Almost doubling, Harry Triguboff at $10.23 billion in 2015 BRW Rich List

Fifty-three of the 200 people on the forthcoming annual 2015 BRW Rich List are property tycoons.

They include Meriton's Harry Triguboff, whose personal wealth is estimated to be $10.23 billion. He has been on the Rich 200 list since it was first published in 1984, when his net wealth was put as $25 million. The $10.23 billion was almost double last year's $5.5 billion. He was at $4.9 billion in 2013.

Meriton has focused on the apartment sector, but it is increasingly expanding into serviced apartment and also childcare centres, with plans to include 18 child care facilities in its new apartment buildings in the next year.

Meriton last year led Australia in housing starts with 7929 dwelling constructions, about triple the number the year before.

Meriton recorded its biggest ever profits from well over $1 billion worth of apartment sales with Triguboff’s wealth climbing to his highest mark in the 32-year history of the BRW Rich List, at $10.23 billion.

Mr Triguboff says Meriton will sell about 2500 apartments in 2015, mostly Sydney but also on the Gold Coast.

“We could certainly build more but there is only so much you can do with the labour you have,” he told BRW.

Harry Triguboff, 82, also played down chances of him selling all or part of Meriton after fielding approaches from Chinese investors last year, saying he was exploring options within his family for a succession plan.

The property sector this year accounts for 53 people among the 200 on the BRW Rich List, the most of any industry.

The magazine noted several list members, including Toll Holdings founder Paul Little and Nutrimedics co-founders Bill and Imelda Roche, have made their fortunes in other sectors but in more recent years have poured the bulk of their wealth into property.