, was recognised posthumously, with Simon reflecting on the single-minded strength of purpose and the deep commitment to people, place and community that continue to sit at the very foundation of the business. Jamie Kenyon was honoured for the leadership, judgement and quiet presence he brought across 4 decades, and Brad Terjesen for the craft, standards and professional integrity that still shape our surveying work today.

Each induction was a genuine highlight, and we’ll be sharing more of Jamie’s and Brad’s stories in the coming weeks. Director Chris Constantine brought the formal proceedings to a close before the cutting of the cake, thanking the inductees and everyone who has contributed to the story we were there to celebrate.

Thank you to everyone who made the night

A night like this does not come together on its own. Enormous thanks go to our social committee and to everyone across the business who gave their time to make the evening such a success – the thought and care that went into every detail was felt by all who were there.

We’re also grateful to the partners who helped bring the night to life: The Trust as our venue, The Goodsmiths as our event planners, Art of Grace for photography and videography, Anatomy of Flowers for the floral styling, and Technical Events for entertainment and AV.

Without these teams, we would not have been able to celebrate this achievement with the grace and style our people deserved.

Looking forward

Reaching 60 years is, in many ways, a reflection of the collective effort behind it: the teams, clients and partners who have contributed over time. It is a reminder that the work has never been done in isolation, but through collaboration, trust and shared purpose.

As the milestone passes, our focus turns forward. We’ll carry the same care, integrity and dedication into what comes next – one meaningful chapter closed, and another already underway.

Sixty years of shared history, enduring partnerships and steady, considered growth, built by the people who make Millar Merrigan what it is. If you’d like to be part of the next chapter, whether as a client, partner or future team member, we’d love to talk. Get in touch with our team today.