Step inside Gold Coast brothel Secret Liaison where sex is no longer for sale

IT’S like the owners of this Gold Coast brothel just left one day and never returned. Four-poster beds with satin sheets, condoms, lubricant and rubber gloves fill the drawers. Take a look inside.

“DON’T be shy, give it a try!”

The catchcry is one you cannot miss when you enter the site formerly operating as Gold Coast brothel Secret Liaisons.

It is scrawled on mirrors and marketing material throughout the five-bedroom house of sin in a discrete location in a Burleigh industrial estate.

But it seems too many were too shy or not willing to give it a try with the brothel site of more than 15 years being stripped out ahead of demolition.

One of the rooms at the brothel. Picture: Jerad Williams

The operator in part blamed the mushrooming of unregulated massage shops the length of the Coast offering cheap body rubs and illegal sexual services.

After securing the lease, he bought the site in November for $1 million — then promptly closed just a month later.

Secret Liaisons and formerly The Black Orchid brothel operated out of this Greg Chappell Drive site in a Burleigh industrial estate. Picture: Jerad Williams

The site sold this week for $950,000 to a neighbouring business for use as a storage depot.

Ray White Broadbeach commercial sales consultant Adam Grbcic took the Gold Coast Bulletin on a tour of the largely untouched interior just before it was bowled over.

The site of former Secret Liaisons brothel in Burleigh is about to be demolished drawing the curtain on more than 15 years as a site selling sex. Picture: Jerad Williams

He’s sold the site several times and consulted on other brothel site sales in the past: “Once you get one, you seem to get them all.”

It was left untouched — like they just left one day and never came back. Picture: Jerad Williams

A Secret Liaisons reception welcome notice tells clients their business is valued and it is hoped their stay is a pleasurable one.

“We would appreciate your co-operation in treating both the management and service providers with the utmost respect that they deserve.”

Sexually transmitted disease checks warning for staff. Picture: Jerad Williams

In staff quarters behind reception, orange lockers still have women’s names on them.

All of the bedrooms remain complete with every type of condom you can imagine, lubricant, moisturiser, rubber gloves and tissues. Lots and lots of tissues.

A laminated notice in the staffroom behind reception warns to conduct a sexually transmitted disease (STI) check with clients: “No exceptions”.

The viewing room at Secret Liaisons in Burleigh where clients meet and greet the ladies on shift. Picture: Jerad Williams

“You have no idea who your client has unprotected sex with or if he has been exposed to an STI since his last visit. Even if you see your client every week, an STI check must still be performed,” it says.

Under the Queensland Prostitution Act, not using a condom is an offence punishable by an $1140 fine. Picture: Jerad Williams

Mr Grbcic remarks, “It’s all a bit sad”, jarring with the image portrayed on a framed poster of hit movie Pretty Woman which appears to be signed by its star Julia Roberts.

It sits at the end of the dim hallway towards the exit and Mr Grbcic speculates it might be worth a few bob if the signature is legit.

Ray White Broadbeach commercial sales consultant Adam Grbcic sold the site of former brothel Secret Liaisons and says landlords have tended to receive healthy 12-14 per cent returns from brothel tenancies. Picture: Jerad Williams

Returns for landlords with brothel tenancies have tended to receive very healthy yields of 12 to 14 per cent, compared to an average six to eight for commercial property, he said.

“But they can potentially be volatile tenants,” Mr Grbcic said, adding the Secret Liaisons operator had run things well but just suffered at the hands of unregulated competition.

“I think everyone would agree most massage places on the Coast aren’t actually just that. It’s the oldest industry but it’s dead. I don’t know how the other guys are trading.”