driver
From the flight deck of jetliners to the forefront of innovation, Justin Miller’s career has been built, and defined, by precision, vision, and an unrelenting drive to push boundaries, both on the ground and in the sky.
On paper, Justin Miller might be the principal and owner the RE/MAX Regency franchise in Robina, but don’t let the title fool you. Behind the polished realtor exterior is a man of many gears. The Cessna Citation Jet and Mercedes-Benz G 450 d in the background aren’t props; they’re passions. Justin is an entrepreneur, innovator, and aviator who understands engines as well as he understands ambition.
“My personal philosophy, whether I’m flying an aircraft or leading a business, has been to build with purpose, lead with integrity and always look beyond the horizon.”
The G-Wagon is a personal favourite for Justin, and this 2025 diesel edition G 450 d proves why.
Joining the Mercedes-Benz G-Class lineup alongside the Mercedes-AMG G 63 and the electric G 580 with EQ Technology, this model packs an uprated version of the G 400 d’s 3.0-litre turbo-diesel inline six-cylinder; effortless power wrapped in unmistakable G-Class presence.
The G 450 d now delivers up to an impressive 270 kW and 750 Nm, boosted by a 48-volt mild-hybrid system.
Beneath its iconic exterior, the G 450 d shares the G-Class’s signature ladder-frame chassis and rigid rear axle, complete with three mechanical differential locks and low-range gearing.
Originally from South Africa, Justin began his professional journey as an airline pilot, flying commercial jetliners across the globe. Wanting to expand his expertise through an academic pathway at Bond University, he relocated to Australia in 2009, completing three master’s degrees.
Fuelled by a passion for sustainability and innovation, Justin went on to found Won Energy, a Queensland-based renewable energy company and distributor for Freedom Won batteries.
“The company’s name, Won, stands for World of New, a reflection of my vision to redefine how we generate, store and share energy,” says Justin. “In partnership with FreedomWon Batteries, Sunsynk Inverters, Won Energy is driving Australia’s clean energy transition through advanced solar and battery systems, off-grid power solutions and virtual power plant networks.”
That vision aligned perfectly with his passion for flying, culminating in the creation of Aquila Estate and Flying Club, a first of its kind off grid residential airpark community on Queensland’s Fraser coast.
“Centred around an 850-metre runway, Aquila combines aviation, lifestyle and sustainability in a way never seen before in Australia,” says Justin. “The community will be fully powered by a Won Energy Battery Energy Storage System and a large-scale solar array, creating one of the country’s first self-sufficient aviation estates.”
Inspired by airpark estates common in the United States, the 64-block project located by the Ferguson State Forest outside Maryborough broke ground in February 2024.
“There is certainly a demand for fly-in communities in Australia, and it enables aircraft owners to have their base of operations, live there and fly out to wherever they want,” he says.
“In most cases, typically owners are spending a few thousand dollars a month just to keep their plane in a hangar and often they live 40 minutes from that airport. At Aquila, that money can go towards a mortgage and body corporate instead. Plus, it’s the perfect location to experience the best of what Queensland has to offer and there is nothing better than having true ownership of the runway you fly from.”
Few automotive engines have ever achieved aviation certification, given the extreme standards for reliability and endurance, but Mercedes-Benz has.
“There’s a fascinating connection between my aviation background and the Mercedes-Benz legacy,” says Justin. “The aircraft I fly, the Diamond DA40 and DA62, run on a diesel engine derived from Mercedes-Benz automotive engineering. The early diesel-powered DA40s featured the Thielert Centurion 2.0 engine, which were built around the same Mercedes-Benz OM640 platform found in the C-Class and A-Class. Its renowned combinations of durability, fuel efficiency, and smooth torque delivery made it exceptionally well suited for aviation adaptation.”
Today, Diamond Aircraft’s own Austro AE300 and AE330 engines still use the Mercedes-Benz block at their core.
“It’s a connection that feels particularly fitting, the same principles that define the design, precision, performance and enduring quality of Mercedes-Benz are literally what power the aircraft I fly.”
