Bar baron Justin Hemmes buys multimillion dollar South Coast getaway but says it’s not for business

PUB baron Justin Hemmes has no plans to develop the 60-hectare Glasshouse Rocks property he bought on the South Coast this week for $7.5 million.

Justin Hemmes infront of his latest project The Coogee Pavillion. (Story, The business of being Justine Hemmes, playboy turned vege grower and hospitality guru tells what's next for the booming Merivale empire).(Pictures Justin Lloyd)

PUB baron Justin Hemmes has no plans to develop the 60-hectare Glasshouse Rocks property he bought on the South Coast this week for $7.5 million.

The hotelier, a long-time fan of the far South Coast and frequent holidayer there, has said his only current plans for the enormous beachfront property is to enjoy it as it is.

Speculation following Hemmes’ purchase this week of the property was that the boss of Ivy, Establishment, the Newport Arms and portfolio of hotels, bars and restaurants might have plans for a resort development on the site.

Today he told the Daily Telegraph he has “no plans”.

Justin Hemmes has bought a 60ha property on the South Coast. Picture: Justin Lloyd

“The buyer fell in love with it straight away and just had to have it,” said selling agent David Nolan of Webster Nolan, who had listed the property for between $8 million and $10 million.

“It was always going to be a private owner who bought that place — zoning would probably prohibit anything else,” he said.

Mr Hemmes’ latest acquisition is poles apart from his recent string of pub purchases.

The man behind hotel and restaurant group Merivale has already dropped almost $60 million on two hotels this year alone.

The dramatic coastline views from The Glasshouse Rocks property.

The Glasshouse Rocks has 1.5km of beachfront and sold for between $8 million and $10 million.

Mr Hemmes reportedly spent $11 million on the Queen Victoria Hotel in Enmore and also snapped up the Newport Arms on the northern beaches for $47 million.

The 60ha beachfront property known as Glasshouse Rocks has about 1.5km of coastline and is near the sleepy town of Narooma.

In one family for more than 66 years, the dramatic site has most recently been run as a cattle farm.

Mr Nolan, who said the unique coastal estate had been on the market for more than 12 months, described the beach block as “an extreme beauty”.

“I don’t think there’s anything quite like it on the eastern seaboard. It’s truly one of the most magnificent properties I’ve ever set foot on,” he said.