Hot Properties

The Barbotine is what is planned for the old Woolworth’s site beside Marcato in town. The complex will become 41 two, three and four-bedroom hotel-apartments. The Brisbane developers, Richards and Spence, say they can: “offer an alternative to Airbnb ownership, with prospects able to own their own hotel residence to use as both a part-time personal Byron retreat and also enjoy an income stream when their apartment is not being used.”

More in the link below:

A few years ago, this newsletter noted how the biggest employer in Byron Bay was no longer a chicken abattoir but an online travel company. That was a comment on how Byron and local businesses were changing. It is now significant that the same online travel company, TripADeal has now sold a 51% share to Qantas.

The two principals, Richard Johnston and Norm Black, (pictured) did not disclose the sale price. Qantas CEO stated the company was looking forward to chasing inorganic growth opportunities as the travel market revives after two years of virus-enforced turmoil.

This is another luxury property listed with Amir Prestige Agency who just sold Hercules mentioned above. Tregeagle is just south of Alstonville inland from Ballina. The property is large and expansive with 14 bedrooms and 10 bathrooms on 14 Ha (57 acres). Includes three homes, a caretaker’s cottage, pool, horse stables and arena, two large storage sheds and your own private waterfall and freshwater swimming spot.

Even after many years of observing the local property market, there are still new ones that are a surprise. “Churinga Highlands” is just west of Mullumbimby and on one of the shire’s highest ridgelines with commanding views of the ocean. The 174 Ha (435 acres) is on four separate titles with four different dwellings totalling 10 bedrooms and 6 bathrooms. It also includes several machinery sheds, stables and cattle yards, 50 acres of professionally re-generated rainforest with additional plantings and registered timber plantations.

It is listed with Duncan Lorimar REA and expecting a price range of $12,500,000 – 13,750,000.

Studio Hollenstein has designed the centrepiece of a proposed $56.4 million eco-tourism attraction. It will be in the World Heritage-listed Gondwana rainforests on the NSW mid-north coast near Dorrigo.

The new Arc Rainforest Centre features a curved boardwalk offering views overlooking the rainforest. It will be part of the NSW government project to create a multi-day walk and visitors centre in the region, intended to boost nature-based tourism and bolster the contribution that national parks make to the state economy.

“The project will provide access for all abilities to connect with nature and culture on Gumbaynggirr Country,” Studio Hollestein said.

“Hercules” is a luxury property on the Coopers Shoot escarpment overlooking The Byron Bay Golf Course and Suffolk Park. It has 14 bedrooms, and 10 bathrooms in multiple dwellings and includes a commercial space as a training centre plus a film and audio recording studio. Gold Coast agency Amir Prestige had the listing and it has just sold for $22 mil. Other agencies first had the listing and looking for $30 mil.

The property has had an interesting history. Its current iteration began in 2003 when music producer and owner of School of Audio Engineering, Tom Misner bought the land for $2.2 mil. The previous owner before him was a timber mill owner who build an elaborate large wooden house outside the approved building envelope and right on the edge of the escarpment. A local environmentalist took offence at the building for a number of reasons and put a match to it.

Misner sold it to the current vendors, Robert and Deborah Wild, for $7.9 mil in 2014. They decided to move to the hinterland from Wategos Beach after many of their neighbouring homes moved to Holiday Letting. The Amir Prestige Agency had no comment on who the new purchasers were and what their intentions would be.

Amalika is a luxury home in Federal with an interesting history. Designed and built by local award-winning architect Sharon Fraser in 2008, it was sold to Tom and Emma Lane, the entrepreneurs behind ‘The Farm”. They purchased it in 2011 for $4 mil.

It was last sold in 2015 for $3.5 million to Sarah and Andrew Johnson, who managed to pick up the designer digs for half a million dollars less than it previously sold for. They have done some work on it and were able to do some good business as a short-term rental with a $4000 a night price tag.

Last year it was the venue for the reality TV show “Love Island”. The first choice was a property in Port Douglas, but the production company had to quickly pivot when Queensland locked the border. The production nearly had its lights put out by the council when one of the crew came to town with COVID and went out to several venues instead of staying in iso.

The 8-bedroom, 4-bathroom house sits on 10 Ha in Federal. The agent is Nick Dunn from Byron Bay McGraths. Expressions of Interest close on August 19^th and the range is expected to be $11.5 – $12.5 Mil.

This is an interesting development in 3D printing. Already being tried and proven in Europe, Dubbo Council is now looking to fix their house problems. A house has already rolled off the printing press in Melbourne – the first in the southern hemisphere.

Local architect, Harley Graham, has been responsible for some of the more interesting local houses and projects. Stone and Wood Brewery, Casuarina Commons, and Linnaeus Estate to name just a few. Although known more for his modernist style, his own project took a different turn.

This recent article in ArchitectureAU features his finished design of an old Queenslander saved from demolition. The original plan was to move a c. 1910 timber cottage from Brisbane to a 500-square-metre level block in Byron Bay. Then to renovate it and then perhaps probably sell it. But those plans were derailed, and the house needed to be transformed into a home for Harley and his two teenage children. When he drove down to see the house – which had been “stored” in a cane field in Ballina – he found the protective tarpaulins had blown off, leaving the home waterlogged and rotting. After 18 months of exposure, the house was in a sad state, its verandah hanging by a thread. The finished outcome looks to be worth the effort.

The seaside village of Brunswick Heads has maintained strong sales throughout the flood and slowdown. Only the north end of town around Fawcett Street and the boat harbour experienced flood damage. Most of the quality properties found a steady stream of buyers.

One that is still for sale is one I like a lot. 8 Bower St looks like a typical brick worker’s cottage from the outside. Inside it opens up into a contemporary, open-plan 3 bedroom 2 bath, home. It sits on a 759 M2 block with an expansive deck looking out to the north. This property went to auction in the post-flood/election confusion and was passed in. It is now listed with Todd Buckland at Byron Shire Real Estate with expectations of $2.7M.

The iconic suburban house occupied by the foxy ladies of Fountain Lakes, Kath and Kim, will soon be no more. It is destined to be demolished later this month to make way for something that will probably be ‘the bee’s knees, puh-lease’.

Set in the ‘effluent’ suburb of ‘Fountain Lakes’, the house was actually located in Melbourne’s Patterson Lakes. It was rented by the ABC from 2002 to 2007 and hosted events like backyard cricket with Shane Warne, garage dancing with Kylie Minogue and dinner with Barry Humphreys. The current owners and soon-to-be renovators will be hosting an open house for fans on the 31st of August.

1- Marine Parade is the latest big-money property for sale in Wategos beach. It is the only other hotel besides Rae’s in the exclusive enclave. “Victoria’s Byron Bay” is a destination guesthouse, comprised of 11 bedrooms, and over 10 suites and spread over two blocks.

It is being marketed by Travis Lipsuch from Byron Beach Real Estate. It is expected to sell “way above” the previous top sales in Wategos being Raes and 32 Marine Parade which were $20 mil plus. A price estimate of $35 mil has been rumoured.

This vacant block in Ruskin Lane is on the edge of the so-called ‘Golden Grid’. This is the residential area east of the Byron CBD where property prices have seen astronomical growth over the last couple of decades. This level vacant block of 469 square metres is looking for around 4 mil. This much money for a vacant piece of land is an indicator of where this area is at. The growth was provoked for some time by the demand for Airbnb properties, but this has waned of late. Listed with Jeremy Bennett from Byron Property Sales.

One of Byron Bay’s best-known retail destinations, the Timperley’s Corner building, has been sold by one of the area’s founding families after close to 90 years of ownership. The corner building on Byron’s main roundabout, home to Surf Dive ’n Ski store, sold for $14 mil.

“A number of high-profile parties were competing to secure the building, which is a true icon within Byron Bay,” Mr WItheriff from CBRE Brisbane said. “The building has been owned by the Timperley family since 1935 and was run as a motor mechanics workshop before being developed as a thriving retail surf shop known as Bay Action,” the agent added.

The Illustrious UK journal of record, The Times, has featured Byron Bay. The article was published on April 15 and has the heading “Where to Buy Property in Byron Bay Australia”. It talks about the Hemsworths and the Netflix series Byron Baes before going on to feature various properties and their sale prices. Even the toffs of London are intrigued by our property prices.

I have copied the link below but it requires a subscription to read the full text.

This is a top-end property on the top of the ridge! Although not on the ocean side of Coolamon Scenic Drive, it is one to look out for, if you can afford it. Tom Misner is the vendor of this 35-hectare ridgeline property with excellent views. Tom has been a long time local but has been spending more time in Monte Carlo after becoming obscenely rich. He sold his global business, SAE (School of Audio Engineering), headquartered on Ewingsdale Road, Byron Bay for $289 mil. Good to see someone from here becoming mega-rich and then moving away, instead of people becoming rich and moving here. There is a balance there somewhere.

The property includes an approved DA for a 6-bedroom, Saint-Tropez inspired villa. The plans include a private garden, an infinity pool, a 7-car garage, gym, massage room and in-house cinema, as well as a pool house. The original idea was also to have a state of the art recording studio as Tom still owns 301 Studios in Byron and Sydney – a popular recording venue for many top acts.

The views include the hinterlands, north up the coast, Byron Bay and Julian Rocks. The 88 acres include spring-fed creeks, dams, and ancient fig trees. The original farmhouse has been removed as it included asbestos. The original gatehouse has been renovated and is one dwelling in the approved rural dual occupancy. Infrastructure already installed includes underground power and electrical work, two massive, insulated sheds, and all access roads.

All this can be yours for $12 – 13 mil after first speaking with Ku Darrach from Byron Bay Property Sales.

Next door to Tom Misner’s place is another luxury dwelling. This is hard to see change hands as this was the venue for many wonderful parties and gatherings in the 90s and naughties. Musician and music producer Murray Burns was the gracious host and is now winding down moving on. End of an era!

The home on five acres is a Balinese pavilion style estate with three separate living areas around a courtyard and lagoon pool. It has taken 25 years for the owner to organically build this iconic, tasteful home that is Byron Bay living at its finest. Goodbye to all tomorrow’s parties!

Another remarkable listing from Ku Darrach at Byron Bay Property Sales. I think well priced at $5.5 Mil.

And there is more from Ku Darroch ……

Behind Murray Burn’s place at 303, is this more formal manor home. Set on 25.5 Ha with excellent rural views. It has its own long driveway to the 4 bedroom, 3 bath and 4 car garage stately home.

With this one priced at $9 mil, you could buy all three from Ku Darroch for $27 Mil and have a remarkable estate of 5 homes on 143 acres estate. Why not?

A vacant 7354sq m parcel of sand at Casuarina Beach has changed hands for just over $19 million. Brisbane based Azure development Group purchased the site, 30 mins north of Byron Bay. “It is the right time to enter the Casuarina Beach market given the strong fundamentals underpinning the community, including infrastructure and population growth,” Azure director Chris Schroor said.

“We’re planning an upmarket boutique residential community for 6 Grand Parade. Casuarina Beach is coming into its own and we are very excited to be bringing an exciting new luxury development to the area.”

The Casuarina deal is another windfall for fund manager Clarence Property Group, which paid circa $7 million for the 21ha balance of the land in the master-planned community in 2012.

West of Cabarita, halfway between Byron and Tweed is Nunderi. It is a bit suburban and retiree focused, but this new luxury build is a sure sign that this area is on the road to gentrification.

Casa Campana is a luxury dream home with 4 beds 2 bath on 1.3 Ha. It is only fifteen minutes to Cabarita Beach and 30 minutes north to Tweed Heads and the airport and 30 mins south to Byron. This makes it an excellent location.

It is listed with LS Properties out of Casuarina and looking for an EOI with a range around mid threes.

This is an off-market opportunity for the right buyer. This property is on the edge of Byron Bay town, very private but close to everything. It is a walk through the national park to the beach and the house itself has ocean glimpses. It has four bedrooms, two bathrooms over four levels. The immaculate gardens are on 4600 M2 and include a tennis court and swimming pool.

It has been a family home for 35 years and this is the first time on the market. It will not be publicly listed but genuine buyers are invited to inspect it and make an EOI. This is a pretty special property and not easily replicated. Please contact me for more information (0428 555501) and I will put you in touch. NB: as a buyer’s agent, I do not list or sell properties.

Local professional surfer Owen Wright purchased an old shack in Daniels Street, Byron Bay last year for $5.1 Mil. Just under 300 metres from Clarke’s Beach and an easy walk to one of the world’s best, but busiest, surf breaks, The Pass. The house was a teardown and now Wright is going to market with four townhouses. He is keeping one, one is sold so only two are left and looking for $6 mil plus.

Wright. a Rip Curl ambassador,  suffered a traumatic brain injury during a warm-up session days before the final event at the Pipeline Masters in Hawaii. He has recuperated from that and branched out into other areas. He is married to singer Kita Alexander and they have a son.

The townhouses are marketed by Christian Sergiacomi from Pacifico Property. The sale should include a malibu board and a surf lesson.

A few years ago, Mike Cannon Brook’s Atlassian had a stock market jump. Some of the executives from that company purchased in Byron with their high-value stock options. BPS was lucky to assist a few of them with the move and what nice people they were.

This year it looks to be well-paid workers from Afterpay. The latest Australian Fintech sensation which assists shoppers to BNPL (Buy Now Pay Later) was recently purchased by Square for $29B. Square co-founder and CEO Jack Dorsey was also the co-founder of Twitter.

Afterpay’s public policy vice-president Damian Kassabgi has purchased a luxury home in Old Bangalow Road for $13 mil. A former adviser to Kevin Rudd, he pocketed close to $7 million last year when he traded in a large slab of his AfterPay shares.

He and his wife, fashion industry operative Courtney Miller, already owned up the road before they bought the seven-hectare retreat that was listed by Liam Annesley of Byron Bay Real Estate. They also own a Woollahra terrace purchased in late 2020.

40 Blue Seas Parade was sold as a vacant block back in 2016 for $1.5 mil. The owner has created an impressive new home on the 1162 M2 site. It is now listed with an impressive price tag of $25 mil. It is a mansion complete with limitless views of the Pacific Ocean with a perfect north aspect. It also all the trimmings you’d expect for the $25 million asking price.

The five-bedroom, four-bathroom, six-car garage dwelling takes up 566 M2 metres of the land area of the large block. It was a 13-metre horizon pool if the beach walk is too far. The master bedroom is 122 M2 on its own – the size of a small house.

A judge on Ch 9’s The Block TV show, and interior designer Darren Palmer has now bought in the Bay. He and his partner, cosmetics businessman Olivier Duvillard have purchased in Suffolk Park.

They’ve opted for the quieter Suffolk Park over the bustling town, spending $3.85 million on a chic home just 100 metres from Tallow Beach. The house features a saltwater pool, overlooking an entertaining space in tropical gardens, the two-level home sits on 720 sqm. It backs onto bushland, with a path to the beach from the back gate.

Palmer has joined fellow Block judge, Shelley Craft, who has been a Byron resident for some time. She is the partner of local real estate agent Christain Sergiacomi who runs Pacifico Property. Brad Canfield is also an agent at Pacifico and was a past contestant on the TV show.

But it was not a complete in-house production. The home Palmer purchased was sold through McGrath Byron Bay agents Ian Daniels and Susan Whyte. Also, it looks like the Block series planned for Byron and shot in Sunrise Beach is not to be. Was it because of the rising negative sentiment of reality TV shows being shot here? Or was it the cost of the real estate blowing the production budget? No, it sems they couldn’t get enough adjoining neighbours to sell.

The Byron celebrity attraction factor continues to soar.

The latest is actor Madeleine West, who has separated from her husband celebrity chef Shannon Bennett four years ago, has now emerged as a buyer in Suffolk Park.

West has bought on the dress ­circle paying $4.6 million for a beachfront with a view-through to Tallow Beach. The two-level home has four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a three-car garage, and a home office, which has a private deck with views also to the hinterland. Its 952 sqm grounds come with a heated pool.

Alcorn Street has been in high ­demand in recent years, and particularly busy last year, with seven sales recorded between $2,534,000 and West’s $4.6 million. It’s the same street that actor Luke Hemsworth and model Gemma Ward both own property.

West’s former husband has owned at Belongil Beach since 2013 when he paid $2 million for a five-lot, 4588sqm block of land, before building a ­modern home on the block bought from the late John Cornell and his wife Delvene Delaney.

The idea that property prices were about to wane was scuttled last month with this sale in Sydney. There were a number of auction outcomes that stunned commentators but this one took the cake. A run-down, semi-detached house in Bondi was listed with a guide of $4.95 mil. After wild scenes during the auction with multiple bidders competing, the hammer came down at $5.65 mil – $700k over the reserve.

Similarly, a one-bedroom apartment in Birchgrove was first advertised for $750,000. It managed to sell for $1.532 mil – doubling its estimate.

As well as the tech-savvy, Byron is seeing an influx of fashion icons. Fashion designer Wayne Cooper and his wife, Sarah Marsh are now searching for a home in Byron. Cooper is one of Australia’s most influential fashion designers and sells through Myers and Frocoholics. The couple just sold their six-level home in Sydney’s Tamarama for a rumoured $11million.

Also arriving with a lithe leg in the fashion industry is AfterPay exec Damian Kassabgi’s wife, Courtney Miller. Also mentioned in this Hot Property section.

A beachside council-run caravan park removable home is on the market for $750,000. These prefab dwellings just sell with a lease and there is rental on the land as well as the purchase price for the dwelling. They usually trade hands for around $250-350K. The story has made the news and an ABC online article cites it as another example of the “market gone mad.”

Councillor Michael Lyon said current caravan park legislation was designed to allow for affordable housing. “If someone’s got that much money to spend on a moveable dwelling, they certainly shouldn’t be benefiting from the affordable fees that you get from living in a caravan park. It’s not right, but unfortunately, that is the way the legislation is.”

The local Anglican Church diocese is not winning any converts with its plans to sell off the 99-year-old church on Broken Head Road. The church and land were gifted to the community to commemorate three fallen WW1 soldiers. The press release noted; “This is a major restructuring program…for funding various new initiatives and allow the church to meet the costs arising from historical claims of abuse.” The Church of England, as it was known until 1981, has paid $31m in compensation to date. Only half the number of complainants have received compensation with an average of $67,000 each.

The amount hoping to be returned to the coffers with this sale is somewhere around the low one million. EOI closes December 14th and is listed with David Gordon from Ray White Byron Bay. A public meeting was held at the church on 21st November chaired by ex-Mayor Jan Barham and pro bono legal advice by mayoral candidate Mark Swivel, looking at ways to keep the hall in community hands.

In a similar vein to the Suffolk Park shack, there is also this new listing. Travis Lipsuch From Byron Beach Realty is listing this vacant block of land in Byron Hills, not even Byron beachside for $3.5 mil. Yes, it does have ocean views and is a 1410 sqm block. But this is another one of those situations where if you would have told me just a few years ago there would be a vacant block of land in Byron Hills for this kind of money I would have scoffed. More than scoffed – guffawed!

Speaking of elections: The number two on the Bruce Clarke Action Group ticket is Julie Meldrum who will be having a busy week. The Byron Bay-based former journalist and diplomat is not only hitting the hustings but is also going to auction at the same time.

Three days after local polls close, Meldrum and her husband, former TV producer Murray Millsom, are set to auction their home in Ewingsdale for $8 million.

Meldrum’s own housing is no slouch in the local high-end stakes. The 1.1-hectare Aamari Estate was developed by Meldrum and Millsom with a Bali-style main residence set in landscaped gardens with a pool and cabana, a self-contained studio and a separate villa with a private outdoor spa. Kollosche’s Kim Jones and Karin Heller have the listing.

A social housing project planned for Mullumbimby is finally about to start. The first sod was turned on previously council-owned land south of the Byron Shire Council chambers in Stuart Street. The development will be for 25 one and two-bedroom units, 15 will be social housing and 10 will be privately sold.

As stated in previous BPS posts: the billionaires are kicking out the millionaires. There’s a new billionaire in town. Less than a month after his consiglieres were spotted in the Byron Bay hinterland kicking the tyres at Olivia Newton-John’s Gaia Retreat and Spa, the West Australian mining magnate Andrew Forrest has taken the plunge.

Twiggy purchased the wellness retreat for an undisclosed fee (but rumoured to be $30 mil) through his Tattarang investment house’s “lifestyle and property division”. Wife Nicola Forrest is a director and chief investment officer is John Hartman – who spent time inside Sydney’s Silverwater jail on inside trading charges in 2010 along with old schoolmate Oliver Curtis, husband of publicist/socialite Roxy Jacenko.

The rehabbed investment manager said Gaia would continue as a wellness retreat – so that’s negatory on rumours Twiggy was considering converting the 22-bedroom sanctuary with an attached day spa, fitness centre, saltwater pool as a holiday bolthole.

ONJ has said, “It is time to pass the baton on to new custodians so they can continue our positive message that Gaia is ‘your timeout to reconnect, breath and surrender’.” They were seeking: “Like-minded visionaries who are inspired to continue [the] ‘G.R.O.W.’ ethos – Gratitude, Respect, Organic, Wellness …’.” No mention of green hydrogen, but sounds like Twiggy to a T.

The Sunseeker, a 1980s brick-built motel at 100 Bangalow Road, is on the market with CBRE Hotels at the direction of owner-operators Jess and Dave Frid. The property last changed hands for $6 million in late 2019 and was then renovated. The price guide is understood to be between $15 million and $20 million. This follows on from a similar motel remodel with the Bower just down Bangalow Road. The Bower achieved a sale price of $18 mil.

Sexual wellness exponent and social media influencer Abbie Chatfield has paid $1.45 million for a cottage in the Byron Bay hinterland. The 26-year-old has had “winning” performances o on “I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! and The Bachelor.

As for the last year, top-end properties in Byron Shire and beyond are getting lots of attention. Here are a few recent listings:

390 Main Arm Road, Mullumbimby

Set on 120 acres this one has lots of options. It already has a great 4 bedroom house with pool and great views looking north. But it also has an even better house site with 360-degree views that is excellent.  It has approval for cabins, two of which are already built, plus a community hall. This is the only private landholding with an approved hall. Hard to price this one but will be somewhere over $10 mil. Listed with Peter Browning at LJ Hooker Brunswick Heads.

100 Old Bangalow Road, Byron Bay

A pavilion-style homestead on 18 acres a short hop to town. Old Bangalow Road, like Old Byron Bay Road, is now becoming a sought after address and this is one of the better properties on it. It has immaculately landscaped gardens, a pool and a horse paddock. The Christine Vadasz designed pavilions consists of only four bedrooms that this property has the look and feel of a grand estate. Listed by Liam Annesley from Byron Bay Real Estate and looking for mid-teens.

307 Skinners Shoot Road, Byron Bay

‘Lanikai’ is an exclusive compound on 52 acres of landscaped gardens and rainforest with views to the Pacific Ocean and Cape Byron Lighthouse. It has an existing renovated 4 bedroom house with a two-bedroom cottage and an approved house site for the main residence. It has a yoga chalet and an extensive gym. Nick Dunn at McGraths Byron Bay is thinking $26 – 30 Mil.

Temple Byron, 46 Melaleuca Drive, Byron Bay

This yoga and meditation retreat has become an institution over the years and is now for sale. Just under 3 acres, main house, large hall, American style barn, managers quarters and office, magical yurt. Listed with Kollosche Byron Bay with expectations of $10 Mil.

Treetops, Hinterland Way, Wooyung.

I attended an interesting auction on the weekend. Treetops is a 9 lot rural CT subdivision. The expected range suggested by agent Greg Price from Ray White Bangalow was around $4 mil, There was heated biding and it finally settled at an unexpected $8.3 mil. This price makes the retail sales for this rural residential subdivision implausible for retail sales even in today’s overheated market. These buyers will have trouble recouping and this is a display of buyer over-exuberance.

7 Rhodes Street, Lismore

Not interested in Top End? Here is something completely different. This old Queenslander is ready to move and still has more renovation potential to unlock. This is the side of Lismore and has commercial zoning. This is the side of Lismore and has commercial zoning. This side of town can be flood-prone and this is one reason for its cheap entry-level price. These properties have good rental potential but there will come a day – soon – when flood insurance becomes prohibitive and as long as the floor does not go under, as this one never has, then I think the risk-reward ratio is still a payoff.

4 Bian Court, Ocean Shores

This very distinctive pole home on a quiet street in Ocean Shores is listed for $890,000. With some renovation and TLC, this has some value-adding.

74 Survey Street, Lennox Heads

Catch this wave! Very well positioned fixer-upper in popular Lennox. The reserve on this one is only $1 mil but there will be more than a few handymen looking at this one.

It had to happen and now it has. The first car parking space to sell for more than a million dollars has now sold. The previous record was for one in Manhattan for $US980,000. This one in Hong Kong sold in June and went for $1.3 mil. It is in an ultra-luxury residential development called The Peak. Homes in the complex are known to rent for $US210,000 a month.

Where would a BPS Hot Property edition be without news of the Hemsworth boys? Australia’s most famous Bros and their team of experts have submitted plans to build two residences on a 35-hectare site that the brothers bought for $4.25m two years ago. The build cost is expected to be equivalent to the cost of the land. The site is adjacent to Chris’s $30 mil elaborate mansion on land in Broken Head.

Investor and social entrepreneur Tanya Nelson-Carnegie has purchased in Wategos paying $14 million for 4 Palm Valley Drive. Liam Annesley from Byron Bay Real Estate was the agent and it settled in June.

Ms Carnegie was also the buyer of Hillstone Farm in Fowlers Lane Possum Creek for $11 mil last year. Her Sydney base is a $10.8 million Bondi Beach penthouse. Tanya is the ex-wife of colourful Sydney businessman Mark Carnegie. They have three daughters together.

Tara is the founder of a social venture fund, Vasudhara, and the Carnegie Foundation, where she helped create two charities, the Matilda Rose Early Intervention Centre and Hear For You. She has 20 years of experience in investment and started her career at McKinsey & Co. She holds a degree in Human Sciences from Oxford University and a post-graduate at Sydney and Macquarie universities.

The sellers were Nicholas Baxter and Johanna Gustaffson, who are now sailing the world on their newly acquired Fleming 65 yacht.

Celebrity chef and well-known anti-vaxxer, Pete Evans is working with developers on a large Rural Land Sharing Community development in Tweed Heads. The proposal has had a setback with Tweed Council. The Nightcap Village was seeking to create nearly 400 dwelling plots. The site is 1,500 hectares of rural land at 3220 Kyogle-Nimbin Road, near Mebbin at the foot of Wollumbin-Mt Warning.

The project would roll out over 12 stages and cost an estimated $39.8 million for stage one. Evans seems to be a spruiker for the project and is developing his own wellness retreat near Uki. The Nightcap Village website says he is in a “long-term commercial arrangement” with the project developers.

Many locals spoke out against the DA at the recent hearing. “(It) would require extensive land clearing of approximately 106 hectares of native vegetation with a further 220 hectares of impact in native populations,” a Department of Planning, Industry and Environment biodiversity and habitat management assessment found.

The Nightcap Village website promotes the community as a way of getting “back to the tribal wisdom of living in harmony with Mother Nature as well as the fundamental lore of Doing No Harm.”

This is billed as yet another ‘Unique” byron hinterland property. Set on 127.5 acres of land with 850sqm of internal living space, this hacienda-style home is fairly unique. It has 360 rural views and is close to the highway and beaches. The current owner, John Picone, has not spared time and energy to plant an extensive fruit orchard. It includes a studio and a commercial shed. Michael Coombs from Atlas REA is looking for $9.75 mil.

The HIA-CSR Australian Home of the Year award for 2021 was won by a home in Perth. It is a cascading, multi-level, dwelling that embraces the steep slope of the site.  Built by NSW builder Mallinger Constructions, the living wing hovers nine metres out over a sandstone cave. The open-plan kitchen flows onto a courtyard that contours around protruding boulders.

The judges were impressed by the building team’s engineering feats in overcoming a site fall of more than 17 metres, a plunge pool cut into the rock and the workmanship of an internal timber feature that conceals a hidden room. “Rather than removing obstructive site features, the home’s clever design instead binds its internal spaces to them,” the judges commented.

The property reminds me of the work of one of my favourite architects, Sri Lankan Geoffrey Bawa. His Kandalama Hotel is a classic in the use of building into a rocky slope.

And we are on the subject, here are all the winners of the 2021 Architecture Australia Awards. The winner was a pavilion house in Paddington, Brisbane.

This is one to watch and be interesting to see what the final price is. It was last sold 4.5 years ago for $1.35 mil. Gary Brazenor from Byron Shire Real Estate has just listed it for $8 mil. Yes, a bit of a mark-up and life-changing outcome if the vendors get it.

The property has some appeal to a certain class of buyers. 108 acres with exceptional views to the ocean, secluded but only a short hop to Brunswick Heads and Mullumbimby. It is the northeast slope of Mount Chincogan. It has been cleared a bit of camphor and lantana as was impossible when I last looked at it. Fully serviced shed offering potential accommodation whilst you build. Has a house pad at the top of the site. Access has a right of way through a neighbouring property.

Channel 9 TV series “The Block” is planning to do a series here in Byron. For those not up with this reality TV format, the show follows four or five couples as they compete against each other to renovate and style houses or apartments.  In the final episode, they sell them at auction and the highest price wins.

This reality TV show follows on from the recent kerfuffle around the Netflix series Byron Baes. This one was mainly shot in Ballina due to the local pressure against it. The Block, its 18th season, will start shooting in Sunrise Beach in April next year. Renovations will continue till September with an auction in October.

The link with Byron is not just that we now have the most expensive and topical property in the country. The show’s co-host, Shelley Croft, lives in Byron and her partner is local real estate agent Cristian Sergiacomi from Pacific Property.

Pete Evans is selling his ‘health lab’ business in Byron Bay at the Habitat. The commercial unit is being sold less than a year after opening for a “below replacement” price advertised at $295,000.

Pretty as a picture! This one sits on just under 6 acres. It’s a small-scale hobby farm inclusive of open paddocks with a cattle yard, spring-fed dam, small creek, extensive organic vegetable gardens and an architecturally designed family home. Great location just off Myocum Road between Byron and Mullumbimby. However, slight road noise with this one. 4 Bedrooms, 2 Baths and 3 bay parking on 2.33hs. Price Guide is $2,795,000 with Brett Connable from Ray White Byron Bay.

Robin Khuda, the founder of telecommunications service provider AirTrunk has purchased in Lennox Head.  The luxury property includes two residences. Each has a swimming pool surrounded by landscaped gardens and native bushland. It is 5.3 hectares with river frontage, boat ramp, fishing deck and development approval for seven eco-cabins.

Last year, the property was listed with a guide that started at $6.3 million and rose to $6.5 million but never sold. Nick Russo, of Ray White Byron Bay, launched it to the market again in March for $7.5 million. It settled to Bangladeshi born Mr Khuda’s Asia Digital Investments company last month and is one of a $100 million purchases by the company.

Local architect Sam Zaher was fortunate to get this exceptional house site to work with. He delivered a 4 bedroom 3 bathroom luxury home that sits on a level pad 1.1 km off Coolamon Scenic Drive on a 28 Ha property. It has panoramic views across Myocum to the ocean, Julian Rocks and the lighthouse.

The home is completely off-grid with a 15 Kw system and batteries. The circular pool uses a “naked freshwater system”, plus many other exceptional features. It is a First National Listing with Su Reynolds and Luke Elwin who are expecting offers over $14 mil. Expect more of these sites on the coastal side of Coolamon Scenic Drive to be rebuilt or renovated. Like Wategos Beach, this will be another address soon to be transformed by some of the big money coming to town.

The old Woolworths site, 98-106 Jonson Street, has been sold in conjunction with the adjacent Mercato Shopping Centre, at 108-116 Jonson Street. Melbourne based finance company Wingate and developer Azzura were the vendors and the rumoured price is around $120 million. This would make it by far the biggest real estate deal ever done in the booming Bay.

Sydney pub baron Justin Hemmes was rumoured to be the purchaser of this prime double site. This is not correct. It was actually purchased by the Mustaca and Pelligra Families in conjunction with a couple of fund managers. The vacant portion of the site currently holds a flexible B2 local centre zoning, which allows for mixed-use ­development such as retail, residential and accommodation.

Justin Hemmes is the son of celebrity Sydney couple, Jon and Merivale Hemmes. Originally into fashion with a clothes label and retail outlets; “Jon and The House of Merivale”. The family branched out into licenced hotels and restaurants and now Justin is a billionaire and owner of over 80 pubs and venues. He is a frequent visitor to Byron Bay and although being a bidder on the above sites was not the winner. He is the buyer of the Cheeky Monkey site where he may have plans for an upmarket Italian restaurant. He was also bidding for the Bangalow Hotel but owner Tom Mooney and wife Catherine declined to sell, even though the offer was rumoured to be $50 mil.

This rural property in Tweed Shire has a unique and interesting marketing angle. It is rumoured that, as a guest in 1983, David Bowie spent time there in the music shed and finished writing the lyrics to his hit song China Girl.

Janis Perkins from Real Estate of Distinction is the listing agent for 2407 Numimbah Road, Numimbah Valley – just nudging the Queensland border. “Wagawn…  is an exceptional property and much more than a 4-bedroom, 4-bathroom house. It is an outstanding 619 square metre grand, master-built home, originally built in 1883 and set on 13 beautiful acres with outstanding views. The old-world charm now combines its genteel past with all the contemporary comforts, a saltwater swimming pool, purpose-built stables for 4 horses with a tack room, plus parking for 7 vehicles”.

Apparently, the previous owner painted over the China Girl lyrics that were written on the walls. This reminds me of the classic story of the Brett Whitely nude that was painted on the toilet block brick wall at Wategoes Beach. The sweeping lines of girlfriend Janis Spencer were appreciated for a while before being lost to the cleanup campaign by an anti-graffiti council worker.

This interesting story published in the SMH Domain section comes with an even better back story. 34 Childe Street Belongil Beach has been for sale privately and off-market for some time. The asking price has always been over $10 mil. The owners were Peter and Jodie James, founders of the Mortgage Ezy finance Group. The property included two houses on two titles. The front one with absolute Beach frontage was renovated by architect Jodie with special inclusions to make it a “healthy home” and completely EMF free.

The attached story includes a claim by Parkinson’s REA principal Frank Mlikota that he sold the property site-unseen, half undressed and half intoxicated to a Melbourne buyer. That is not so unusual as quite a few properties have sold recently without a physical inspection. Such is the state of the market. It’s also in keeping with Mr Mlikota’s “Barefoot” branding. The main surprise is Mr Mlikota claim that he had also had never set foot on the property as well.

It seems that the listing agent, who is no longer with the agency, has some questions about that. There may also be a small problem with the disputed payment of a chunky commission. Frank Mlikota claims to be the seller of the “Matt Damon” house in Broken Head as well. This is confusing as I believe he means he sold the house that Matt Damon holidayed in with his family – not a house he sold to Matt Damon.

Frank is being a bit disingenuous with this one. The idea that he sold a $12.5 mil property he had never inspected, was half drunk and half-dressed when he did it is a marker of his skills as an agent is a bit of a stretch.

Rock musician Andrew Stockdale has spent $2.7million on an investment property in Bangalow. The Wolfmother frontman, 44, bought retail premises after it was offered through Kath Vaubell at Byron Bay Property Sales after getting approval for the addition of restaurant space and two shop top living quarters. The site is home to one of Sparrow’s coffee outlets, managed by the Harvest crew, headed by Tristan Grier.

It last sold in 2018 at $2.3 million, and in 2015 at $1.45 million, when it had a gross total return of $113,886. The purchase includes six retail and commercial tenancies and is not Andrew’s only investment in the area. He also owns a $1.6million cottage in Byron, which he renovated and listed as a rental in 2019.

Wolfmother is headlining Byron Music Festival on June 19.

2 Murwillumbah Road, Mullumbimby was built in 1930 and started life as “Riverview”.  The build cost was 1100 pounds which was a notable sum in those days. It was last sold in 2015 for $1,390,000. It is on a hectare of land on two titles. You can see the yellow frontage on the left after crossing the first bridge when leaving town to the northwest and before Murwillumbah Road becomes Coolamon Scenic Drive or Main Arm Road.

The previous owner was Diane Stokes, ex-wife of media mogul Kerry Stokes. Before that, it housed the James family, dairy farmers who owned grazing land in Myocum, Tyagerah,  The Pocket and Brunswick Vallery. Both Ernest James and his son Bill served as Mayors of Municipality of Mullumbimby.  Ernest James and a local NSW bank manager were convicted of fraud in the 1940s.

The name of the house changed to Magnolia House but was often referred to as the Yellow House because of the colour. The home is now being listed by Gary Brazenor of Byron Shire Real Estate. It is listed for $3,500,000 and inspections are by appointment only.

Zac Ephron may not still be enamoured with his local girlfriend he met in town but is still more than keen on the Byron hinterland. He has purchased nearly 130 hectares in Tweed Shire. The private retreat offers rainforest, creeks, waterfalls and bushwalking trails. Public title records now show the block has settled in the name of Zachary Efron and changed hands for $2 million. Selling agent Brad Franks of Ray White Murwillumbah would not be drawn when contacted, citing a non-disclosure agreement.

With the recent death of liberal politician Andrew Peacock, I was reminded of a little love shack down at Broken Head. Mr Peacock lost the Liberal leadership to John Howard who lost the election to Bob Hawke. Lucky, as any ornithologist would know, a Hawke will always beat a Peacock in a fight.

After leaving politics he became ambassador to the USA and had a relationship with Shirley McLaine. Around this time, in the early 80s, Ms McLaine purchased a very unique property on 7 Mile Beach Road, Broken Head. The house was very run down but sat on a ridgeline over Brays Beach with coastal views to north and south. She decided to not hold it for long after realising the limited potential for rebuilding due to the national park restrictions.  We were close to having another celebrity couple here, even before Hoges and Linda, Strop and Delvene.

Large rural properties are getting harder to get close to Bangalow. This one at 18 Pioneers Crescent is 100 acres and has an impressive home perched on an eastern facing ridge. It can be seen on the left while heading north past Bangalow on the highway.

The old railway line and Byron Creek passes through the property. There is a commercial macadamia orchid of 3,500 trees, 300 finger lime trees that can be developed into a commercial enterprise as well. The property also has a large dam and spring-fed creek.

It is being marketed by Ed Silk with expectations in the mid-teens – $14 – 16 mil.

This family home is only three bedroom one bathroom and only on half an acre of land. But on the plus side has excellent north aspect and good rural views. It has a double carport, water tanks, double septic connection tank, Solar Panels with new battery system, solar hot water with electric booster

Offered by Damien Smith from Ray White Byron Bay. The range is around mid ones.

There is currently a big appetite for homes with renovation potential in a good location. 46 Carney Place, Knockrow ticks those boxes but needs quite a bit of work. It is a large 2 story traditional brick home but the site is nearly 4 hectares of land with spectacular coastal views.

It has 4 bedrooms with unique timber floors and ceilings, a built-in bar, a games room, and cellar. The separate shed area has enough space for 3 cars which is an addition to the 2 car garage. Braden Walters from Belle Property is aiming for high 3s for this property, which I think is a bit steep but anything is possible in this market. .

Resident and lovers of Federal will be interested in this new Light Industry DA. The Fed Sheds is envisaged to be artisanal, creative workspaces for local small businesses.  467 Federal Drive, Federal is on 4000 M2 and is just up the road from the existing shops and village hub.  The complex is now canvassing suitable tenants. Already enquired have been an art gallery, film production, cafe, bike shop, professional offices. You can view the plans in the link below.

The Sun Hotel is now for sale with price expectations of more than $10 million. The Sun, on Bayshore Drive in the Industrial Estate,  sits on a 7600-square-metre parcel of land zoned mixed-use, offering rare development potential. It is in an expression of interest process that closes at the end of March.

“I hate saying it but Byron Bay is incredibly hot property,” said CBRE Hotels national director Wayne Bunz. It is being offloaded by KTQ Group, the owners and operators of the upmarket Elements of Byron resort.

It follows a string of seven-figure sales over the past 18 months — including the Byron Bay Holiday Village Backpackers, The Bower Byron Bay, Byron at Byron, The Farm Byron Bay and the Byron Beach Hotel. For those who missed the saga of the Beach Hotel, you can read it here.

Ocean Shores has clocked up another $2 million dollar sale.  The 3 bedrooms 2 Bathroom architect-designed home has a saltwater pool and an Ocean View. 3 Golara Court was sold for $2,140,000 By Ku Darroch from Byron Property Sales.

Anti-vaxxer-in-Chief Pete Evans has purchased the Mout Warning Forest Hideaway. Evan’s company Healthy Everyday Pty Ltd has spent $1 million on a Byrrill Creek property, which about 66km northwest of Byron Bay.  The ex-celebrity chef currently runs a healing clinic at Habitat in Byron.

The recent accommodation acquisition is not far from the Pottsville retreat that Evans and wife Nicola Robinson have called home since moving from Sydney’s Malabar after their house sold for $3.36 million last September.

His whisper-quiet 8ha property acquisition comes with a three-bedroom home plus tourism venture, with eight self-contained studio apartments. There’s a saltwater pool, which comes with a small macadamia plantation, along with crops of bush lemon and guava. The sales agent was Janis Perkins from Real Estate of Distinction.

Fitness queen Lorna Jane Clarkson has paid $14 million for Coorabella. The 23 Ha property in Coorabell was last sold in July 2018 by jewellery designer Giovanni D’Ercole for $6.2 mil.

Now a Wategos resident, Gio hosted a charming hang out for locals and visitors.  Margot Robbie wed her long-term partner Tom Ackerley in a top-secret ceremony at the private retreat in 2016. Star actor Gabriel Macht, who plays Harvey Spectre, (Buddies of Prince Harry and Meghan) and his Aussie actress wife Jacinda Barrett hang out there.

The founder of the popular activewear label, Lorna Jane, also owns a $10 mil mansion in Hamilton, Brisbane. The previous owner spent serious money on the property adding a substantial shed for a car collection. The sales agent was Helen Huntley Barrett from First National.

The Byron Health Hub is now advertising for medically related business to take up leases in a new development. The site is on the eastern side of McGettigans Lane, Ewingsdale. This medical and health precinct will now include the new Byron Hospital, and then the planned Ingenia Aged Care facility, then the Byron Health Hub. Leasing is being managed by David Gordon from Ray White REA.

Byron Bay Backpackers at 116 – 118 Jonson St Byron Bay has sold. The 4,287 sqm site has been family held for 37 years and was sold with no development approvals intact. It achieved a price of $18.55 mil with John Musca and Elliott O’Shea from JLL as the listing agent.

The next-door Mercato complex is already completed. It holds the new revamped Woolworths and the Palace Cinema. Next-door to that, the old Woolworths site to the north is under an EOI process and with plans for a hotel, and retail complex.

The next one is 90-96 Jonson Street. This site currently includes The Cellar Liquor Store, O’shushi, and other retail outlets. The 5,390 M2 block sold last March 2020 and settles on March 2021. The price is not yet public but apparently a lot more than the Backpacker sale as it had DA approvals and advantageous B2 zoning in place.

Another Wategos Beach property has sold for more than $16 million in an off-market sale. The Marine Parade property comes after the well-publicised sale next door at 35 Marine Parade. This was a North Coast high of $22 million to Rip Curl founder Brian Singer. The seller was Melbourne based businessman Rick Townsend who purchased it for $900,000 in 1994.

The buyers are Emma Gibson, head of Aquamamma pregnancy hydration solution, and her husband Robert Bates. Bates co-founded 7 Trinity Biotech.  The company has a suite of health and technology startups.

The agent was Liam Annesley, who has left LJ Hooker Byron Bay and started his own brand,  Byron Bay Real Estate Agency. He also sold WhaleWatchers at the eastern end of Marine Parade. It sold in the last days of 2019 for $12 million to Brett Whiteley art dealer Steve Nasteski. This was well down on the hoped-for $18.5 mil that it was originally listed for.

• A recent sale by Jeremy Bennett from Byron Property Sales just happened last month at 49 Brownell Drive for $7.5 mil. The buyer was former Mitre 10 boss Mark Laidlaw and his wife Sarah.
• There is currently only one listing in Wategos as we go to print. 45 Brownell Drive is a co-listing with Helene Adams at Atlas and Liam Annesley with Byron Bay real estate. The 3 bed 1 bath 3 story house is a bit dated on the outside but has had a recent interior reno. The asking price is $8 – 8.5 mil.

This cute and interesting old workers cottage in Bangalow had a stellar performance at the auction on Feb 21. Admittedly, it was slightly underquoted in the marketing at $775,000. Spirited bidding by at least two keen buyers saw it reach a final $1,141,500. That is just over two-thirds increase in it is original price expectations. Listing agent Michael Dodds from Elders Bangalow said it was one of the longest auctions he’d ever experienced with the bidding opening at $900K and going up in $500 increments.  There were 13 registered bidders and 88 inspection parties over the three-week campaign,

Anyone who was in doubt about where the Byron property market was heading should read this. 12 Bay Street, next door to the Byron Beach Hotel and across the road from the Byron Surf Lifesaving Club,  is now in play. The developer Adam Hammond of Cavvanbah Projects, optioned the site last August for $30 million and expects to lodge the DA this month. Melbourne architect John Bornas from Workroom Design came up with the design concept and this is his fifth Byron project.

The team will be listing the property off the plan with Beauchamp Estates for 35 million pounds – that is around $61.3 million Australian dollars at the current exchange rate. ‘The Beach House’ is on a quarter acre block and looks onto Mian Beach. The Byron Beach Hotel next door recently sold for $100 million-plus.

The Design

The design concept features a main residence spanning 700 sqm of internal space,  landscaped outdoor heated pool area, Japanese hot-tub, Finnish sauna, yoga pavilion, instant gas hot water outdoor showers and an outdoor kitchen and dining area with unobstructed views of the Pacific Ocean.

A second self-contained residence of 300 sqm with switchable private elevator access would allow the owner to accommodate visiting friends and relatives, holiday let or combine to form a total main residence of 1000 sqm.

Billionaires Wanted

Mr Hammond says, “Where else can a Hollywood A-lister walk from the surf straight into a restaurant or bar without shoes on and not be bothered for an autograph?” the advertisement reads.

Mr Hammond said the property was likely to attract more international interest, given its scale and price tag. “The sort of person who can spend just over $60 million Australian on a house, which realistically will be a holiday house, will likely have a net worth of at least half a billion dollars,” Mr Hammond said.

“The profile of this sort of person – they may be Australian – but likely not, as billionaires are fairly thin on the ground here. “These people prize exclusivity, bespoke builds and discretion over anything else. “For somebody in that league, this isn’t going to be their only address.”

The site is currently zoned mixed-use and could feature a combination of retail, commercial, and residential space. Apparently, there is already interest in leasing the ground floor restaurants spaces.

Some of this text in this article came from the Courier Mail and The Northern Star. More on this story is in the Market Watch link below.

A previous BPS newsletter mentioned how a number of old houses on the eastern end of Brownell Drive, Wategos Beach were about to be pulled down to make way for multi-millionaire beach shacks. The plans for one of them has already hit the courts and some locals have not been so chilled out and going with the flow.

Scott Andrew Didier runs a company with the questionable name of Trump Investments. He bought the first house on the eastern end of Brownell Drive for around $5 mil and then submitted a DA to the council. That was the start of the most easterly shit fight.  The small enclave of only 84 lots has witnessed squabbling millionaires before, and will again, now that many some of the better homes are being priced at $20 mil plus.

The view is the money shot. Wategos is one of the few north-facing beaches on Australia’s east coast and a restricted view will seriously deduct value. The neighbours won on this one and Mr Didier was trumped and forced to take off a whole floor of the mega-mansion.

Council documents showed the property would have been three-storeys high with a four-vehicle stacked garage that included a lift. It also included a sauna, pool, powder room and several balconies. Mr Didier also owns the Beach Suites in Bay Lane, Byron which he purchased in 2018.

The Hemsworth’s have sold their Alcorn St., Suffolk Park property. This was their home the while the couple built their $20 mil home at Seven Mile Beach. CoreLogic records show the property had been bought in July 2018 for $4.3m and sat in the name of Byron Bay 1st Property Management, with the previous sale price in February 2009 sitting at $2.75m.

A $4.9m transaction was recorded under the Hemsworth name on December 9 for a beachfront property in Suffolk Park, in the Byron Bay region, which was said to be where his family lived while their $20m mega-mansion at Broken Head was being built. This is the latest, but probably not the last, real estate transaction to have the surname of one of Australia’s most famous brothers on the deal.

The two-bedroom unit in the Fortyfive complex in Lawson Street, Byron Bay achieved $3.75 mil. I think this sale last month is a new unit record. The property has been listed for some time by Byron Property Sales and was the last holding by the original developer.  It enjoys a north facing aspect providing expansive views over Main Beach and down to ‘The Pass’.

One of Byron hinterland’s premium property currently on the market – but soon to be sold. it is perched on the Coolamon ridge with perfect north 210-degree views from the mountains to Cape Byron. It sits on 55 acres that include natural bush and tropical rainforest. The house is master-built with a pavilion-style floor plan spreads across three buildings offering three large bedrooms all with their own en-suites. It also includes horizon pool, media room and billiard room. As we send this out the property is under negotiation for between $15- 18 mil with Graham Dunn Real Estate.

Head of the Nick Scali furniture empire now has somewhere to put his couch in the Byron Hinterland. Anthony Scali has paid $4.2 million for 53.4 hectare property in Wilsons Creek.

The house in Koonyam Range Road had been marketed earlier this year as a unique hinterland estate with Byron Shire’s best views. The three bedroom home has 270 degree panoramic views from the rim of the escarpment overlooking Mullumbimby and the bay.

It includes around 8,000 sqm of landscaped surrounds which include a 12 metre pool.

The pavilion-style home would not be to everyone’s taste as it is built from Oregon and blue stone and has the feel of a Swiss chalet.

Another couple of returning ex-pats have washed up on the shores of Byron. Australian photographer Polly Borland and her husband, filmmaker and highly awarded commercial director John Hilcoat, have bought in Suffolk Park.

The couple emerged as the $2.1 million buyers of the quirky, modernist-inspired home in Suffolk Park that appeared on Grand Designs Australia last year. This home (pictured) was featured in a previous Hot Property edition.

The home was built by Mike and Megan Fishwick. Mike, a clothing designer, and Megan, founder of Feel Good Revolution took their inspiration from the internationally ­acclaimed 1951 Ludwig Mies van der Rohe-designed Illinois weekender for Dr Edith Farnsworth. They paid $645,000 for the 800 sqm block of land in 2017 in the Seacliffs rainforest ­estate developed by Jonathan Levy’s Unison Projects.

The couple lived in a caravan with their three children for almost a year while undertaking the project. The Foxtel LifeStyle channel presenter Peter Mad­dison suggested it was “a uniquely Aussie version of a modernist building”.

New owners, Borland and Hilcoat, resided in England until around 2011 and are returning from Malibu, California. Borland is a highly awarded photographer. Hilcoat, who directed the hit prohibition-era crime film “Lawless” starring Tom Hardy and Shia LaBeouf, has joined the creative collective agency Collider. He’s collected every major advertising award over his long career, shooting commercials for the likes of Nike, Apple, Samsung and Coca-Cola.

Lilli Pilli Drive is a small enclave south of Byron that is often overlooked by buyers and the market. With the rapidly rising market, this usually sedate and humble suburb is also seeing strong growth. There are presently two listings there that are in the mid twos.

43 Lilli Pilli Drive is listed as an EOI with McGrath and expecting mid twos. 69 Lilli Pilli is an unusual property with interesting architecture. It was built with an inner-city terrace in mind. The proportions are a lot more gracious than a normal terrace which would help excuse the sale price of $2.85 mil. IT was marketed by Tara and Denzil from First National.

The mystery purchaser of the $22 mil Wategos Beach property on Marine Parade is still managing to remain anonymous. Much gossip has been circulating on who the buyer was but the Sydney agent has being staying mum.

Not such a mystery anymore on the other big purchase of last month. Philanthropist and investor Tanya Carnegie paid $11 mil for Hillstone Farm, Fowlers Lane, Bangalow. Tanya founded Vasudhara, a social impact firm and charity as well as the Carnegie Foundation.

Tanya is an investor, social entrepreneur and the founder of Vasudhara. She started her career at McKinsey & Co., holds a degree in Human Sciences from Oxford University, and was a post-graduate at Sydney and Macquarie universities.

This beachside site of 4,100msq has 9 freestanding 2/3 bedroom units with a total of 21 bedrooms. Residential and commercial zoning provides the opportunity to redevelop. This unique property is offered by David Gordon and Will van den Dungen via EOI which closes on 11^th December at 5pm. If it lasts that long…

This hoarder’s home in Concord, Sydney changed hands for more than $3.41 million at auction during the month. The house looked un-inhabitable: bags of garbage were piled in the front rooms and the yard was strewn with car batteries, loose pipes and other junk. Cleaners had come in weeks before the auction to clear up much of the mess but inside there were still stacks of outdated TVs, boxes, filing cabinets buried under cobwebs and a pile of loose doors. The eventual buyer did not even look inside as will pull down the house and build a new family home on the 1018 M2 site.

A NEW tourist accommodation development in the Byron hinterland has been given the green light. The 42-hectare property at 533 Bangalow Rd in Talofa has been approved as a new accommodation retreat.  The DA was lodged with Byron Shire Council in February. You may know the property as the home to an existing palm tree farm.  Talofa Palms Pty Ltd applied for six tourist accommodation cabins, each with two bedrooms, a kitchenette and a plunge pool for each cabin. Councilor Basil Cameron had concerns about the on-site parking and the plunge pools use of water.

45 Lawson St, Byron Bay

This 2 bed, 2.5 bath, beachfront apartment is north-facing with expansive beach views. Double garage, lift access, fireplace, air-con, and underfloor heating. For a cool $3.75M, this is Byron’s most expensive apartment. Contact Vicky Innes of Byron Bay Property Sales to inspect.

6 Wollongbar St, Byron Arts and Industrial Estate

Promoted as a luxury ‘man cave’ in the Byron Arts and Industrial Estate, this industrial unit has sold for $748,000. It is understood this was a record price for an industrial unit within the local region. The identity of the buyer has not been disclosed. Developer Zac Potter of the Potter Group said the sale price highlighted the draw of up-market “man cave” or “she shed” properties.

139 Jonson St, Byron Bay

This new development on the corner of Jonson of Browning St. Byron was discussed in last months newsletter. These new units were snapped up in a matter of weeks and never really made it to the open market. Two-bedroom units were being sold around $1.1 mil.

Rumour Mill

Rumour #1) The gossip persists that it was Matt Damon who purchased the $22 mil Wategos Beach property last month. The listing agent is not divulging the buyer but insists it is not the Holiday A-lister.  Damon has made multiple visits here with family and enjoys to hang out with his mate, Chris Hemsworth.

2) Circulating in the shire ATM is a rumour that Australian supermodel Miranda Kerr, married to Snapchat billionaire husband Evan Spiegel, has purchased in Byron Bay. There is no verification of this rumour but if it does come to light we will let you know.  The former Victoria’s Secret model, 35, is expecting her second child with Spiegel. Kerr already has an eight-year-old son Flynn from her previous marriage with Hollywood A-lister Orlando Bloom

Verified sales

Pandora Jewellery founder Karin Adcock has bought in Suffolk Park. Adcock, who sold the Pandora company for about $100 million in 2012, has quietly paid $1,325,000 for a renovated 1990s home. (link for more below)

Former model, now DJ, Kate Elsworth and hubby Nicolas Blistene spent a tidy $1.25 M on a townhouse on the fringe of Byron. Elsworth has headlined huge dance parties in Ibiza. The couple spent $1.25 million on a townhouse in the Seagrove complex.

The ‘thinnest house’ in London has gone on the market in Shepherd’s Bush for £950,000.  Just six feet wide in some parts, it is situated between two shops on Goldhawk Road and has 1,034 sq ft of internal modern space. Originally a hat shop, the property was converted into a five-storey property by fashion photographer Jurgen Teller — and it could now be yours. On the lower ground floor, there is a dining room with double-height glazed doors which lead to a leafy patio, plus a small kitchen with a dark green AGA and shaker-style cabinets. It has been inspired by a luxury yacht to make the most of its small space, so expect functional and practical nooks throughout.

New Byron Bay Record

Its a sign of the times. 35 Marine Parade Wategos Beach was only listed for a few days and has set a new residential record. The five-bedroom, three-bathroom home has achieved close to the $22 mil asking price. This easily beats the last Byron Bay record, also on Marine Parade, of $18.85 mil. The property was listed by the recruitment industry veteran Geoff Morgan, co-founder of Morgan & Banks, and his wife Roslyn.

Michael Coombs was the agent who is based in Neutral Bay with LJ Hooker Lower North Shore Sydney. Rumour has it that the property was sold to Hollywood actor Zac Efron. Apparently, there were a number of A-list celebrities looking at it but the agents are not able to make the buyer’s identity public.

Other Watego Moves

Match Media founder John Preston and his wife Dee have paid $7 million for a two-story house on Brownell Drive. The house next door has been quietly picked up off-market for $5.25 million by Daniel Foggo, chief of non-bank lender Plenti.

Troy Daniel, the founder of boutique Hong Kong creative agency Bespoke Company, has bought on the same street for $5.25 million.

Wategos Beach is now firmly entrenched as a premium property hot spot, attracting the sort of money usually seen in Sydney’s high-end suburbs.

14 Palm Valley Drive, Wategos

This is a new listing with Jeremy Bennett at Byron Property Sales. The three-bedroom home on three levels faces east and has an interrupted ocean view. Looking for $4.9 – $5.25 mil.

Goonengerry Road, Goonengerry

Australian actor based in LA, Jacob Elordi, has purchased a property Down Under. The 23-year-old Netflix star splurged just over $2million on this hinterland acreage in June, according to realestate.com.au. Surrounded by rainforest and sweeping ocean views with two Hamptons-style dwellings, the 5.7 acre property offers an oasis of peace and privacy.

Hemsworth Bros sell in LA

The genetically-blessed Hemsworth brothers – Chris, Luke and Liam – have listed their family LA crash pad for $6.7 million. Variety reports that the trio splashed $US3.45 million ($4.72 million) on the secluded contemporary home in Malibu, California in early 2016 after Chris, one of the highest-paid actors on the planet, and his Spanish model and actor wife Elsa Pataky decided to move their family from Los Angeles back to Byron. The Hemsworth brothers used the LA bolthole as a place where they could stop for industry events and professional engagements. But with younger brother Liam also with plans to build a home in Byron Bay, the three brothers have now decided to sell their joint venture – and look to make a tidy profit in the process.

Sign of the Times #2: this excellent property just outside of Bangalow took 11 days to sell for $11 mil. Hillstone Farm is 60 acres which features two houses and a studio. The 7 bedrooms 6 bathroom property has magnificent 270-degree views over Byron Bay and the ocean.

I took a client to this property last time it was sold in 2016. At the time it was listed for around $2.5 mil. The new owners have added the second house and done lots to the landscaping. But that is still a good mark up in four years. Jeremy Bennett, From Byron Property Sales, was the agent and fresh from his success in selling Villa Gabrielle on Lighthouse Road Byron for $9 mil.

This mid-century modernist-inspired Suffolk Park home has been sold by vendors Mike and Megan Fishwick. The unusual build was featured last year on Grand Designs Australia. Mike Fishwick is a clothing designer for a local street/surfwear label, and Megan is the founder of Feel Good Revolution.

They took their inspiration from the internationally ­acclaimed 1951 Ludwig Mies van der Rohe-designed Illinois weekender for Dr Edith Farnsworth. The 800 sqm building block was sold in 2017 for $645,000 in the Seacliffs rainforest ­estate developed by Jonathan Levy’s Unison Projects. First National Byron Bay agent Tara Torkkola achieved a $2.1 million sale, just under the $2.2 million price guidance.

The couple lived in a caravan with their three children for almost a year while undertaking the project. The Foxtel LifeStyle channel presenter Peter Mad­dison suggested it was “a uniquely Aussie version of a modernist building”.

The three-bedroom, two-bathroom house features an outdoor pool, entertainment deck, and a large carport. The kitchen, covered in handcrafted kitchen tiles, includes a cafe-style rangehood and spacious dining with a bespoke dining nook.

BYRON mayor Simon Richardson has used his casting vote to allow a proposed rezoning of coastal land to proceed to the state planning department for Gateway determination. The proposal for land at the northern end of Bayshore Drive, once home to a golf course and owned by Ganra Pty Ltd, went before Byron Shire Council’s planning meeting during the month.

It seeks approval for an Environmental Living (E4) zone to allow for nine residential lots and other environmental zonings to cover the 41-hectare site. It would mark the first application of an E4 zone in the Byron Shire. Jeremy Holmes, the development director for North Byron Beach Resort, asked councillors for their support.

Mayor Richardson said that he wishes there other things that could happen at this site. However, existing planning regulations make it most probable the development would pass through the Land and Environment Court. It is wise for the council not to waste ratepayers money fighting it.

The Golden Grid in Byron keeps on keeping on. The blocks between Marvel, Massinger,  Tennyson, and Ruskin contain more than just poets names. This classic old Qlder has had a magnificent and costly renovation prior to its last sale in 2016 for $3.025 mil.  The back half of the block was subdivided and built on. Now the remaining house on 632 M2 has been sold for $3.6 mil by Christian Sergiiacomi and Brad Cranfield from Pacifico Property.

This is a cute workers cottage in the sought after eastern side of Mullum. The four bedrooms include one out in the back lane, which could easily be self-contained. Still needs a bit of work to bring out the extra character but has lots of potential. Listed with Heidi Last at McGrath and will go to auction on the 7th of November.

Have a look at the character – and price. Best to go a bit further out to pick up bargains these days. This 3 bedroom 2 bathroom Queenslander faces the river and sits on 1488 M2 of land. I am sure flooding an issue here though which will explain the price. But looks like it has plenty of height to stay above the worst of it. $585,000 from Elders Tweed Valley.

Valuation firm HTW has done some research on what $700,000 will buy in two separate locations. Clarence Valley, Lismore, Kyogle and Casino are not in the overheated region of Northern Rivers. These areas are still seeing more market interest than usual as they are also experiencing COVID refugees. This is also a prime investor market. Many people are not comfortable in the stock market and very little interest is happening with the banks or managed funds.

This property on 9 acres in Myocum has many attributes. It is very private and has excellent ocean views to the east. Surrounded by tall gums and natural bush it is secluded and no traffic noise. The house itself is less than 20 years old but has just had a well-done refurbishment. Four bedrooms three bathrooms and a four-car garage/shed. Damian Smith from Ray White Byron Bay is looking for around $2,65 mil.

“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.

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.