Byron Bay home next door to Chris Hemsworth is the priciest sale of the month

A dream beach house on the coveted Byron Bay coast – which shares a property line with the Hemsworths – has set the August house price record in a $36 million deal.

The Broken Head home is one of five New South Wales residences to take out the national top five last month.

Aside from the glamorous coastal retreat in the state’s far north, Sydney unsurprisingly swept the floor with the next four most expensive sales recorded on realestate.com.au last month – all priced above $20 million.  

Jump ahead to see the most expensive homes to sell in August:

• National top five
• Victoria
• Queensland
• South Australia
• Western Australia
• Tasmania
• Northern Territory
• ACT

1. Broken Head oceanfront retreat with famous neighbours

Ohana House, a seven-bedroom beachside oasis at 433 Seven Mile Beach Rd, Broken Head took home the top price gong, selling for $36 million on August 11.

Commissioned in 2014, the 9ha estate features a beach house designed by the renowned architect, Virginia Kerridge, with interiors by Iain Halliday.

The retreat was inspired by Richard Neutra’s celebrated Kaufmann Desert House in Palm Springs, and is surrounded by National Park, Seven Mile Beach, and one of the Byron Bay region properties held by the Hemsworths.

In addition to the contemporary house, the property has an off-form concrete pool, a floodlit tennis court with entertainment pavilion, a covered outdoor gym, yoga or meditation space, garden sculptures, and a separate caretaker’s cottage.

The recently inked deal was marketed through Cullen Royle’s Deborah Cullen and Richard Royle.

“Ohana House is one of Australia’s best and most iconic coastal homes and the interest reflected that. Purposefully designed for our vendors by Virginia Kerridge, it was designed to host a few guests or many. There are not many homes that sleep 28!” Ms Cullen said. 

The Sydney-based vendors were the former chairman of deep-water oil-drilling business Benthic Geotech, Russell Staley, and his wife, Jennifer.

“We were thrilled to show through some very high-profile families, both Australian and from overseas, to inspect this very private and luxurious compound. The best home in Byron Bay achieved the record sale price of the region and it very much deserved it!”

Some reports had revealed that pro-golfer Greg Norman was among the potential buyers, but not the eventual purchaser, rumoured to be an expat.

2. Tightly-held harbour home

It last traded for $275,000 in 1976, but the waterfront family home at 2 Cove St, Watsons Bay sold on August 23 for an eye-watering $28.4 million through PPD principal Alexander Phillips after only one week on the market.

The new owners of the 1970s pad are reportedly bespoke tailor Patrick Johnson and interior designer Tamsin Johnson, who plan to renovate the five-bedroom house. The vendor is an 80-year-old downsizer who called the extraordinary address home for close to half a century.

On a 800sqm block with 24m frontage to Cove St, the property takes centre stage with an absolute waterfront position fronting Watsons Bay and has views over the harbour to the city, a private jetty and a rare tidal beach. 

The house is close to Watsons Bay’s popular restaurants and the 20-minute ferry to Circular Quay.

3. Former Lendlease boss sells designer Eastern Suburbs manor 

A contemporary Bellevue Hill house crafted by BKH Architects was the third priciest home to trade last month.

Sold on August 27 by Ben Collier of The Agency, 33 Streatfield Rd fetched $24.5 million within two weeks of listing with a $25 million guide.

Owned by Melissa and Matthew Banks, a trained architect and property industry executive who previously held top jobs in both Lendlease and Macquarie Group, the Bellevue Hill property last changed hands – prior to the current home’s construction – back in 2001, when the pair bought an original cottage for $2.37 million.

Mr Collier said the modern build on 980sqm would likely be difficult to replicate.

“With the cost of construction today, I think people wouldn’t do it, you probably couldn’t even get the house through council today,” he said.

The house features a gallery style reception area, a stainless steel and marble kitchen and a spacious living and dining room that spills out to a wraparound terrace. 

Added extras of the trophy home include a palatial main suite with dressing room and bath ensuite, a grand rumpus room with kitchen, a barbecue patio, a level lawn and 12.5m pool.

4. Fashion industry couple trade in Mosman home

Surfection founders Chris and Amanda Athas, who started their now national surfing store chain in 1985 with a single shopfront in Mosman, have sold their long-time family home.

Last month, the fourth most-expensive Australian home sold for $23 million on August 11 with Michael Coombs and Tia Naris of Atlas Lower North Shore.

The dynamic retail duo bought the property at 1B Hopetoun Ave in 2001 for $3.965 million, then later engaged Burton Katon Halliday to create a modern Mosman entertainer. 

The north-facing four-storey residence on what locals call Mosman’s ‘Golden Mile’ is only 250m from Chinamans Beach, has an enviable outlook over Middle Harbour, multiple indoor and outdoor living areas, a deep terrace, a Gaggenau and Miele kitchen, an 800-bottle humidified wine cellar, mature landscaping, a wet-edge infinity pool, plus a pool house. 

5. Period property with potential

Another Bellevue Hill address made the country’s top five deals for August, selling on the 13th for just over $21 million at a private auction night.

The 1930s five-bedroom home at 41 Drumalbyn Rd, also known as Fernlee, had hit the market with Steven Zoellner of Laing+Simmons Double Bay with a $13 million to $14.3 million guide.

There were 19 registered bidders vying for the deceased estate, with some keen parties making single bids in increments of $500,000.

Ripe for renovation, the property last exchanged in 1990 for $2.3 million, according to title records.

On a 930sqm block with 180-degree harbour views, Fernlee has 412sqm of internal living space with original interiors featuring high ceilings, polished parquet floors, timber joinery, elegant arches, sandstone columns, terraced gardens and an almost 20m street frontage within minutes of sought-after private schools. 

Victoria

The top transaction in Victoria last month was a heritage home at 1-3 Sackville St in Kew.

Sold on August 8, the Melbourne mansion with a heritage facade and a surprising skate ramp out the back was listed in May with a $10.5 million to $11.5 million price guide. The eventual sale price remains undisclosed.

An Italianate manor, the house was designed in the late 1800s by prominent architect John Beswicke, whose work shaped Melbourne’s early suburban character. Beswicke was responsible for more than 300 buildings across Victoria, including the Hawthorn, Brighton and Essendon town halls built in the boom era of the 1880s.

Sitting on a vast 2484sqm block, the property has been partially restored and renovated using plans designed by Peter Barton.

Across three levels, the house has period detailing throughout, including arched verandas, high ornate ceilings, and a stained glass window illuminating the central staircase. 

Outdoors, the property features a courtyard overlooking the pool and gardens, with provision for a tennis court.

Queensland

In the millionaire’s playground of Noosa Heads, a modern trophy asset at 11 Little Cove Rd sold for $13.25 million on August 6, cementing it as Queensland’s priciest deal of the month.

A collaborative effort of Damien Davidson Builders and architect Chris Clout, the contemporary hideaway is framed by Noosa National Park, and is a short walk to Hastings St.

“The concept of an elevated and openly engaged residence in harmony with its surrounds was integral to the brief,” said agent Tom Offermann in his description of the four-bedroom residence.

“It also aligns perfectly with the idyllic sub-tropical climate, in a form designed to open and close as needed to allow for free flow ventilation,” added co-agent, Nic Hunter.

It features polished rendered walls, travertine and American oak floors, a freeform stone fireplace and double-height glass walls. There is also a covered terrace with outdoor kitchen and a pool. 

South Australia

Sold on August 4 by Toop and Toop agents Sally Cameron and Makeeley Abraham, 34 Cudmore Ave in Adelaide’s Toorak Gardens ranked as the top sale in South Australia.

Although the agent was unavailable for comment regarding the sale price, the affluent suburb has undergone a 26% price jump over the past 12 month according to PropTrack data, placing the house median at $2.488 million. Only seven houses sold in Toorak Gardens in August.

The four-bedroom, three-bathroom, home on 1508sqm has modern updates, a classic facade, European-inspired gardens, a full-sized tennis court, a pool and two-car garage.

Western Australia

Coming in as the highest price paid in Western Australia last month, 24 Saunders St, Mosman Park sold on August 19 for $22.75 million via Justin Davis and Kylie Mann of Space Real Estate Cottesloe.

The grand four-bedroom house has a long list of modern must-haves, located on a north-facing orientation 1313sqm block with panoramic river and city views.

It features two kitchens equipped with Gaggenau and Sub-Zero appliances, a 600-bottle climate-controlled wine cellar, a solar-heated magnesium pool, steam room, Sonos sound system, mood lighting, a 13-person private elevator, a security system, number plate recognition cameras, a five-car garage, an EV charger, and security gates. 

Tasmania

On the Apple Isle, a vineyard estate in the Relbia wine region near Launceston sold for an undisclosed amount in August, but was seeking “offers over $3.75 million” prior to selling on August 22 with Kristi Seymour of Insitu Property.

On Glenwood Rd, the 7.97ha estate stakes its claim as the oldest vineyard in the region and has direct access to the North Esk River.

Known locally as Glenbothy Estate, the property also features a near new five-bedroom, five-bathroom home designed by Cumulus Studio that incorporates the original cellar door.

There is a detached games room or studio, paved terraces with a wood-fired soaking, and the grounds still boast around 5.5ha under vines, making a beautiful and profitable backdrop. 

Northern Territory

Selling for $2 million on August 20, 14 Minahan Rd in the Top End town of Ross was the standout deal last month by Drew Hendricks of Alice Springs Realty.

Sitting on 8.09ha against the backdrop of the East MacDonnell Ranges, the estate and its modern outback mansion are approximately 15 minutes from Alice Springs.

Completed in 2022 at a build and land cost of $2.85 million, according to the agents, the contemporary home was built with sustainability in mind.

The main house has four bedrooms and four bathrooms featuring Italian tiles and marble basins, while the separate studio has a kitchenette and an ensuite. On the property, there is also a covered and heated magnesium pool.

ACT

An Arkitex-designed residence in Griffith was the biggest transaction the capital last month, however no final sale price is confirmed for the four-bedroom single-level modern home marketed through Hive Property’s Michael Morris. 

According to PropTrack data, the 12-month median four-bedroom house price in Griffith was $2.25 million.

Sold on August 12, the north-facing house at 9 Hartog St, Griffith has clear view lines to Black Mountain Tower and is within walking distance of Canberra Grammar.  

With interior design by JMD, the spacious home features 337sq m of internal living on a 851sq m corner block. There is customised indoor and outdoor joinery, bespoke stone bench tops, feature strip lighting, a Smeg kitchen with a butler’s pantry, plus a pergola with a remote-controlled louvre system, luxury outdoor kitchen and barbecue as well as a heated saltwater pool.

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