Developer David Fitch’s luxury Gold Coast mansion plans
A $7m mansion was just the beginning for this Gold Coast couple, who've bought and demolished houses to build what could be Queensland's most lavish backyard sport complex and pool.
Is this Queensland’s most expensive home tennis court?
Former Adelaide developer – turned Gold Coast businessman and luxury property investor David Fitch – and his wife Rachel, have been quietly chipping away at the properties surrounding the riverfront mansion they bought in Southport for $7m in 2019.
The Fitches have spent millions more absorbing neighbouring properties in the tightly-held enclave between Yacht St and Korong St, snapping up five neighbouring blocks, knocking over houses and amalgamating the land into a mega block.
Lavish plans approved by Gold Coast City Council reveal two of the cleared blocks will become a full-sized tennis court and basketball key, complete with tennis “pavilion”, while another will be almost completely consumed by a massive pool – complete with a pavilion and pool bar.
A separate “cottage” and vast house-sized “pavilion” are under construction where the block abuts Korong St, both approved as dwellings.
But the Fitch’s estate building won’t stop there – plans lodged with the council flag a second stage, which would see the near-new riverfront Hamptons mansion, and its neighbouring waterfront home, razed.
One mammoth house is on the cards, more befitting its palatial surrounds, with its proposed features including a library and a lift.
This all sounds very nice for the couple, who have owned multiple high-end Gold Coast properties – but could there be a snag in future expansion plans?
A sixth plot of land, nestled right in the middle of their Southport holdings, is yet to join their portfolio.
That lot has been held, according to property records, by Brisbane woman Christina McCoombes, who bought it for $750,000 19 years ago.
High flyer
LifeFlight CEO Ashley van de Velde has been recognised for his four decades of service in aeromedicine.
Van de Velde was named the EY Entrepreneur of the Year in the Social Impact category at a recent gala event held in Sydney.
Van de Velde has overseen the growth of the organisation from a small community rescue service into a vertically integrated charitable organisation with a 21-strong fleet of helicopters and four long range air ambulance jets.
Under his leadership, LifeFlight has championed the ‘doctor first’ aeromedical retrieval model, which places critical care specialists on every mission and now employs more than 400 staff.
van de Velde says he’s humbled to receive the award, which recognises his commitment to improving community healthcare outcomes, especially in remote and regional areas.
“It’s an honour to be recognised with this prestigious award I accept it on behalf of our dedicated teams right across the organisation and the thousands of people we airlift in time of need,” he says.
“We just do the job and make sure we do it well.”
Van de Velde began his aeromedical career with the Gold Coast Helicopter Rescue Service – one of LifeFlight’s earlier incarnations – as a volunteer air crewman in 1981.
In FY25 LifeFlight’s medical teams, helicopter and jet fleets helped 8497 people – 3.9 per cent higher than the previous year.
The organisation also embarked on new base builds at Mt Isa and the Sunshine Coast, welcomed three new AW139 helicopters to its fleet, and inked a $250m partnership with Italian aircraft manufacturer Leonardo.
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Originally published as Developer David Fitch’s luxury Gold Coast mansion plans
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