Channel 9 pays $10m for new Hepburn Shire properties to feature in The Block 2025

While the parcel of land where next year’s hit renovation series will film has long been known, it’s finally come to light just how much network bosses forked out for the property.

In a Christmas splurge it can be revealed that Channel 9 spent almost $10 million to secure the former farmland on the fringe of the Victorian tourist township of Daylesford that it will use as the location of the new season of The Block.

While it has long been known which parcel of land the hit renovation show would be setting its contestants loose on within the Hepburn Shire hamlet in 2025, it has finally come to light just how much the property has cost the network to acquire.

Concepts designs of what The Block houses that will be built at Daylesford in 2025 will look like. These concepts were included in the proposal that was part of the planning permit proposal that when to Hepburn Shire Council in July 2023. Picture: Supplied

Concepts designs of what The Block houses that will be built at Daylesford in 2025. Picture: Supplied

The land, which has been subdivided into five lots, transferred officially into the ownership of the Nine owned company Micjoy Pty Ltd at the beginning of December for $9,445,801.00 according to publicly available documents.

The figure is in the ballpark of what Nine has spent in previous years to secure appropriate locations for the show.

Each of the five lots will have a grand new, architecturally designed, pavilion-style home constructed on it.

The Block hosts Shelley Craft and Scott Cam. Picture: supplied

The homes are each expected to feature five-bedrooms, a study area, large living area, garage, covered outdoor entertaining area, an in-ground heated swimming pool, a large kitchen and all the luxury accoutrements an up-market country retreat would want.

Filming is tipped to start in March. Scott Cam and Shelley Craft will return as hosts.

Casting for contestants has been underway for several months.

The site was acquired from the larger nearby Middleton Field development.

The Block landing in Daylesford was an idea that began back in 2022 when the Hygge Property team, which is developing Middleton Field, and the show’s executive producer Julian Cress met.

The concepts were included in the proposal that was part of the planning permit proposal that when to Hepburn Shire Council in July 2023. Picture: Supplied

Concepts designs of what The Block houses that will be built at Daylesford in 2025. Picture: Supplied

The show’s 2024 season was originally planned to be set in Daylesford however delays in getting various permits approved for land on the eastern outskirts of the town saw the production up stumps and head to Philip Island.

The ‘Block Island’ season, as it became known, was a huge success and culminated with Melbourne billionaire Adrian Portelli buying all five properties for $15.3m.

Meanwhile, as the show was in production on Phillip Island the permits for the Daylesford site were finally greenlit in February 2024.

Channel 9 officially confirmed in July that The Block would call Daylesford home in 2025.