Australia’s strata sector is bigger than most people realise. Roughly 4.2 million Australians, about 15% of the population, now live in strata-titled properties, with annual levies collected nationally topping $10 billion, according to the Australasian Strata Insights 2024 Report from UNSW’s City Futures Research Centre and the Strata Community Association. For the Building Managers running these sites day to day, strata management software isn’t a nice-to-have; it’s the difference between reactive firefighting and a well-run, well-documented building.
At The Cannery Apartments in Teneriffe, Brisbane – a heritage conversion of the former IXL Canning Factory known for its exposed brick, riverside location, and resort-style pool and gym, Building Manager Matt Guttormsen has used MYBOS across his properties for nearly a decade, since Version 1 launched in 2017, and rolled it out at The Cannery when he took on the site in 2025. He says it’s non-negotiable: “As a BM, I will not run a site that doesn’t have it or won’t get it.”
The Project Site: The Cannery, Teneriffe
Teneriffe’s riverside precinct is one of Brisbane’s most distinctive urban renewal stories: a stretch of heritage wool stores and industrial buildings turned into some of the city’s most sought-after apartment living. The Cannery sits at the centre of that story; its original brick and timber character preserved alongside modern building infrastructure, communal pools, and landscaped subtropical gardens.
Running a heritage site like this comes with its own complexity: older infrastructure, a mix of owner-occupiers and tenants, and strata committees who expect fast, transparent communication. It’s exactly the kind of building where building management software built for real day-to-day operations, not just asset engineering, makes the difference.
The Cannery’s resort-style pool — part of the heritage IXL Canning Factory conversion
Why The Cannery Chose MYBOS Over Other Building Management Software
“The other options come across as maintenance systems for engineers or high-level asset management, that was really overkill for ‘mum & dad’ building management, which is what most building management sites are. MYBOS includes Communication, Resident Portal features and self-login/update that other systems are not equipped for.”
— Matt Guttormsen, Building Manager, The Cannery Apartments
Key Functionality Driving Day-to-Day Efficiency
Three features come up again and again in how Matt runs his sites day to day:
1. Broadcasting
Mass communication that reaches every resident in seconds. At Mariners Reach, one of Matt’s other complex sites (11 entrances, 11 elevators, 4 basements, and 32 physical noticeboards), manually posting a notice used to take almost 30 minutes, far too slow when responding to an emergency.
2. Cases
The flexibility to raise a Quote, Summary, or Work Order, and amend details, documents, or contacts on the fly, without starting the process over as with other systems the team has used.
3. Voting Poll
Committee approvals completed from a phone in minutes, turning fast decisions into fast action.
Landscaped subtropical gardens within The Cannery precinct
Productivity, Accountability, and the Resident Experience
For Matt, MYBOS’s value shows up in accountability as much as speed:
“Having transparency to instantly show someone when emails were sent, when a WO was sent, or just to show the pool was tested this morning and the proof is there. This maintains accountability and keeps the team honest, so much that autonomy is expected, and micromanagement is not needed at all.”
Being able to create a case, take photos, and email a trade straight from the Cases feature, all while walking the site means nothing waits until he’s back at a desk.
That same transparency flows through to the resident experience. As Matt puts it, residents care less about things occasionally breaking than about being kept informed: “The improvement in communication changes everything in how they feel about their living experience.”
The MYBOS dashboard for The Cannery Apartments, in daily use
The Return on Investment: From Paper-Based Voting to Real Savings
Beyond time saved, MYBOS has delivered a measurable return for The Cannery’s owners’ committee. Before MYBOS, approving maintenance meant a multi-step, paper-based process: the Building Manager prepared quotes, sent them to the Strata Manager, who issued a formal VOC (Voting Outside Committee), circulated it by email, and manually relayed the result back.
With the Voting Poll feature replacing that process, the Committee has saved approximately $15,000 to date, with Matt forecasting $17,000–$19,000 by year’s end. Centralised asset records add a second layer of savings quickly confirming warranty status and service history on an asset avoids costs that Matt notes “could be in the tens of thousands very quickly if not kept in check,” particularly valuable during Building Manager turnover.
“I am not successful because I can remember every little detail, I’m successful because I know where to find everything in a simple to use system that handles everything.”
The Cannery precinct, Teneriffe — Brisbane
Why MYBOS Remains the Cannery’s Preferred Building Management Software
Matt recommends MYBOS often, and his advice to other Building Managers and committees is simple: use it properly.
“Use the system to its full potential. It’s there to help you, to remind you, and to assist your efficiency. MYBOS is intuitive and it’s as simple as you want it to be. I am not successful because I can remember every little detail, I’m successful because I know where to find everything in a simple to use system that handles everything.”
Matt Guttormsen, Building Manager, The Cannery Apartments
Curious what a centralised building management platform could save your committee? Book a free personalised MYBOS demo today and see why Building Managers across Australia from heritage sites like The Cannery to large-scale developments like Sydney’s Central Park, rely on MYBOS to keep every job, dollar, and decision accounted for.
