With the smell of brand-new leather seats, the roar of a 4-cylinder turbo, and the wind whipping past the open top of a bright red BMW Z4 sDrive20 on a sunny spring day, Barry Plant’s BMW Drive Day had begun.
Each year, Barry Plant’s Pinnacle Club is made up of the top 30 sales agents from the previous 12 months across the network.
The Pinnacle Club recognises the outstanding work of these exceptional agents at the top of their industry and rewards them with experiences like Drive Day.
In partnership with BMW Doncaster, Barry Plant’s Drive Day saw Pinnacle Club members pairing up and driving a convoy of new-to-market luxury BMWs through the picturesque Dandenong Ranges before stopping for lunch at the idyllic Levantine Hill Estate.
One such 2024 Pinnacle Club member is Gabriel Nigro, a first-time inductee who made the top 30 agents at Barry Plant after an exceptional year of property sales at the Berwick office.
Driving down the M3 in a red convertible BMW Z4 sDrive20, Gabriel grinned as he sipped his latte and explained that while this was his first Pinnacle Club Drive Day, it would also be his last.
“I’ve got to soak it up while I can!
I had an amazing year in terms of sales, and I can’t thank the team at Berwick enough for helping me achieve Pinnacle Club status,” Mr Nigro said.
“Unfortunately, I’ll be ineligible for Pinnacle next year, as I made the difficult decision to leave the Berwick office after seven years to become the Sales Director at Barry Plant Mornington.”
After seven years of exceptional service as a Licensed Estate Agent and Auctioneer at Barry Plant Berwick, Gabriel Nigro is now turning his attention south to take on a new challenge as Sales Director at Barry Plant Mornington.
A Berwick native, Nigro grew up in the area and used his deep, personal understanding of the region to serve the community with care and passion.
Determined to become a real estate agent, Nigro wasted no time after high school to make his dream a reality.
“I printed out 10 resumes, put on the suit I wore to my Year 12 formal, and went to every real estate agency in Berwick,” he said.
Every agency knocked me back, wouldn’t even entertain a serious conversation—except one: Barry Plant.
In all honesty, they probably should’ve knocked me back too—it was a very cheap suit!” Mr Nigro laughed.
Barry Plant Berwick took a chance on Gabriel Nigro, and it paid off.
Starting as a Sales Cadet, Nigro put his head down and worked hard.
Opting to work on commission only, forgoing a retainer, he learned from the best in the Berwick office.
Now, at just 26 years old, he ranks among the top 30 agents in the entire Barry Plant network.
Nigro attributes much of his success to the mentorship of Barry Plant Berwick Directors Dan O’Loughlin and Matt Ketteringham, as well as former Berwick Director, Paul Dabb.
“Before the opportunity to become a director came up, I’d never considered leaving my home suburb of Berwick,” he said.
Paul gave me an incredible opportunity, and Dan and Matt provided me with such great support and guidance—I’ll be forever grateful to them.
I’m less grateful for this truck in front of us, though.
BMWs aren’t meant to be enjoyed at 40 km/h staring at cranky sheep,” Nigro joked, gesturing to the livestock truck struggling up the hill ahead of the Z4.
Throughout the day, agents swapped between cars to experience all the grandeur and quality that BMW Doncaster had to offer.
After enjoying the magnificent BMW i4 M50 Gran Coupe, M4 Coupe, X6 M60i and X5M Competition, the convoy rolled into Levantine Hill Estate, a stunning winery nestled in the rolling hills of Coldstream, just an hour from Melbourne.
At Levantine Hill Estate, the Pinnacle Club was treated to a behind-the-scenes tour of the winery.
The group learned about Levantine’s winemaking process, viewed their exceptional array of wines, and walked the immaculate grounds before settling in for lunch.
Levantine Hill’s restaurant is an architectural marvel designed by Fender Katsalidis Architects, the same firm behind the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) in Tasmania.
The building evokes wine barrels with its rounded edges and timber finishes, offering patrons sweeping views of the surrounding hills.
Seated in a private room overlooking the winery grounds, the Pinnacle Club enjoyed a mouth-watering lunch that included Turkish beef manti, butterleaf and wild hibiscus salad, and petit pavlova with locally grown strawberries, paired with a selection of Levantine Hill’s remarkable wines.
As lunch progressed, Gabriel Nigro reflected on his difficult decision to leave Barry Plant Berwick after seven years to take on a director role at the Mornington office.
“Honestly, I never saw myself leaving the Berwick office; that area is home to me.
But when the opportunity to step into the Sales Director role at Mornington came up, I saw it as the next big challenge to sink my teeth into,” Mr Nigro said.
Mornington has experienced real growth over the past 12 months, with the median house price rising by 4.5 per cent.
The chance to step into a growth market in the Sales Director role and work alongside Barry Plant Mornington Director Danae Eden was an exciting prospect for Mr Nigro.
“Mornington is such a beautiful area, and it’s been so well serviced by Danae for years now.
“Teaming up with her has been a perfect fit so far, and I can’t wait to see what we can achieve in this growing market,” Mr Nigro said.
With lunch concluded, Nigro drove a grey XM Red Label out of the Coldstream hills and back towards Melbourne with a smile.
“We’re going to shake things up in Mornington. Exciting things are coming – you’ll see,” he said.
While Gabriel Nigro won’t be part of the 2025 Pinnacle Club, a new group of top agents will enjoy the perks of being at the top of their field.
The Barry Plant BMW Drive Day was more than just an unforgettable experience—it underscored the network’s commitment to recognising and rewarding hard work.
For Nigro, it marked a transition—celebrating his past successes at Berwick while embracing new opportunities at Mornington.
With leaders like Nigro driving change, the future of Barry Plant looks bright.
