Hot Properties

“Spa King” Eddie Phillips has finally sold his luxury property overlooking The Pass in Byron. Villa Gabrielle is a three-bedroom home on three levels with expansive views from massive decks and horizon pool. Phillips would have been the vendor from hell for the conga line of agents who have all had the listing for the past 16 years. Each time a buyer would make an offer, he would put the price up again. He finally achieved $9 mil after first listing it in 2004 for $4.5 mil. It was a beach shack in 2002 when he bought it for $2.36 million and commissioned architect Alan Mitchell to design the three-story house to make the most of the ocean views to Mount Warning. It had a rental fee of $20,000 a week.  Jeremy Bennett from Byron Bay Property Sales was the lucky agent who finally collected this well-earned commission.

The Farm, Ewingsdale

Publicans Fraser Short and Stu Laundy are the new owners of the Farm. The successful venture just off the highway in Ewingsdale was only recently rumoured to be for sale. The new owners intend to keep he successful formula developed by Tom Lane and his wife Emma. Speculation is happening on what the Lanes will be up to next. The price tag of $20 mil was in the air but gossip has it that $16 mil was the final price – but apparently, “everyone is happy”. The Lanes are also the owners of The Range, where Nicole and Keith are staying while filming here. (More in Around The Traps)

The Bower Hotel, Bangalow Road, Byron

This newly renovated Byron Bay boutique property was reported as sold for $18 mil. The actual sale price was $15 mil. This is the first genuine hotel transaction during the pandemic and it has been a morale booster for the whole Australian hotel industry. Sein Lowry, from the Arts Factory, and Byron Bay emergency physician Blake Eddington listed it in January for around $20 million. Gold Coast-based Guok family were the purchasers. The former motel opened last year following an extensive New York-inspired makeover. Watch out for a similar transformation to be happening at the Sunseeker Motel just down the road. This sale follows on from the recent sale for $42 mil for Byron at Byron.

Byron Bay Holiday Village

One of Australia’s first purpose-built backpackers, the Byron Bay Holiday Village, has hit the block in Byron Bay with price expectations of up to $20 million. The property, located at 116-118 Jonson Street, is among the last significant multi-story developable sites in the centre of town. The 4,282sq metre site, shares the same zoning as the adjoining and recently completed Mercato on Byron development and is being handled by JLL’s John Musca and Elliott O’Shea. This is the same team that negotiated the Byron Bay Beach Hotel sale for $104 mil last year.

6 Kennedys Lane Ewingsdale

This was a four-bedroom home on five acres. It was listed for $1.1 mil, mainly because it is seriously affected by highway noise. If it was anywhere else it would have been listed at a higher price. But the road noise was still not a negative factor for more than a few buyers. I was the BA on this one for a client and it became a pile on with multiple bidders aggressively vying for the property. It ended up selling for higher than the quoted price.  I am relating this to indicate what the market is like out there. A lot of my skills these days involve insuring against competitive bidding that is stressful and ultimately expensive.

272 Arthurs Road, Corndale

This property was a trustee sale on 35 Ha. It was in disrepair and needed a lot of work. There was lots of interest when I went to inspect but the auction went over and beyond expectations. It was expecting $1-1.1 mil but went to $1.65 mil. Way above expectations. Apparently the buyers had sold their property and just needed somewhere to live.

3 Alphadale Road, Lindendale

The wooden church with 1 bedroom and 1 bath that I mentioned last month was passed in at auction. Price guide is now $800-850k. It is on half an acre with a full kitchen and parking.

107 Eureka Road, Rosebank

This was a delightful newly renovated character home in the Byron Hinterland. Three bedrooms with a renovated studio on 84 acres with terrific rural views. It had a big turnout at the auction and multiple bidders. The quoted range was $1.5 but managed $1.72 mil on the day.

This newly renovated manager’s quarters in the Byron Arts and Industrial estate just sold for $1.8 mil. A Sydney buyer looking for a regular coastal getaway snapped it up. The agent was Braden Walters from Belle Property Lennox/Byron. He was promoting it as unique and a precedent for this type of property. That was incorrect as a very similar property, also with a contemporary warehouse renovation was sold early last year. This one featured a grand internal staircase and was the resident of illusionist and entertainer Chayne Hultgren, AKA the Space Cowboy.

This is a grand old manor house circa 1904. I inspected this home and loved it the last time it was for sale some time ago. It has 14 feet ceilings, french chandeliers, multiple lounge rooms, four large bedrooms in the main house, extra cottages and guest quarters, and a fully equipped gourmet kitchen. Plenty of room for a pool and tennis court on the 20 acres. Contact Janis Perkins at Real Estate of Distinction and we are talking in the vicinity of $8-9 mil.

Braden Walters from Belle Property is also the listing agent on this very expansive property.  The five-bedroom, five-bathroom pavilion style home sits on 26 acres. The ridgeline escarpment offers expansive views to Broken Head and Lennox. It has a saltwater swimming pool, billiard room, orchards and large machinery shed. All you need for a relaxed covid escape. Looking for mid fours.

This house has one of the best rural views I have ever seen. Once on the same property as the Crystle Castle, Crystle Estate is two stories, four bedrooms, and multiple decks to take in the fabulous view. It is on 17 Ha of land and a long winding driveway. The purchaser of this property will have a lifetime’s free entry to the Crystal Castle as the back gate enters into this well known local attraction. Listed with Braden Walters at Belle Property at Lennox Heads. Thinking of around $3.5 mil.

144 The Warra Willow, Burrinbar is 1/7th share a 150-acre property. “Blue Quandong” was set up in the 1970″s  as a Tenancy in common. There is clean and pure spring water on the land and two gravity-fed water tanks supply your home with pure drinking water. It is completely off-grid and is a large open plan loft style structure with one bedroom. The price tag is $529,000.

This property is a 100-year-old wooden church between Lismore and Alstonville. It sits on half an acre and includes a commercial kitchen, high ceilings, all wood paneling, a large car park, and a loft-style apartment. Be great little business like a restaurant or wedding venue. Will be going to auction on August 22 with McGraths Ballina

This is a bit of a classic. Rustic renovated farmhouse on 90 odd acres. Comes with macadamia trees and a separate studio for ongoing income. Going to auction with Greg Price with Byron Bay First National on Saturday 29th of August.

Have a look at this one and dream. Three character residences on 88 acres. Eight bedrooms and five bathrooms in all, DA approval for a pool. Income-producing macadamia. Trent Stana at Bangalow Real Estate with hopes for over $4,100,000.

This property is causing a bit of a fuss as the owner put it back on the market as soon as it got its Development Approval. It is vacant land but includes DA approval for a restaurant and rural dual occupancy (two full houses). The neighbors are a bit concerned about the rural peace and quiet being broken. It is beside Scarabolotti’s Lookout which has already had ongoing disturbances from illegal campers. Listed with Nick Dunn at McGraths and currently asking $4,250,000.

1/14 Keats St Byron Bay
Not often I see something for sale in Byron Bay this cheap. A two-Bedroom unit in Keats street for $720,000. Keats st is in a good location and walk to town. This unit is the one on the street but has a north aspect. Listed with Harcourts

6149 Tweed Valley Way Burringbar
This is a good entry-level option for an FHB or investor. 3 bed 1 bath basic house on a 986 block of land. $449,000 with Elders Brunswick Heads.

7/293 Wharf Road Goodwood Island (Yamba)
This is a 1 bed 1 bath original fisherman cottage on leased land. The purchase cost is $85,000 for the cottage and lease of land is $65 a week. Cannot be expanded or rebuilt. Has river views. Contact agent down below

How much is a block of land in Byron Bay these days? This one would give you a good idea. This one is in the Seacliffs estate, inland from Suffolk Park. Has a view on to trees and is 1153 square metres. Nick Dunn from McGrath’s Byron Bay is asking $785,000.

At the other end of the scale is a block of land in Border Street, Belongil Beach.  751 M2 with a short walk across the dunes to Belongil Beach. Yours for only $2.25 mil.

Peppers Retreat has been listed for a while and is one of the few fully approved retreats in the Byron Bay Hinterland. Includes 12 luxury cabins,  family-friendly accommodation (72 beds, 18 bathrooms in total) plus 5 yurts and managers quarters.  Its sits on 66 acres and is bordered by a flowing creek. Was for sale for offers over $12 mil but is now EOI. Contact Michelle Jackson at Byron and Beyond.

Matt Damon not here
Early last year there were rumours that Matt Damon was buying a property in Byron to be near his mate Chris Hemsworth. He did make an extended visit and stayed at a luxury rental in Owenia Way, Broken Head (pictured). Instead, the leading man just purchased in Brooklyn Heights, a not very upmarket area in New York, and upset his new neighbours. He closed the street off for the whole day, while a crane lifted furniture and plants up the 14th-floor apartment.

Nicole Also Buys in NY
Good to hear that “Our Nicole” will be spending some time in Byron Bay Shooting her new series ( see Around The Traps this issue). She and hubby Keith Urban have just purchased a two-bedroom New York City apartment for US $3.5 million.

The couple already have properties in  Los Angeles, the Southern Highlands, a farm in Bunya Hill, a penthouse in Sydney but spend most of their time in a mansion in Nashville. Nicole started her property ladder ascent with a one-bedroom apartment in Mossman while still a teenager in the 80s.

Who is Zac Efron?
I had to ask my daughter who is Zac Efron and why I should care. The star of big Hollywood movies like High School Musical and a current heartthrob has been laying low in Byron to wait out the COVID crisis. He has been spotted in only a few local haunts but mainly the new and very trendy General Store. The Bangalow Road, Byron venue has its own “trendy” quota as it is owned and run by a member of a globally successful band, Parkway Drive. Yes, so named as the garage where the boys first thrashed their axes in was in Parkway Drive Ewingsdale. Byron Council has stopped putting up street signs as they are quickly harvested as momentoes.