Jim Aitken, a giant of Penrith business and politics, passes away

Former Mayor Jim Aitken has passed away.
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Jim Aitken, the prominent local real estate icon, community champion and former Mayor, has died.

Aitken had been battling illness for some time, and formally resigned as a Penrith Councillor last year.

He was 76.

Jim Aitken in 2021.

Aitken was elected to Penrith City Council in 1995 and subsequently re-elected to represent South Ward in 1999, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2021. He served as Mayor in 2008-09, and twice as Deputy Mayor.

But he is best known for his business interests, building Jim Aitken + Partners into the most recognisable real estate brand in Penrith.

He opened his first real estate office at age 49, with David Reeves, in the Lennox Shopping Centre in Emu Plains.

Jim Aitken having a laugh during his time as Mayor.

“He was a wonderful human being and a man from humble beginnings that really just had a heart bigger than himself,” Reeves told the Weekender this morning.

“He was a selfless individual who put others before himself.

“He was a dynamic thinker and a very successful business person and a person who thought differently from normal and had a determination to make life better for the people that he came across.”

Jim Aitken (second from left) was a butcher by trade.

Reeves said he was “privileged” to have “lived some life with Jim”.

“Life was better once you got to know Jim. You were better for the relationship and better for the experience,” he said.

Born in the Central West of New South Wales, Aitken moved to Penrith with his family in 1959. A butcher by trade, he tried his hand as a fireman, taxi driver, garbologist and property developer before landing in the real estate industry. He managed a butcher shop in Penrith Plaza when it first opened in 1971, and bought two shops of his own in 1972.

Jim Aitken (fourth from left) with the Penrith Fire Brigade in 1970. Photo: Penrith City Library.

Aitken gave back to the community significantly through his church community and Penrith Valley Rotary Club, where he spearheaded Penrith’s annual Carols by Candlelight for many years. He has also been a strong advocate in assisting children with disabilities.

Aitken became one of the largest private sector employers in Penrith, with multiple offices spread across the region. The legacy of the Jim Aitken + Partners brand remains in force today with offices across Penrith, trading as Aitken RE.

In an interview, Aitken once said: “I always maintained a vision to make a positive contribution to my community. Through our business and my role as councilor, I feel blessed to be able to serve those individuals in need and support the many schools, sporting groups, churches and charity organisations that in turn serve us all.”

Jim Aitken in Penrith in 2013.

Aitken, a recipient of the Order of Australia Medal, leaves behind a wife and three children, as well as grandchildren.

He had been battling illness for some time, and resigned as a Councillor in 2023.

Troy Dodds

Troy Dodds is the Weekender's Managing Editor and Breaking News Reporter. He has more than 20 years experience as a journalist, working with some of Australia's leading media organisations. In 2023, he was named Editor of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.


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