New Leadership as Living Gems Set to Launch $710 Million of New Over-50s Communities

Land lease communities (LLC) developer Living Gems has appointed a new leadership team as it prepares to launch three new over-50s communities, worth a combined $710 million, this year. 

Anthony Puljich has taken the helm of the Queensland family-owned business, founded by his father Peter Puljich in 1982, as Chief Executive Officer, while long-term staff member Jacinta Fraser has been appointed Chief Operating Officer. 

The appointments follow the separation of Living Gems from GemLife, which floated on the ASX in July (2025), with former CEO Adrian Puljich now solely focused on the publicly-listed GemLife.  

They also mark a new era for Living Gems, which divested all 13 established communities and sites for a total $495 million in deals with Stockland and Avid Property Group in 2023 and 2024. 

Living Gems will launch its new over-50s communities in Queensland’s Townsville and Rockhampton in the coming months, after receiving development approval for both, with a third community in Moreton Bay anticipated to launch this year. 

Anthony Puljich joined Living Gems as General Manager in mid-2024, after a professional career as a specialist periodontist in one of Queensland’s most successful dental practices. 

Ms Fraser joined in 2017 and has held a number of roles with the business, most recently as General Manager of Operations for Living Gems and GemLife. She’s also on the UDIA Seniors Living Committee QLD and Property Council QLD’s Retirement Living Committee. 

Anthony Puljich said his personal connection to the business, along with the commercial acumen he developed in his professional career, underscored his leadership. 

“Living Gems is a business I’ve grown up around and that’s always been close to my heart. I couldn’t be prouder to head this new era in its history,” he said. 

“The values my father instilled of delivering high quality homes, and a lifestyle that’s second to none, remain. He pioneered over-50s lifestyle resorts and continually raised the bar in their design — and that’s a legacy we’ll continue to uphold. 

“With an ageing population, providing quality housing for older Australians has never been more important, and we believe land lease communities are a key solution.  

“We have a pipeline of close to 1000 homes to bring to market in Queensland this year, with future communities planned for Yeppoon and Northern New South Wales anticipated for 2027 and beyond. 

“We also remain on the acquisition trail, with a focus on adding sites in growth regions favoured by older Australians along the Eastern Seaboard, to our pipeline.” 

Living Gems received approval in May (2025) for its $210 million, 295-home Living Gems Harris Crossing over-50s resort in Bohle Plains, Townsville. Early site works have already commenced, with the first stage anticipated to launch late year. 

Last month (July 2025), the green light was given for its $360 million, 505-home Living Gems Rockhampton community in Parkhurst, with construction earmarked to begin in September (2025). 

The third community, located in Moreton Bay, has a headline value of $140 million and potential to deliver 186 homes. 

All are land lease communities and will feature low-maintenance, sustainable homes, complemented by lifestyle amenities such as resort-style pools, bowling alleys, workshops, golf simulators, cinemas, pickleball courts, lawn bowls, dog runs and RV parking.  

In land lease communities, homeowners own their home and rent their land through a weekly site fee. There are no entry and exit fees, stamp duty or deferred management fees, which are often associated with retirement villages.