Christopher Howard Bradford: Beloved Gold Coast real estate agent dead at 76

A long-time Gold Coast real estate agent is being remembered as a “really good bloke” who was “a lot of fun to be around”. READ THE TRIBUTES

Prominent Gold Coast real estate agent Christopher Bradford has died.

A long-time Gold Coast real estate agent is being remembered as a “really good bloke”.

Christopher Howard Bradford died on May 29 after a long period of ill health at age 76.

Family and friends have paid tribute to the Chateaux Realty founder, who experienced a life of adventure before settling on the Gold Coast.

His son Scott recalled his father as a popular man who was well-loved by the community.

“He was just a good bloke and he’d never say no to having a beer with you and everyone wanted to do that,” he said.

Mr Bradford, originally from Sydney, was the son of a World War II veteran and grew up as a talented surf life saver.

Christopher Bradford 1949-2025

A member of Collaroy Surf Life Saving Club, he represented Australia in surf lifesaving in the late 1960s and won several races in the surf race and open categories, a rare feat only accomplished by two other people.

After studying economics at university, Mr Bradford worked as a Jackaroo at Claremont in central Queensland before spending time on the Sunshine Coast.

He would eventually relocate to the Gold Coast where he became a fixture of the city’s burgeoning real estate market for more than four decades.

Mr Bradford worked at a number of firms, including Elders in Surfers Paradise and co-founded Knobel and Davis before striking out on his own, starting Chateaux Realty in 1995.

Christopher Bradford as a young man.

Long-serving Gold Coast real estate agent Lucy Cole said she had fond memories of her colleague.

“He was a star at Knobel before he went off to found his own firm,” she said.

“They were a great team and made a terrific name for themselves and he did a lot of great things in the commercial space and was highly respected.

“Back in the day there were far fewer real estate firms and Chateaux was a major player, which he did a fine job leading.

“Christopher was a great guy and a lot of fun to be around.”

Mr Bradford is survived by two children, three adopted children, five grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

His daughter Kristina said her father was the life of the party and had continued his love of swimming until his last years.

“He was very well-liked here on the Gold Coast and even until five years go he would still go swimming each morning,” she said.

“He was a dedicated man who loved to party and he was known by many people as a good bloke.

“The Gold Coast changes some people, they get more materialistic, but he just had that good bloke mentality and he’d always buy you a beer.”