Gold Coast abandoned buildings: The secrets behind the houses left to rot

From a fast food restaurant and water front mansion, to a once glamorous country club and a “haunted house”, the Bulletin can reveal the secrets behind the Coast’s abandoned buildings and houses. SEE THE FULL LIST

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FROM a fast food restaurant and water front mansion, to a once glamorous country club and a “haunted house”, the Bulletin can reveal the secrets behind the Coast’s abandoned buildings and houses.

M. E. C Cafe & Takeaway, Broadbeach

This cafe that once sold wraps, salad and rice dishes seven days a week closed in 2017.

MEC Foundation Ltd bought the site for $4 million in 2008 and operated the takeaway store.

The Muslim charity were looking for partners to develop the land late last year.

The site is considered to be a prime location for a residential development.

MEC Foundation spokesman Burhan Goktas said in October 2019 that the charity was “testing the waters” with the new marketing campaign.

“We are weighing up our options to see what is in the marketplace,” he said.

He said the cafe had closed due to a “tough market”.

“There was a lot of competition and we were not in the middle of things in Broadbeach. It did not perform.”

Today, the building is sits empty and is covered in graffiti.

Michigan Dr, Oxenford

This large two-level brick home was sold at auction by Dax Roep from Ray White Broadbeach, via the trustee.

The 1957m2 corner block dwelling sold for $660,000 on February 28 this year.

The site has existing development approval for a motel, however, town planning parameters potentially allow for redevelopment with aged care/retirement, retail or commercial uses.

Helensvale Rd, Helensvale

This four bedroom, two bathroom house with three parking spaces was sold for $635,000 in February 2018 after six months on the market.

The property’s land size is a massive 4555m2 and has more than 50m of street frontage.

It was sold by Paul Corkill formerly from Hope Island Realty who said the sale was “very mysterious”.

“It belonged to a Brisbane family, their parents used to live there, and the daughter bought it with the view of developing it,” Mr Corkill said.

“They decided to stay in Brisbane and sold it. It was sold through a solicitor from Southport.”

An abandoned house at Helensvale Rd, Helensvale.

Terranora Lakes Country Club

The once glamorous Bilambil Heights venue that flourished on the back of years of prosperity is sadly now derelict and can’t seem to turn a trick with developers, most of whom have talked big games but been reluctant to front up with cash.

Photos from inside the club show graffiti covering every surface and damaged furniture and debris strewn across the site — some burned following years of abuse by squatters.

The Terranora Lakes Country Club was officially opened on August 28, 1959.

Initially, there was a small clubhouse, a tennis court, a nine-hole golf course, a squash court, a swimming pool and a bowling green.

The club obtained a liquor licence in March 1965 and in the same year bought its first eight poker machines.

By the late 1980s the club had 136 staff and was home to an 18-hole golf course, three bowling greens, three clay target shooting ranges, 50m swimming pool, five tennis courts a timeshare resort and in excess of 200 poker machines.

The club closed in 1996.

The Mantle Group currently owns the site and announced back in 2009, under the branding of Terranora Group Management, plans for a $1.3 billion development that would include an aged care facility, schools, tourist accommodation, a retail precinct and homes for thousands of people.

Since then, however, progress has stalled.

Queen Guineveres Place, Paradise Point

This waterfront property was built in 2005 and sits on a 1260sq m block.

The four bedroom, five bathroom, five car garage home sold in 2007 for $3 million and again in 2018 for $4.98 million.

However, the property was sold again in March 2019 for $4 million – a loss of $980,000.

The Bulletin understands the property has been vacant for years and signs of neglect are showing with a mouldy exterior and broken tiles.

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