Property developer Peter O'Mara embroiled in legal battle as business empire crumbles

Property developer Peter O’Mara has been embroiled in a Federal Court battle after building company Tamawood alleged O’Mara’s collapsed project management group Habitare breached intellectual property laws.

O’Mara made headlines earlier last year when millions of dollars’ worth of art was stolen from his Darling Point home. He claimed later the theft was a set-up.

The court battle comes as a number of O’Mara’s businesses have been placed into either receivership or administration, including aged-care facility Pinevale Villas Lismore.

Tamawood has reportedly accused Habitare, which collapsed into receivership last month, of breaching copyright by using some of its intellectual property in building designs.

This comes as Habitare, along with several other businesses owned by O’Mara, have been placed into receivership.

Ernst & Young receiver Justin Walsh did not respond to requests for comment.

It is understood that McGrath Nicol administrators John Cronin and Jamie Harris have also been appointed. The pair were also contacted, but no reply was available before publication.

O’Mara’s aged-care facility Pinevale Villas Lismore also collapsed into receivership last month.

O’Mara said last year that the theft of 18 pieces of art worth over $2 million was likely a set-up and that “I think it’s been set up for a while”.

"It's a gut feeling, but the whole thing had to be set up – I think it's been set up for a while," he told the Daily Telegraph. "Not many people knew the artworks were here. You can't exactly see them from the road."

O’Mara has previously served as a director of Eyecare Partners, which operates a number of optometry centres throughout the country, although he resigned from that role in September 2007.

His main focus has been on building and construction, working in the industry for over 30 years. In 1993 he started Hunter Johnson, a property development group, which mainly focused on the south-east Queensland area.

O’Mara started Habitare in 2000, focusing on external builders and residential developments.

This article originally appeared on SmartCompany.