What Gardian does

Gardian is a privately held, family-owned financial services group headquartered in Mackay, Queensland, Australia, operating under the Phillips family's ownership since its founding in 2000 as a Phillips Mortgage Choice franchise. The group delivers five integrated service lines through sub-brands Gardian Finance, Gardian Insurance, Gardian Financial Planning, Gardian Real Estate, and Gardian Commercial: mortgage broking with access to over 30 lenders, personal and business insurance broking, financial planning, residential real estate sales and property management, and commercial real estate sales and leasing. The firm operates from a 2026-relocated headquarters at 11-13 Gordon St., Mackay, employing between 51 and 100 staff.

The business model is primarily commission and fee based, with mortgage broking and insurance brokerage earning referral commissions from lenders and underwriters, real estate transactions earning transaction fees on completed sales, property management earning recurring management fees on rental income, and financial planning combining fees and product commissions. The go-to-market motion is sales-led and community-embedded, relying on direct personal relationships, local radio advertising, an active content marketing site, social media (notably a dedicated Gardian Commercial Facebook page), and long-tenured community partnerships such as a near-decade-long employee giving program with the Mackay Community Foundation. There is no proprietary technology platform disclosed; the firm runs on standard industry software for broking, insurance, financial planning, and real estate management.

Gardian serves individuals, families, and small-to-medium local businesses in the Mackay region, positioning itself as a one-stop shop with the brand promise of 'We Talk To You' and emphasizing personalized, locally rooted advice over digital or institutional alternatives. The company holds regulatory memberships including the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) and subscribes to the Insurance Brokers Code of Practice and Steadfast Customer Advocacy. Customer concentration is low and distributed across the regional consumer base, with named clients including individual households and at least one commercial property developer (Mackay City Property Developments). The firm celebrated its 25th anniversary on March 28, 2025, and shows no external institutional ownership, no public funding rounds, and no disclosed revenue.

Name

Gardian

Legal name

Gardian Insurance Services Pty Ltd

Website

https://gardian.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Gardian is a family-owned financial services group in Mackay, Australia, offering mortgage broking, insurance, financial planning, residential and commercial real estate, and property management to individuals, families, and local businesses across the Mackay region since 2000.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Diversified Financial Services

NAICS

Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers (522310), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers (5312)

SIC

Loan Brokers (6163), Investment Advice (6282), Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531)

akta.pro primary industry

Retail Residential Mortgage Brokers (Purchase & Refinance) (FSALABAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Mortgage & Loan Introducers (Residential & Commercial) (FSAEAMAA)

Keywords

• Mortgage broking services
• Insurance brokerage
• Residential real estate
• Financial planning
• Property management

Headquarters

HQ city

Mackay

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Finance and Home Loans: Mortgage broking services where Gardian Finance acts as an intermediary between borrowers and lenders. The company has access to over 30 top lenders and earns commission from successfully placed loans. Services are described as 'at no cost' to customers, indicating commission-based compensation paid by lenders.
2. Insurance Brokerage: Insurance brokerage services providing personal and business insurance solutions. Gardian Insurance brokers earn commissions from insurance providers. The company offers free, no-obligation consultations and operates as a subscriber to the Insurance Brokers Code of Practice.
3. Financial Planning: Fee-for-service financial planning and advisory services. Provides trustworthy and affordable financial advice to Australians, with services tailored to individual lifestyles. Compensation model likely includes both fees and product commissions.
4. Real Estate Sales: Residential and commercial real estate sales with agents earning commission on completed transactions. The company also handles property management as an ongoing service.
5. Property Management: Ongoing property management services for residential and investment properties, likely earning a percentage of rental income as management fees.
6. Commercial Sales and Leasing: Commercial real estate sales and leasing services. Commission-based on commercial property transactions, as evidenced by the $10 million Paget retail sale brokered by Mark Kelly.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Gardian is a family-owned financial services group operating in Mackay, Queensland, offering five core service lines under one roof: mortgage broking (with access to 30+ lenders), insurance brokerage (personal and business), financial planning, residential real estate sales and property management, and commercial real estate sales and leasing. The company delivers these services to individuals, families, and local businesses through face-to-face consultations, phone-based advisory, and a community-embedded sales-led model.

Product overview

Gardian is a comprehensive financial services group offering a unified portfolio of services under one roof. The company operates five core service lines: Gardian Finance (home loans/mortgage broking with access to over 30 lenders), Gardian Insurance (personal and business insurance broking), Gardian Financial Planning, Gardian Real Estate (residential property buying, selling, and management), and Commercial Real Estate and Leasing. Founded in 2000 as a Phillips Mortgage Choice franchise, the company has expanded through organic growth and service additions, achieving over 26 years of operation supporting individuals, families, and businesses in Mackay, Queensland.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Gardian Finance: Home loans and finance services with access to over 30 top lenders
• Gardian Insurance
• Gardian Real Estate
• Gardian Financial Planning
• Gardian Commercial

Products and services

• Gardian Real Estate Residential real estate services in Mackay including property buying, selling, and management. Expert team manages complexities for clients to ensure smooth, stress-free experiences.
• Gardian Finance / Home Loans Home loan and mortgage broking services with access to over 30 top lenders, providing finding services at no cost to help clients find the right loan.
• Gardian Insurance Insurance broking services offering free, no-obligation consultations to help find the best business or personal insurance solutions. Operates as a subscriber to the Insurance Brokers Code of Practice.
• Gardian Financial Planning Financial planning services providing trustworthy and affordable financial advice to Australians, with tailored solutions for individual lifestyles including KiwiSaver/super transfer, SMSF property lending, retirement planning, estate planning, and tax efficiency strategies.
• Commercial Real Estate and Leasing Commercial real estate sales and leasing services offering lucrative investment opportunities including property purchases, tenant leasing, and steady rental income generation for investors and businesses.
• Property Management Ongoing property management services for residential and investment properties in the Mackay region, handling tenant relations, property maintenance coordination, and rental yield optimization for property investors.

Quantifiable outcome

• Access to over 30 top lenders for home loan products

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Mackay Community FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 February 2025Gardian has maintained an employee giving program in partnership with Mackay Community Foundation for nearly 10 years. Denise Phillips serves as a community ambassador for the 'Mackay, Give Where You Live' employee giving program, which allows payroll deduction donations pooled and invested by the Foundation for community grants. The company actively promotes this program to other local businesses.
• Steadfast Customer AdvocacyminorOthersInsurance services subscribe to Steadfast Customer Advocacy service which provides Steadfast Brokers' clients with support, advice, and assistance regarding customer satisfaction. Acts as escalation pathway for unresolved complaints.
• Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA)coreOthersGardian Insurance Services is a member of the Australian Financial Complaints Authority, a free consumer service for independent assessment of complaints. Part of their regulatory compliance framework.
• GIB (Mortgage Choice/Lendi Group)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOriginally founded as a Phillips Mortgage Choice franchise, Gardian Finance operates within the GIB (formerly Mortgage Choice/Lendi Group) network, providing access to their lender panel of over 30 institutions and regulatory framework for mortgage broking.
• Insurance Brokers Code of Practice (NIBA)coreOthersGardian Insurance Services subscribes to the Insurance Brokers Code of Practice administered by NIBA (National Insurance Brokers Association), demonstrating commitment to professional standards and consumer protections.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• REA Group: Operator of realestate.com.au and adjacent property data, advertising, and financial services platforms. Adjacent rather than directly competitive: comparable in serving property buyers and sellers in Australia, but as a digital property marketplace infrastructure provider rather than a broker.

Direct peers

• Raine & Horne: Australian real estate and property services group with regional and metropolitan coverage. Comparable in offering residential and commercial real estate alongside complementary property services, with a regional footprint profile similar to Gardian.
• AFG (Australian Finance Group): Australian mortgage aggregator serving brokerages across the country. Comparable to Gardian in connecting borrowers with a panel of lenders, with similar commission economics and reliance on broker-led distribution.
• Aussie Home Loans: Australia's largest retail mortgage broker, also offering insurance, financial planning, and real estate referrals. Directly comparable to Gardian Finance in broker-led lending, with a much larger national footprint and similar cross-sell ambition.
• LJ Hooker: Australian real estate franchise group with adjacent financial services referrals. Comparable to Gardian in bundling property services with finance and insurance referrals through a community-rooted brand, though LJ Hooker is nationally distributed.
• Ray White: Large Australasian real estate network that also offers financial services (loan referrals, insurance). Comparable to Gardian's combined real estate + finance offering, but operating at national scale with a franchise model.
• Mortgage Choice (Lendi Group): National mortgage broker aggregator of which Gardian Finance is a franchisee via the GIB network. Same foundational business model (introducer brokerage with panel lender access) and target customer (home loan shoppers), with comparable commission revenue mechanics.

Broad incumbents

• Steadfast Group: Largest Australian insurance broker network, of which Gardian Insurance is a member (Steadfast Customer Advocacy). Comparable in broking personal and business insurance, with a vastly larger national footprint and panel leverage.
• Elders: Australian rural services group offering diversified financial, real estate, and advisory services across regional Australia. Comparable multi-service regional model to Gardian, with much broader geographic reach and product breadth.

Regional players

• Bendigo Bank: Australia's largest regional bank, deeply embedded in regional and rural communities with retail banking, lending, and insurance. Comparable community-positioning with Gardian, though operating as a deposit-taking institution rather than as a broker; serves overlapping regional customer base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/gardiangroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gardiangroup

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Gardian