10 minutes with… The Living Company founder Craig Carracher
Through his business, The Living Company, Craig Carracher operates a plethora of accommodation hubs in Adelaide, including student accommodation towers under the Scape brand. The Sydney-based CEO speaks to Business Insight about his fears that the merged university is “preoccupied with its own merger governance issues” weeks out from its launch.
Tell me about Scape and how it stands out in the busy student accommodation market.
Scape is Australia’s market leader in purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA), Australia’s largest owner operator and home to more than 19,000 students. What sets us apart is our focus on creating more than just a place to live – we design thriving communities where students feel safe, supported, and inspired. Our scale allows us to invest in cutting-edge design, sustainability, and wellbeing programs that elevate the student experience well beyond traditional accommodation. We also have incredible people show up to support the next generation of leaders.
There are a number of student accommodation projects being constructed or approved to be constructed in Adelaide right now. How much demand remains to be satisfied?
Adelaide is on the cusp of a significant growth wave. With the merger of its universities and the state’s ambitious international education strategy, backed by Peter Malinauskas, who recently travelled to China to work on strengthening SA’s education and business ties, the need for high-quality PBSA is only increasing. The city’s positioning as a global education hub means the pipeline of student accommodation is not only warranted, but essential, to meet the scale of future demand.
What role does the University merger in SA play in terms of growing demand and is Scape looking to take advantage of that?
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The merger will create Australia’s largest university – a game-changer for South Australia’s economy. It will attract more domestic and international students, boost research output, and enhance the state’s reputation globally. Globally, University towns Stanford, Lausanne, Oxford have proven economic impact in the billions and seen how transformative this growth can be. Scape is uniquely positioned to support this evolution, ensuring Adelaide has the world-class infrastructure to welcome and house these students.
However, we do call on the merged entity to ensure it is not preoccupied with its own merger governance issues when it should now be aggressively in market and in particular in Asia. Students not only back quality of education but they back quality of lifestyle and Adelaide has a natural competitive advantage globally but can squander that if they don’t double down on their engagement now, just weeks from their launch.
What do you think international students and other users of student accommodation want from student accommodation in 2025?
Students in 2025 are looking for enhanced security solutions, flexibility, connection, and convenience. We’ve evolved our offering over time, recognising growing interest in both private studios and more communal living options. International student markets are diversifying, meaning cultural expectations vary – so we adapt design and experience, teams on the ground and our communications are always evolving to connect. This is a capital-intensive investment and we must see that the University sector and particularly the merged University, is focused on its deliverables and its student experience or our capital partners will not support our investment thesis.
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You’ve recently partnered with the Beach Volleyball World Championships – why is that a good fit for Scape?
Scape has proudly supported volleyball for years, and the partnership with BVWC was a natural fit. Volleyball is one of the most inclusive, diverse, and globally popular sports, it is non-contact, gender equal, an Olympic pedigree sport and one that has a proud tradition in Adelaide which has hosted the national training centre since before the Sydney 2000 gold medal success of the sport – these are values and aspirations that strongly align with our own.
We’re proud to provide a home for athletes and to play a role in growing the sport’s visibility in Australia. The FIVB (international governing body for volleyball) partnership is the culmination of years of commitment and reflects Scape’s belief in community, inclusivity, and global connection.
I’m a volleyballer, it captured my heart years ago and I’m also the proud father of an Olympic volleyballer. The sport is one of the fastest growing locally and see us entering the golden era of the sport.
It’s extremely disappointing not to see the University sector engaged in any material way when the largest global viewership and audience for the sport is in our direct student markets like China, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and India.
What’s your top tip for leaders?
Leadership is about vision and empathy in equal measure. Always think big – about how your organisation can shape an industry or even a city – but never lose sight of the people you serve. Listening to customers, partners, and your own team is the most powerful way to lead with authenticity and impact. High-performance attitudes are exemplified by our Olympic athletes and those mindsets drive our business and our leadership style.
