Latest news with #CohenHandler
News.com.au
27-06-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Qld's 20 biggest home sales of the year revealed
The Sunshine State is fast becoming the nation's new money magnet for property seekers, with a record-breaking $40m Queensland deal making the country's list of the 20 biggest sales of the financial year. A whopping $380m was spent on just 20 residential properties in the past 12 months — five in Brisbane, and the rest scattered across the Gold Coast and Noosa — with agents reporting an exodus of Melbourne buyers and an influx of local buyers. Among the cashed-up buyers and sellers are an airport magnate and airline CEO, a professional surfer, a fashion label founder, and an online betting guru. From LA-inspired mansions and rare beachfront blocks on the Gold Coast to large estates in Brisbane's fanciest suburbs, there was no shortage of money changing hands for properties priced above $5m, despite the struggle for many to even get into the market. Cohen Handler Queensland director Jordan Navybox said the level of interest in Brisbane properties in the $5m-plus category had been 'huge'. 'In suburbs like Teneriffe and Ascot, only a handful of properties are on the market,' Mr Navybox said. MORE: Owners collect 20-times profit on stunning beach shack sale Mr Navybox said the broader Brisbane market continued to show 'remarkable resilience' in the current high interest rate environment. 'Since January, of our 210 purchases so far, we have sourced and purchased 37 properties over $5m, including 12 over $10m. That increase in prestige transactions over the past five years is tenfold. Queenslanders are investing more and more in their principal place — and rightfully so being the only tax free asset we'll own. 'There's a lot of noise out there, geopolitically, post-election legislation, pending interest rate decisions, volatile stock market, but in South East Queensland, confidence is holding. 'ANZ is forecasting a nine to 10 per cent uplift in Brisbane property prices for the calendar year, outpacing other capital cities once again. 'I expect the growth to be greater than that if we see the 75 basis point total rate reduction that is forecast by Christmas.' Place Estate Agents managing director Sarah Hackett, who negotiated two of the biggest apartment sales of the year, said demand for apartment living was 'so strong'. 'We've got so many people wanting to downsize and forgo the maintenance of a big home and go to one level of living,' Mrs Hackett said. 'They want something of scale, but without the upkeep.' She said many people in New Farm, Hamilton, and surrounding suburbs, were looking to downsize to house-sized apartments. On the Gold Coast, the Kollosche team reported a number of suburb records were broken during the past year. 'While blue-chip locations such as Broadbeach Waters, Sorrento and Mermaid Waters continued to excel, new benchmarks were also set in emerging suburbs such as Bilinga, Currumbin Waters and Pacific Pines,' the agency stated in its end-of-year report. 'These results suggest that buyers are casting the net wider, exploring up-and-coming areas where value and lifestyle align.' QLD'S TOP 20 HOME SALES OF FY 2025 1. Jefferson Lane and Fourth Ave, Palm Beach - $40m The couple behind this buy blew away the competition when they dropped $40m on a beachfront property in Palm Beach — a new Queensland residential sale price record. The amalgamated purchase, which spans 1525 sq m over three titles, was sold by former Sydney Swans AFL player and property investor Tony Smith, who owns FINNS Beach Club in Bali. The buyer plans to demolish the 1960s beach shack, villa, and timber pole house on the site to make way for two new beach homes. 2. Sutherland Ave, Ascot - $23m A new record home price for Brisbane was established with the sale of a heritage-listed home in the affluent suburb of Ascot for $23m through Damon Warat of Ray White Ascot and Jordan Navybox of Cohen Handler Queensland. The property had been renovated by construction boss Brett Walker of BWC Group, who paid $10m for it in 2021. 3. Noosa Pde, Noosa Heads - $22.5m A richlister who made a fortune selling off a childcare business snapped up this $22.5m holiday home and has made it available for the experience of a lifetime on his private Airbnb-style service. Brendan McAssey, who sold his now 80-strong childcare chain Only About Children for circa $400m over eight years ago, has been steadily buying up luxury 'toys' that he makes earn their keep via a prestigious Airbnb-style service for the wealthy. The six-bedroom, six-bathroom trophy home designed by Stephen Kidd was sold by Nic Hunter and Tom Offermann of Tom Offermann Real Estate. 4. Mcmillan Court, Southport - $22m Former Gold Coast Suns boss Tony Cochrane and wife Thea sold their Gold Coast mansion for $22m. The Cochranes, who are global sports and entertainment producers, had had the property on the market since November, 2023. Coastal's Matt Lanyon and McGrath Gold Coast North's James Courtney teamed up to get the mega deal sealed. Set over four levels, the home includes five bedrooms, seven bathrooms and a six-car basement. 5. Gordon St, Hawthorne - $20.25m This riverfront property sold for $20.25m through Sarah Hackett of Place Estate Agents to a local family. The six-bedroom home on a 2985 sq m block has 32m of river frontage, a 20m private jetty, a riverside pool and bar, tennis court, and gym, to name just a few of the features. 6. Jefferson Lane, Palm Beach - $20.2m A pair of original beachfront shacks yielded an astonishing 20-fold profit for a family who had held the land for more than 30 years. Records show online betting guru Andrew Fahey was the buyer of the 817 sqm parcel at Palm Beach after making an unprecedented offer that trumped several developers. Marketing agent Nick Williams, of Williams Real Estate Indooroopilly, said the buyer intended to build a showstopper family home after flipping another property. Records show the Brisbane-based owners, Rhiannon Wihardjo and Linda Fan, paid $1,072,500 for the two lots with combined 20m beach frontage in 1993. 7. Virginia Ave, Hawthorne - $20m A Brisbane riverfront mansion listed by a major pharmacy chain's founder sold late last year after a search for an offer more than $20 million. Don Gardiner and his wife Colleen initially put their Hawthorne mansion up for sale in August of 2023, later pausing the sale and resuming in 2024. The five-bedroom, six-bathroom home was sold by Sarah Hackett, who described it as a 'once in a lifetime' opportunity. The buyer remains confidential. 8. Newstead Tce, Newstead - $20m A new record was set for Brisbane's apartment market in February with the sale of this iconic penthouse. The 1060 sqm, riverfront property in the exclusive Pier development in Newstead was formerly owned by retired company director, Howard Stack and his wife, Hilary, who paid $14.25m for it in 2008 — a record at the time. 9. Southern Cross Drive, Surfers Paradise - $18.5m This Hollywood Hills-style mega mansion on a prized Main River triple block sold under the hammer for $18.5m in February. Thirteen, mostly local, bidders registered for the Surfers Paradise trophy home following a high-profile sales campaign by Kollosche principal, Michael Kollosche, and agent, Jamie Harrison. 10. Marseille Court, Sorrento - $18m This extravagant mansion, known for hosting parties with world-famous celebrities, was once the Gold Coast's most expensive home: built in the 1980s for businessman Sir Justin Hickey and his wife, Lady Barbara Hickey. The two would go on to host a range of opulent parties on the property, with guests such as Frank Sinatra, Whitney Houston, Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah, and the Rolling Stones. 11. Refinery Pde, New Farm - $17.5m In one of the biggest sales for Brisbane this year, a mega penthouse with a wellness centre and eight-car garage in New Farm sold for $17.5m. The seller, Brisbane expat Ben Cleary, a director of multi-billion dollar fund manager, Tribeca Investment Partners, paid $10m for the property in 2020 — a record price at the time. Place Estate Agents managing director Sarah Hackett negotiated the sale of the property to a local family. 12. Hedges Ave, Mermaid Beach - $17m This mansion on Hedges Ave, Mermaid Beach, had been held by the same family for 25 years before recently selling off-market for a price that sets a benchmark for the coveted oceanfront stretch known as Billionaire's Row. The sale equates to $41,975 per square metre. Records show the property had been owned by Louise Gordon since December 2000, when it was purchased for $1.55m. 13. Minyama Island, Minyama - $17m This near-new, jawdropping mansion smashed the suburb sale price record when it sold earlier this year for $17m through Jordan Lund of Elite Lifestyle Properties. The luxurious, architecturally-designed property on Queensland's Sunshine Coast was snapped up by a young businessman from interstate. 14. Allambi Rise, Noosa Heads - $16.9m This decades-old cottage with sea views, originally built in the 1960s, was snapped up by a highflying Brisbane buyer. The property had been owned for the past 50 years by a Melbourne family, trading under Hemingway Holdings Pty Ltd. 15. Hedges Ave, Mermaid Beach - $16.75m The owner of Australia's only privately funded airport, Toowoomba Wellcamp forked out almost $17m for this beachfront holiday home. Records show the vendor, Azzura Group boss Roberto Badalotti, purchased the property for $9m from former Gold Coast Suns chair Tony Cochrane in 2007. Three years later, the property transferred to Mermaid Property Group for $4.1m, with Mr Badalotti listed as a director of the company. 16. Monaco St, Broadbeach Waters - $16.5m The luxurious Gold Coast estate known as The Bachelor mansion sold for $16.5m six months after the sensational collapse of an $18m contract on the riverfront trophy mansion. The Broadbeach Waters property that was used as the backdrop of The Bachelors, which aired on Channel 10 in January, 2023, first hit the market in 2023. Property records reveal the seller, Sharon Cummings, paid $14.5m for the estate in October, 2021. 17. Hilton Tce, Noosaville - $16.5m Once the home of the late philanthropist, Harry Spring, who donated much land to the Noosa community, this riverfront site was snapped up before going to market just last week. Selling agent Tom Offermann of Tom Offermann Real Estate said it sold to a buyer on his database who 'recognised the rarity' of the 1940 sqm, north-facing site with a jetty and boat ramp. The new owners plan to demolish the current house and re-build. 18. Golden Four Dr, Bilinga - $16.05m Surf legend Mick Fanning scored $16.05m for his beachfront dream home in a pre-auction wipeout deal setting a new benchmark for the southern Gold Coast. The three-time world champion's Bilinga property was snapped up by a local family a week before it was scheduled to go under the hammer, becoming the most expensive residential home sold between Coolangatta and Currumbin. 19. Monaco St, Broadbeach Waters - $15.51m An entertainer's dream home built by Thunder From Down Under founder Billy Cross and his wife Jackie changed hands for $15.51m earlier this year. The entrepreneurial couple sold their LA-inspired mansion to former KPMG global executive James Collier for $12.4m in July 2021, but he put the trophy home back on the market three years later. It had been listed at $16.75m, but the vendors dropped their asking price and sealed a deal. 20. Bayview Rd, Noosa Heads - $15m Bidding started at $10m when this property went to auction in November, before selling to a mystery buyer, who plans to use it as a 'home away from home', according to marketing agent Chris Miller of Tom Offermann Real Estate. It was built by Deborah and Glen Watson, whose previous luxury homes in the area have sold for as much as $13.5m. *************************** 20. 55 Knightsbridge Parade West, Sovereign Islands - $14.5m Buyer: Undisclosed Seller: John Corbett This sprawling waterfront estate on Sovereign Islands changed hands for $14.5m. The seven-bedroom, nine-bathroom house on a 1,458 sqm canalfront lot featured a distinctive medieval-style facade and was known locally as 'the castle'. Coastal agent Edin Kara negotiated the sale. 24 Winch Court, Mermaid Waters - $14.005m 153 Hedges Ave, Mermaid Beach - $13.75m, May Buyer: Wade and Caroline von Bibra 16. 38 Seaview Tce, Sunshine Beach - $13.1m, September Buyer: Brad Heath, managing director of Sure Insurance 17. 56 Windermere Rd, Hamilton - $13m Seller: Retail entrepreneurs Michael and Melissa Josephson, founders of Universal Store 18. 19 Key Court, Noosa Heads - $13m, July Buyer: Regis Healthcare co-founder Bryan Dorman 19. Wendell St, Norman Park - $13m, June Seller: Max Panettiere of Panettiere Developments 71 Jefferson Lane, Palm Beach - $13m, August 20. 8/49 Maxwell St, New Farm - $12.8m, January Buyer - John O'Brien, wife Helen, founder of Poolwerx 20 Langisde Rd, Hamilton - $12.7m, 9/81 Hastings St, Noosa Heads - $12.51, November Buyer: Cameron Bertalli, CEO and Managing Director of Patterson Cheney Cars and Truck 7 Prospect Tce, Hamilton - $12.3m, September Buyer - Louis Zenonos Seller: Adam and Daniella Carmichael, who relocated to Brisbane after selling up their auto dealerships in Townsville 30 Mount St, Burleigh Heads - $12m, March Seller: Adam Sullivan Buyer: RSL Queensland for Dream Home Art Union 28/74-86 Old Burleigh Rd, Surfers Paradise- LA Sabbia penthouse 2 Wave St, Mermaid Beach - $11.6m, April Steven Stoddart Whipbird, Panorama , Doonan - $11.2m 12 Elystan Rd, New Farm - $10.7m, December Seller: Buyer: Jamie and Nicky Charman
The Guardian
31-05-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
‘It's a shock': if you think Adelaide housing is affordable, think again
When people think of Adelaide, they may ponder its good food and wine or its many churches. Historically, it was viewed as a well-priced place to live and work. But years of surging property prices have made it less affordable than some of the world's most famous cities, including London and New York, when income levels are factored into living costs. Even those with a front row seat to the change have trouble comprehending it. 'It is a shock for someone like myself, who was born and bred here and always thought of Adelaide as being one of the most affordable places to live with the quality of lifestyle that we have,' says David King, a property agent who assists buyers entering the market. 'The traditional first-time buyer is now being priced out of houses and that has led to a quite large increase in unit prices across Adelaide. Now even a unit is becoming out of reach.' King, a buyer's agent at property group Cohen Handler, says prospective buyers in Adelaide are frustrated. 'There are people who come to us often through a level of frustration that they've been out there looking and missing out on so many different properties. They are just sick and tired of being out there every weekend.' Adelaide is the sixth least affordable metropolitan market listed in the recent Demographia International Housing Affordability report, which measures housing costs to income in 95 markets across eight nations. The South Australian capital, which is less affordable than global cities such as San Francisco, Chicago and Toronto, is now Australia's second-least affordable city, after the perennially expensive Sydney. While Hong Kong is at the top of the list, it is suffering from a depressed housing market, in a trend that will probably soon give Sydney the unenviable title of world's most unaffordable city. Demographia blames a global affordability squeeze on governments using urban containment strategies, which it defines as a focus on densifying housing within city boundaries as opposed to expansion. Australia has also been gripped by concerns that state and federal government policies are fuelling demand through their policies, without adequately addressing supply. While housing affordability across the country deteriorated during the Covid pandemic, as wages fell behind rocketing home values, most of Australia's major cities have been expensive for decades. Some of the biggest price gains occurred in the late 1990s and early 2000s, with near double-digit annual percentage gains, backed by the 'increasingly significant role' of investors pumping up demand, as noted by Treasury at the time. This coincided with the Howard government's 1999 decision to reduce capital gains tax for investors. Home prices as a multiple of Australians' incomes have more than doubled since 1980, according to the OECD's measure. The same figure has only risen by half as much in the UK and barely moved in the US. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email Prof Hal Pawson, an expert in housing policy at UNSW, said that affordability has deteriorated faster in Australia than in most comparable countries as bigger tax exemptions allow investors and owner-occupiers to pour more money into the sector. 'Australia's a country that, probably to a greater extent than even other anglophone countries, has an obsession with property as a place to put your money,' Pawson says. Geography also plays a part. Australia's layout and remote centre mean people congregate towards big coastal cities, contrasting with the more common practice across Europe and the US of inland cities. Adelaide, now less affordable than the more heavily populated Melbourne, is a good example of a city being squeezed by its terrain, given that it is locked between the ocean and the hills. Recent coverage of Australia's housing crisis has focused on soaring demand and sluggish supply of new homes, with growing city populations held back by rising construction costs and lengthy project approval processes. But in Germany, which also faces those issues, incomes have grown faster than home prices over recent decades, making property more affordable. Housing enjoys fewer tax breaks in Germany, while rent caps and stronger protections for tenants mean much of the population is happy to rent long-term. Christian Danne, a Berlin-based economist, says price-income comparisons hardly apply because half the population isn't looking to buy a home. 'Ever since the 1950s, it's a renters' market,' he says. 'The most prized possession in the UK and Ireland is your house, but for a very long time in Germany, the most important status symbol was your car.' More than half the German population rented a home in 2024, whereas only about a third of Australians are tenants. Amid a shortage of housing stock, rents for new tenants have been rising fast in Germany, putting pressure on young people and migrants entering the market. But those already settled into a rental are usually spared the steep increases. 'Price increases are very predictable once you're living in a place, so there's literally no incentive to buy and own a place other than personal preference,' says Danne, a consultant at DIW Econ. Australia has seen bigger hikes in both existing and new rent costs in the last five years, with average rent prices up nearly 20% and the advertised price of new rentals up nearly 50%. Affordability advocates in Australia are focusing their attention on rental rights, which are a state issue. The thinking is that improving tenancy rights may lower the value of rental properties and depress rental prices, easing affordability at the expense of landlords, as it does in some overseas markets. Bruce Djite, the South Australian executive director at the Property Council of Australia, says Adelaide's past affordability advantage has been 'completely eroded' and policymakers aren't reacting by increasing supply fast enough. 'We are not acting like we're in a crisis [but] a lot more needs to be done,' Djite says. 'If we continue on like this, we will get a reputation for not just being unaffordable, but being completely inaccessible.'
News.com.au
03-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- News.com.au
Can quirky homes get Qlders on the property ladder?
Queenslanders have made some of the quirkiest things into homes and one prominent architecture expert reckons this ingenuity may just help the next generation of homebuyers during the housing crisis. Throughout the Sunshine State people are living in planes, trains, space station-like bubbles, war bunkers and even a Barbie dream house, with their creations driven by budget constraints, inventiveness and a desire to standout. But where some may view these quirky residences as oversized curios, Grand Designs Australia and Restoration Australia host Anthony Burke sees them as the work of trailblazers. The professor of architecture said experimenting with home designs could lead to more affordable homes for Australians. 'We're going to have to invent our way out of this (housing) problem,' he said. 'Australia is very risk adverse when it comes to our houses and that hasn't budged much since the 1950s 'We need Australians to engage with a bit more risk-taking with our architecture. 'And while (quirky homes) aren't necessarily the answer to the housing crisis, they are a good step towards breaking us out of business as usual.' Mr Burke said he was seeing an increase in Australians willing to experiment with home building and renovation, particularly younger people. 'There's a new generation of Australians who can't afford a new home,' he said. 'They are the group that is going to reinvent what a house looks like because they can't afford a house like it has looked for the past 70 years. '(Quirky homes) are necessary to change our thinking. 'I think we're going to see more of them is the next 20 years, the way we haven't in the past 40 years.' Buyer's agent and managing director of Cohen Handler, Jordan Navybox said while 'quirky' homes were once the purview of eccentrics, unique luxury homes were growing in popularity in South East Queensland. 'Prestige buyers do want a level of exclusivity and uniqueness,' he said. 'They want a home that is one-of-one. 'Brisbane is finally seeing this fashion and lifestyle movement and there are more architects pushing the boundaries in Brisbane. 'Rob Mills is a Melbourne architect doing a lot in Brisbane right now and so is Luigi Rosselli from Sydney. 'It's super fashionable now to have a really beautiful and unique house and the more fashionable that becomes, the more boundary pushing we will see.' Lynn Malone of Queensland Sotheby's, who is selling 'Alkira', a futuristic concrete residence built above a lake in Cape Tribulation, said it was more difficult to sell a quirky home but the trick was to know the buyers to target. 'Buyers' reactions are often polarised — some are captivated by the unexpected and folly, while others have concerns about comparable property sales and valuations,' she said. 'The objective is to identify and reach the niche audience that aspires to acquire a property such as 'Alkira Resort House' and has the financial capability to purchase. 'Too much uniqueness, such as a remote location in Far North Queensland, can be a drawback for a traditional buyer. 'However, most prospective buyers for 'Alkira' view remoteness, privacy, and exclusivity as compelling attributes.' Ms Malone said truly unique homes attracted strong interest when they hit the market. 'The challenge lies in translating that tremendous interest into genuine buyer inquiries,' she said. Ms Malone said she had seen an increase in buyers willing to consider more quirky homes. 'Especially in the luxury real estate sector, buyers seek properties that offer authenticity, design innovation, and a connection with nature, particularly when buying a second or third residence,' she said. Mr Burke said in general, owners of quirky homes could be broken down into two groups – those looking to experiment and those looking to express their personality. 'Some are inventions by necessity, such as inhabiting a train carriage because that's all they could afford,' he said. 'Some, like the Bubble House (in Ipswich), are a labour of love and an experimental thesis. 'There's also the really formally flamboyant house, which are more about puffing up and saying 'I'm here, I'm doing something different'. 'It's not an idea, it's a power play. 'But the person with the lifelong thesis they've had in sustainable housing, that's a labour of love and that comes from a strength of idea.' Mr Burke said Aussies tended to appreciate the passion builds. 'There is an army of good taste cops out there that shake their but most people see something usual like the Bubble house and say 'good on you for having a crack',' he said. 'Australians, we love the underdog, the renegade, the brave eccentric.' Mr Burke said most who set out to build a unique home were the type to care little about the opinions of others. 'These are kind of places that stay in a family for as long as someone can live independently and, by that time, they've become landmarks,' he said. 'They become a bit precious, think mid-century Seidler homes and Robin Boyd homes.' Mr Burke said he appreciated those homeowners, builders and architects ready to take the risk and do something outside the box. 'New materials, new technology, new processes – they will take a while to land in meaningful ways, but we need early adopters,' he said. 'Things like rammed earth are already coming back into play, which is good to see.' Mr Burke said he hoped to see the experimentation occurring overseas start to influence Australians homeowners. 'They are 3D printing houses in Texas, mushroom houses grown and built out of mushroom are happening in the US and Europe, and we're even seeing architectural structures made by silkworms.' SOME OF QUEENSLAND'S QUIRKIEST HOMES 1. Bubble House – Karalee Built by architect owner Graham Birchall, this home took a decade to complete and is made from 11 intersecting circular domes. The house began as a thesis idea more than 40 years ago and ended up a 20-room family home with 1050 sqm of floor space. 2. Alkira Resort House – Cape Tribulation This remote concrete masterpiece was designed by visionary architect Charles Wright and is positioned over a man-made lake and surrounded by 30ha of wilderness including a beach. It took the original owner, stamp collector and property developer Rob Perry, five years to design and build the six bedroom, seven bathroom house. The unusual swimming pool shape and surrounding roofline is based on the silhouette of the head on the 'One Pound Jimmy' postage stamp issued in Australia in the 1950s. 3. Barbie Dream House – Agnes Waters This eye-catching home is spread across four levels with a party zone that includes a built-in bar, space for a pool table and guest bedrooms. Like any good dream house, it has a bright colour scheme, a pool and plenty of space to entertain or just relax. You can even see the ocean from the decks. 4. Train carriage home – Booie Marketed as one of a kind and currently for sale, this 2.67ha property comes with a home created from a Melbourne train carriage. The stainless steel carriage, measuring around 23m long and 2.9m wide, has a kitchen, dining, and lounge area, complete with original train handrails, a bathroom and a bedroom. There is also an added second bedroom and deck plus the block has a big shed and dam. 5. Silo house – Kairi This two-bedroom, one bathroom home is built into the side of historic grain silos that were bought for just $5000 in 2010. The home sits in what was originally the office and weigh station, but all the machinery from the silos has been kept on site. The silos themselves are accessed from inside the home, with a door opening to the first two silos and a shaft that runs underneath all four. 6. Gill House – Norman Park Designed to look like the gills of a shark, this modern riverside home is spread across four levels and has four bedrooms and four bathrooms. Inside there is a 6.3m high void, marble-clad fireplace, a master suite that takes up an entire level, a round bathtub sitting under a skylight and a four-car stacker in the garage. The property looks out over the Brisbane River and is currently for sale. 7. Chateau sur-Ciel – Willow Vale The name of this Gold Coast property aptly translates to 'castle in the sky'. Designed and built over a period of ten years by the original owners, the home has medieval-themed games room, a moat, a chapel and horse stables. The six-bedroom home was inspired by a love of European art and architecture. 8. Bunker house – Miles The couple behind Possum Park Caravan Park, 20km north of Miles, turned a WWII bunker into their home after buying an abandoned air force base in 1986. The 12m-long ammunition bunker, made from 10-inch thick concrete and covered with 1m of dirt, contains a bedroom, bathroom, office and open plan kitchen and living room. The couple have also converted more bunkers, an army igloo, a plane and train carriages into guest accommodation. 9. Elysian Falls dome house – Flaxton Artist Cath Wild designed and built this aircrete dome house on her property in the Sunshine Coast hinterland. The four-dome structure is the first aircrete dome to have council build approval and covers just under 90 sqm. Ms Wild made about 6000 aircrete blocks to complete the home and the build took about three years. 10. Renovated church – Innisfail The former St Andrew's Presbyterian Memorial Church in Innisfail isn't your typical church – it was designed by architect Eddie Oribin in the modernist organic style of Frank Lloyd Wright. Now converted to a private residence, the home has triangular brickwork, patterned screen walls with green glass inserts, tulip oak walls, polished timber floors, original diamond shaped leadlight windows, a burning tree motif and a copper flower bowl. There are three levels with open plan living, dining and kitchen, and a bedroom on a mezzanine level.
Courier-Mail
03-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Courier-Mail
Can quirky homes get Qlders on the property ladder?
Queenslanders have made some of the quirkiest things into homes and one prominent architecture expert reckons this ingenuity may just help the next generation of homebuyers during the housing crisis. Throughout the Sunshine State people are living in planes, trains, space station-like bubbles, war bunkers and even a Barbie dream house, with their creations driven by budget constraints, inventiveness and a desire to standout. But where some may view these quirky residences as oversized curios, Grand Designs Australia and Restoration Australia host Anthony Burke sees them as the work of trailblazers. The professor of architecture said experimenting with home designs could lead to more affordable homes for Australians. 'We're going to have to invent our way out of this (housing) problem,' he said. 'Australia is very risk adverse when it comes to our houses and that hasn't budged much since the 1950s 'We need Australians to engage with a bit more risk-taking with our architecture. 'And while (quirky homes) aren't necessarily the answer to the housing crisis, they are a good step towards breaking us out of business as usual.' Mr Burke said he was seeing an increase in Australians willing to experiment with home building and renovation, particularly younger people. 'There's a new generation of Australians who can't afford a new home,' he said. 'They are the group that is going to reinvent what a house looks like because they can't afford a house like it has looked for the past 70 years. '(Quirky homes) are necessary to change our thinking. 'I think we're going to see more of them is the next 20 years, the way we haven't in the past 40 years.' Buyer's agent and managing director of Cohen Handler, Jordan Navybox said while 'quirky' homes were once the purview of eccentrics, unique luxury homes were growing in popularity in South East Queensland. 'Prestige buyers do want a level of exclusivity and uniqueness,' he said. 'They want a home that is one-of-one. 'Brisbane is finally seeing this fashion and lifestyle movement and there are more architects pushing the boundaries in Brisbane. 'Rob Mills is a Melbourne architect doing a lot in Brisbane right now and so is Luigi Rosselli from Sydney. 'It's super fashionable now to have a really beautiful and unique house and the more fashionable that becomes, the more boundary pushing we will see.' Lynn Malone of Queensland Sotheby's, who is selling 'Alkira', a futuristic concrete residence built above a lake in Cape Tribulation, said it was more difficult to sell a quirky home but the trick was to know the buyers to target. 'Buyers' reactions are often polarised — some are captivated by the unexpected and folly, while others have concerns about comparable property sales and valuations,' she said. 'The objective is to identify and reach the niche audience that aspires to acquire a property such as 'Alkira Resort House' and has the financial capability to purchase. 'Too much uniqueness, such as a remote location in Far North Queensland, can be a drawback for a traditional buyer. 'However, most prospective buyers for 'Alkira' view remoteness, privacy, and exclusivity as compelling attributes.' Ms Malone said truly unique homes attracted strong interest when they hit the market. 'The challenge lies in translating that tremendous interest into genuine buyer inquiries,' she said. Ms Malone said she had seen an increase in buyers willing to consider more quirky homes. 'Especially in the luxury real estate sector, buyers seek properties that offer authenticity, design innovation, and a connection with nature, particularly when buying a second or third residence,' she said. Mr Burke said in general, owners of quirky homes could be broken down into two groups – those looking to experiment and those looking to express their personality. 'Some are inventions by necessity, such as inhabiting a train carriage because that's all they could afford,' he said. 'Some, like the Bubble House (in Ipswich), are a labour of love and an experimental thesis. 'There's also the really formally flamboyant house, which are more about puffing up and saying 'I'm here, I'm doing something different'. 'It's not an idea, it's a power play. 'But the person with the lifelong thesis they've had in sustainable housing, that's a labour of love and that comes from a strength of idea.' Mr Burke said Aussies tended to appreciate the passion builds. 'There is an army of good taste cops out there that shake their but most people see something usual like the Bubble house and say 'good on you for having a crack',' he said. 'Australians, we love the underdog, the renegade, the brave eccentric.' Mr Burke said most who set out to build a unique home were the type to care little about the opinions of others. 'These are kind of places that stay in a family for as long as someone can live independently and, by that time, they've become landmarks,' he said. 'They become a bit precious, think mid-century Seidler homes and Robin Boyd homes.' Mr Burke said he appreciated those homeowners, builders and architects ready to take the risk and do something outside the box. 'New materials, new technology, new processes – they will take a while to land in meaningful ways, but we need early adopters,' he said. 'Things like rammed earth are already coming back into play, which is good to see.' Mr Burke said he hoped to see the experimentation occurring overseas start to influence Australians homeowners. 'They are 3D printing houses in Texas, mushroom houses grown and built out of mushroom are happening in the US and Europe, and we're even seeing architectural structures made by silkworms.' SOME OF QUEENSLAND'S QUIRKIEST HOMES 1. Bubble House – Karalee Built by architect owner Graham Birchall, this home took a decade to complete and is made from 11 intersecting circular domes. The house began as a thesis idea more than 40 years ago and ended up a 20-room family home with 1050 sqm of floor space. 2. Alkira Resort House – Cape Tribulation This remote concrete masterpiece was designed by visionary architect Charles Wright and is positioned over a man-made lake and surrounded by 30ha of wilderness including a beach. It took the original owner, stamp collector and property developer Rob Perry, five years to design and build the six bedroom, seven bathroom house. The unusual swimming pool shape and surrounding roofline is based on the silhouette of the head on the 'One Pound Jimmy' postage stamp issued in Australia in the 1950s. 3. Barbie Dream House – Agnes Waters This eye-catching home is spread across four levels with a party zone that includes a built-in bar, space for a pool table and guest bedrooms. Like any good dream house, it has a bright colour scheme, a pool and plenty of space to entertain or just relax. You can even see the ocean from the decks. 4. Train carriage home – Booie Marketed as one of a kind and currently for sale, this 2.67ha property comes with a home created from a Melbourne train carriage. The stainless steel carriage, measuring around 23m long and 2.9m wide, has a kitchen, dining, and lounge area, complete with original train handrails, a bathroom and a bedroom. There is also an added second bedroom and deck plus the block has a big shed and dam. 5. Silo house – Kairi This two-bedroom, one bathroom home is built into the side of historic grain silos that were bought for just $5000 in 2010. The home sits in what was originally the office and weigh station, but all the machinery from the silos has been kept on site. The silos themselves are accessed from inside the home, with a door opening to the first two silos and a shaft that runs underneath all four. 6. Gill House – Norman Park Designed to look like the gills of a shark, this modern riverside home is spread across four levels and has four bedrooms and four bathrooms. Inside there is a 6.3m high void, marble-clad fireplace, a master suite that takes up an entire level, a round bathtub sitting under a skylight and a four-car stacker in the garage. The property looks out over the Brisbane River and is currently for sale. 7. Chateau sur-Ciel – Willow Vale The name of this Gold Coast property aptly translates to 'castle in the sky'. Designed and built over a period of ten years by the original owners, the home has medieval-themed games room, a moat, a chapel and horse stables. The six-bedroom home was inspired by a love of European art and architecture. 8. Bunker house – Miles The couple behind Possum Park Caravan Park, 20km north of Miles, turned a WWII bunker into their home after buying an abandoned air force base in 1986. The 12m-long ammunition bunker, made from 10-inch thick concrete and covered with 1m of dirt, contains a bedroom, bathroom, office and open plan kitchen and living room. The couple have also converted more bunkers, an army igloo, a plane and train carriages into guest accommodation. 9. Elysian Falls dome house – Flaxton Artist Cath Wild designed and built this aircrete dome house on her property in the Sunshine Coast hinterland. The four-dome structure is the first aircrete dome to have council build approval and covers just under 90 sqm. Ms Wild made about 6000 aircrete blocks to complete the home and the build took about three years. 10. Renovated church – Innisfail The former St Andrew's Presbyterian Memorial Church in Innisfail isn't your typical church – it was designed by architect Eddie Oribin in the modernist organic style of Frank Lloyd Wright. Now converted to a private residence, the home has triangular brickwork, patterned screen walls with green glass inserts, tulip oak walls, polished timber floors, original diamond shaped leadlight windows, a burning tree motif and a copper flower bowl. There are three levels with open plan living, dining and kitchen, and a bedroom on a mezzanine level.
