Qld’s best beach houses: The top 20 from Cooktown to Currumbin
From original beach shacks to luxurious dream homes with arguably the best seaview – and sand – in the nation, we scoured beach houses across Queensland to find our top 20 of 2022.
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Queensland’s enviable climate and coastal lifestyle has long been coveted by many, but the rush to snap up a slice of that paradise has been supercharged during the pandemic property boom.
And while the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast, as well as the sought-after seaside suburbs of Brisbane, have been inundated by a wave of interstate buyers looking to exchange the big smoke for some permanent time in the sun, Queensland is blessed with over 3000km of coastline – more than enough space for every budget – and there are few places that haven’t captured the attention of southern migrants keen to escape congestion and hard-to-forget lockdowns.
News Corp’s Queensland property team scoured the state for some of our most notable beach houses, and they range from classic original beach shacks to luxurious dream homes with arguably the best views – and sand – in the nation.
Here are our top picks from across the state for 2022, in no particular order.
‘Aqua’ 4/383 Mandalay Rd, Whitsundays: Situated on a secluded and private peninsula surrounded by the Coral Sea and Pioneer Bay, Aqua has its own private beach, marina and helipad. The marina is capable of accommodating up to an 80ft yacht, while there is also a separate mooring for larger yachts available outside the marina. The property features five bedrooms, a pool on one of the many terraces, a teppanyaki pavilion, gym, billiards room, pool bar and its own sandy beach. It sold for $13m in 2018.
Luxe Rental – 71 Seaview Terrace, Sunshine Beach: Called Domic, this award-winning mansion is owned by a hemp tycoon and is available to rent for $8215 a night. Evgeny Skigin owns the uber-luxurious home, which was built in 2019 into sand dunes on Seaview Terrace in Sunshine Beach at a reported cost of $21m. The eco-friendly lair is a three-level, concrete domed building with a whopping 1400sq m of living space camouflaged under a green canopy.
Original Charm – 3 Burleigh St, Burleigh Heads: It may not be right on the sand, but this original beach house in the sought-after suburb of Burleigh Heads is the epitome of beachside living right down to surfboards on the wall.
The historic Queenslander is mere moments from the activity of James Street as well as the beachfront. Built in 1933, previous owners have fought off attempts to develop the block. It sold in 2021 for $2.181m.
Billionaire’s Playground – Webb House, Sunshine Beach: Australia’s richest person, mining magnate Gina Rinehart is rumoured to have bought Webb House after making a $34m offer for the property which was not publicly listed for sale at the time – making it the most expensive home in Queensland. The stunning property was built for long-time Noosa residents Murray and Margie Charlton by Damien Davidson Builders and the architect was Peter Conley from PCA Architects.
Heaven Awaits – Hideaway Bay: Called Heaven’s Gate, this sprawling 30.35ha beachfront property sold for $5m in 2018. The modern mansion alone is almost 1400sq m under roof and it also has a two-bedroom manager’s house. Other features include a lift, full gym, wine cellar, security vault, a helipad and boat slipway, plus a hanger and a workshop. There is also the Magic Lantern Theatre cinema, tennis court, heated wet edge pool, and spas.
Sunshine Estate – 21-23 Webb Rd, Sunshine Beach: Sold for $18m back in 2018, this stunning absolute beachfront private estate is reminiscent of lavish resorts around the world. Serviced by domestic and commercial kitchens, the residence has seven bedrooms and eight bathrooms, and sits on a 3595sq m block. It has terraces and gazebos, parklike gardens, tennis court with cabana, a self-contained guest wing, 44m of beach frontage, and a hotel-style pool.
Island Life – 11 Great Northern Highway, Hamilton Island: A house that feels like a resort and offers views only that only the ultimate island house could deliver. This truly remarkable six bedroom home on Hamilton Island has all that you could ask for in a luxury beach house with breathtaking views of the beach and Whitsundays waters. The brilliantly designed house with magnificently manicured tropical garden is on an elevated 2000sq m hillside block.
Club Med – 65a Woodgee Street, Currumbin: In an elevated position overlooking iconic Currumbin Beach, Villa Sanchea is a Mediterranean style sanctuary with uninterrupted ocean views along with Elephant Rock and the Vikings Surf Lifesaving Club at Currumbin. It’s packed with a chef’s kitchen with Smeg appliances, an oceanfront balcony that can take a table for 12, alfresco courtyard with built-in BBQ, and lush landscaped gardens.
Great Escape – Victor Island: A 20-minute boat ride from Hay Point Marina or a six-minute helicopter ride from Mackay Airport, the entire island was listed for sale for the bargain price of $4.5m-plus early last year, but later withdrawn from the market. It has more than 3ha of tropical surrounds, a recently renovated four-bedroom, two-bathroom home that could be used as a private residence or bed and breakfast, and a caretakers cottage.
Copper House – 9 Yarrong Rd, Point Lookout: Owned by the family behind Wotif.com.au, this seaside stunner is made from copper and was designed by Donovan Hill, winning a Master Builders Award after its completion in 2012. There are ocean views from many areas of the house with the design focused on optimising cross ventilation and sun shading. Designed for large families with guests, there are numerous individually accessible multipurpose spaces.
The Dunes – 8 Darwalla Avenue, Currumbin: You can’t get much closer to the beach than this. The Dunes is one of only eight absolute beachfront homes in Currumbin. Architecturally designed to blend into the dunes among which it is nestled, the home is made of raw ironbark and timber. The design is intended to reflect a piece of driftwood washed up on the beach. The golden sand of Currumbin Beach is at the back door. The home sold for $10m.
Beachfront Estate – 12 Thomson St, Agnes Water: This sprawling coastal retreat boasts three holiday homes with approvals in place to develop more. Called Shutters on the Beach, the 1.24ha property is listed for sale on Queensland’s northern most surf beach. Accessed via a private road, the property includes two tri-level luxurious beach homes and a modern two-storey beach house, landscaped grounds, a pool and it is just a short stroll to the beach.
Millionaires’ Row – 11 Hedges Avenue, Mermaid Beach: Despite its relative modesty compared to many homes along Hedges Avenue, this remains one of the most admired along the strip for its coastal beach house aesthetics. The house, which last sold in 2018 for $12m, was crafted with the highest quality materials and finishings. It has 20m of beach frontage, and visitors won’t have to worry about parking with eight spaces in the basement garage.
Dream Location – 2 David Low Way, Castaways Beach: With views of the Coral Sea, Sunshine Beach, Coolum Beach and beyond plus direct beach access, it’s no wonder this home near Castaways Point sold for $18.5m in July. Spanning a massive 9700sq m, it has development potential galore. The house itself is a modest two-bedroom cottage where you can easily feel like a castaway, settling back into seclusion with 246m of private ocean frontage.
Development Potential – Garners Beach: Situated on an elevated coastal site overlooking the Great Barrier Reef, this 661.2sq m resort style property has a pavilion design to maximise the sea breezes, entertaining spaces that open onto large terraces, three spas and a pool. The property also has access to two ‘virtually private beaches’ with internal road access and there is also development approval for 10 lots on the headland. It is listed for $5.3m.
Covid Escape – 33 The Esplanade, Cooktown: Accidentally perfect for the times we live in, this stunning home at Quarantine Bay is a tropical utopia. This 607sq m property has a four bedroom home nestled in the rainforest, and features a rock spa pool, a trickling water feature at its entry, with a myriad of beach walks just moments away. Stunning timber features embrace the natural environment and it’s crowned by its own private beach access.
Views Forever – Hayman Estate, Hayman Island: Listed for $7.7m, this showstopper was designed by internationally renowned architect Kerry Hill. The 650sq m hilltop retreat sits on a 2821sq m block with incredible views over the Coral Sea and the islands. The estate is adjacent to the InterContinental Hayman Island Resort, and enjoys the same facilities, with watersports and reef tours, a wellness retreat, marina berth and pristine beaches on its doorstep.
Designer delight – 8 Stevens Street, Sunshine Beach: Design guru Chris Clout was let loose on this stunning three-level home which sold for $9.025m in July last year. Described as the “epitome of seaside sophistication with whispers of Marrakesh and Manhattan”, the property makes extensive use of glass, banks of louvres, disappearing doors, high ceiling heights, finished off with polished concrete flooring to boost indoor-outdoor flow.
Paradise Perfect – 2 McIntosh Avenue, Elliott Heads: More of a traditional beach cottage, this home has such a stunning location and has been so tightly held that it packs a price tag over $2m. Located right on the water’s edge at Elliott Heads, you can fish straight off your lawn, paddle a kayak or swim to your heart’s content. Never to be built out views go as far as the main beach of Elliott Heads. The home has its own solar electric power and hot water system too.
Award Winner – 41 Horseshoe Bay Rd, Horseshoe Bay: This award-winning house on Magnetic Island with a whopping 3.67ha of land sold for $1.3m in July last year. Five minutes from the beachfront – and a few doors down from the Magnetic Island Koala Hospital – the home offers complete privacy on its parklike tropical bushland. Split into three pavilions, the home has attracted visits from architects, designers and landscape designers.
Originally published as Qld’s best beach houses: The top 20 from Cooktown to Currumbin
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