Hedges Avenue: Former mansion property in exclusive enclave for sale

A block of land might set you back $14m, but being the first victim of rising sea levels is priceless, with a researcher warning our richest residents are most at risk.

RESIDENTS of Millionaire’s Row could be future climate refugees if planning laws fail to keep pace with the changing climate, a Bond University researcher says.

Mark Ellis, who is researching the relationship between increasing climate risk and coastal development in Australia. says multimillion-dollar beachfront properties currently protected by sea walls will likely be among the hardest hit by increasing storm surges.

“These people who have bought multimillion-dollar properties are now living in climate hazard zones on the beaches,” he said.

“This has been confirmed by the recent IPCC report on climate impacts, adaptation and vulnerability.

Hedges Ave.

“Planning policy is not keeping up with the increasing change to the climate that‘s bringing more frequent and intense weather events like the ones we have just experienced all along the east coast of Australia.”

Mr Ellis says where climate risk has been written into council policies it is based on old climate data that has changed significantly in the past decade.

The Gold Coast City Council’s “three-point plan” references a report from 1970.

New Coastal Risk Australia data released last year used a “worst-case scenario” approach which showed that by year 2100 global sea levels could increase by 0.84m, something which would leave large parts of Biggera Waters, Labrador, Paradise Point, Runaway Bay, Coomera, Carrara, Palm Beach, Currumbin and Tweed Heads underwater.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate. Picture: Jerad Williams

hit back and insisted the recent bad weather had proven the council’s scheme was working.

“Climate change commentators should applaud how well our planning scheme is working to ensure properties are approved for construction in suitable areas,” he said.

“Recent record rainfall across our city and catchments tested our city’s ability to respond to weather events of this magnitude and we stood up exceptionally well.

“Our stormwater drainage coped, our beaches suffered very little scarping, roads that were closed were quickly reopened and our canal systems, rivers and Broadwater handled the millions of mega litres of rain dumped on us in less than a week.

“Throughout this event, we had around 180 homes that suffered water inundation. Not all of these had water into the living areas but had water substantially across the land. While one home is one too many, it has to be remembered that we have more than 250,000 homes in the city.”

In the past decade council rebuilt the A-line sea wall along the coastline, extended the Kirra Groyne, spent $9m on a sand bypass system in Surfers Paradise and more than $250m on improved stormwater infrastructure.

$14M FOR A POSTAGE STAMP OF LAND

A small Hedges Ave property once dubbed by singer Diana Ross “the best little beach house in the world” has hit the market.

But you’ll need more than $14m to grab it.

Agents say several offers have been knocked back because they are “too low”. The 405sq m millionaire’s row lot – once home to former millionaire milk baron Ken Lacey, AFL player and a top bookmaker – has been empty for a decade.

Real Estate agent Amir Mian, whose firm is marketing the property, said the site was “the last of its kind”.

“It’s unique and nothing against the beach shacks, several of which are still around, but this is a chance to build a dream home,” he said.

“The site has been cleared, the sea walls are all done and someone could just walk in and start building.

The mansion being demolished in 2012. Among those who had lived in it were Michael Edgley, Ken Lacey, Terry Page, John Wade and Rod Galt. Picture: Luke Marsden.

“It’s a very tempting site and we have already had a bunch of calls on it.”

Before the mansion was demolished in 2012, it was owned by promoter Michael Edgley, leading bookmaker Terry Page, Sydney businessman John Wade and former AFL player Rod Galt

Soul singer Diana Ross stayed there in the 1990s.

The Laceys bought the Mermaid Beach house in 2002 for $6.5m.

Ken Lacey inside the mansion.

In 2003, beachfront millionaires came under fire from the council, state government and other Coast residents for turfing over the sand tunes in front of their mansions and landscaping them.

The “sand grab” cost more than $200,000.

Among those at the forefront of the fight was Mr Lacey who faced fines of up to $30,000 for building a rock wall and laying turf on the dunes.

The house’s back yard during the infamous 2003 Hedges Ave “turf war”.

Mr Lacey argued he was restoring the dunes to their “natural state” and was trying to stop dust from getting into his pool.

He challenged the council to rip up the turf, something then-councillor Eddy Sarroff was only too happy to order in December 2003.

“I’m very disappointed that rather than comply, this particular resident has thumbed his nose at the council and laid turf on top of the rock wall and fill,’’ Cr Sarroff said at the time.

The Laceys sold the property for $17m in 2008.

The site went on the market last week. Picture: Amir Prestige

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Originally published as Hedges Avenue: Former mansion property in exclusive enclave for sale