Watego’s Last Prize

The owner of Rae’s at Wategos, Antony Catalano, has decided to take Byron Shire Council to the land and environment court. The disputed DA concerns the last major piece of highly prized Wategos Beach’s developable land. He wants to build two mansions on the 4000-plus square metre block—multi-level dwellings with 10 bedrooms and several pools.

According to the development proposal, it’s a “family home.” Catalano has nine kids—that’s one bedroom each, but presumably, they’ll have to learn to share the pools. Locals and the council are concerned that the completed development will switch to a hotel similar to Victoria’s and other properties that have taken this route. The long-term residents I have talked to are unhappy about the plan but are also long-term resigned that their little piece of paradise is now a money honeypot.

Catalano claims his plans for the block are preferable to the mass subdivision into as many as 17 blocks were on the cards before he bought it. He says the design will also improve the quality of the rainforest, and the council once said they liked it. Catalano is no stranger to being a property insider. He owns several regional newspapers and founded the successful Domain property search site. He is no longer with Domain, but coincidentally, Domain just put out this glossy account in Australia’s best seaside suburb.