When Bernie Rees arrived in Canberra in 1939, the city was barely more than a country town of 12,000. Yarralumla was called Westridge, the “Woden Valley” was farmland, and Lake Burley Griffin was still a paddock with a river running through it.
As a boy, Bernie thought he might be a mechanic like his eldest brother, but the cold concrete floors of the Kingston Bus Depot convinced him otherwise. By twelve, he’d set his heart on carpentry. This was a decision that would shape not just his life, but three generations of Rees builders.
At fifteen, Bernie landed an apprenticeship with George Grant and Sons, working on a project at the Australian National University nicknamed the “Bomb Job” because it housed an atom-splitting device. He soaked up lessons from skilled tradesmen, including two German carpenters who taught himcraftsmanship, work ethic — and a little German, most of which he’s now forgotten.
One of Bernie’s favourite stories from those early days involves a jewellery music box he made for his girlfriend’s 18th birthday. A joiner named Joe Horestead helped him perfect it — only to discover years later the gift was for his own granddaughter. That young woman, Joan, became Bernie’s wife in 1959.
After completing further building courses, welding, and business training — and a stint in National Service — Bernie launched his own business in 1960. His first job was a grand Yarralumla home for Colonel Grenfell Windsor. Over the next 56 years, he built houses across Canberra and far beyond, from the Snowy Mountains to the South Coast.
Bernie worked with some of Canberra’s most respected architects, including Dirk Bolt. One Boltdesigned home in Curtin, 128 feet long with a pool and a gargoyle waterspout, remains Bernie’s favourite. It was later destroyed in the 2003 bushfires, a bittersweet reminder of the city’s changes.
In 1963, Bernie joined the Master Builders Association of the ACT, encouraged by then-director David Andrew and President George Anderson. Over the years, he served on committees, mentored apprentices, and became a long-time judge of the Excellence in Building Awards. In 2017, Master Builders ACT recognised his extraordinary by awarding him life membership, an honour reserved for only a handful in the organisation’s 100-year history.
Bernie’s greatest pride, however, is seeing the family tradition continue. His son Geoff started as his apprentice, became a successful builder, and won multiple MBA awards. Geoff’s son, John, followed suit, naming his company R3 Constructions — short for “Rees 3,” celebrating three generations in the trade.
Even now, approaching his 90th birthday in March 2026, Bernie still helps out on projects with Geoff and John. “Seeing them work together in harmony pleases me so much,” he says.
From the days when building plans could sometimes be approved in half an hour, to today’s complex processes and factory-made components, Bernie has seen Canberra, and its building industry, transform completely. Yet his values remain constant: skill, integrity, and passing knowledge to the next generation.
As Master Builders ACT marks its centenary, Bernie stands as a living link between the city’s pioneering builders and its future: a craftsman whose work is written into the very fabric of Canberra.
