Quinn’s mighty Surfers buy

The co-founder of the VIP Pet Foods empire has spent $7.975 million on a Gold Coast waterfront.

Queensland entrepreneur Tony Quinn, who made his money from the VIP Pet Foods empire he founded with wife Christina, has spent $7.975 million on a luxury Gold Coast waterfront. It’s on the dress circle Admiralty Drive at Surfers Paradise, fronting Broadwater. The sprawling five-bedroom house on 1350sq m is the only house in Australia designed by American architect Edward Larrabee Barnes. It was originally built for the Matsushita family, who were behind the Panasonic empire. The house, complete with a 12m indoor saltwater swimming pool, boathouse and seven-seat home cinema, was sold by Tony Burnett and wife Toni Ferguson, whose TB’s Hotels business owns pubs across Queensland. They paid $6.725m in 2011. The house was initially listed at $10.95m in mid-2017. The Quinns also recently spent $5.6m on an apartment in the new Main Beach complex Sea, designed by architect Bayden Goddard.

Taking a punt on Toorak

10 Myoora Rd Toorak.

Former St Kilda Football Club chief executive Michael Nettlefold and wife Felicity Mantello are selling their luxury Toorak home. The dress circle Myoora Road house was designed by Interlandi Mantesso and was recently renovated. Last traded for $5.615 million in 2015, the house on 695sq m has four bedrooms, three bathrooms and a landscaped garden with swimming pool. Kay & Burton South Yarra agents Nicole Gleeson and Michael Gibson have a $7m to $7.7m guide. Nettlefold played for St Kilda and Fitzroy in the VFL in the 1970s and 80s before retiring at 26 to concentrate on a business career. He took the top job at St Kilda in 2009 before stepping down in 2013. His many company directorships include being chairman of player management company Vivid Sports.

Catch of the day

The recently sold Bass Lodge at Victoria’s Flinders fetched $6.775 million when it was bought by the Newell family of Baron Rubber fame. It was sold by the Barr-Smith family, who had paid $5.4m in 2010 before restoring the grand 1915 home. Set on 5340sq m, the house has four bedrooms, a formal sitting room, dining room, seven-car garage, wine cellar and internal lift. Kay & Burton sold the home for a suburb record for a residential house, but fell short of its initial $8m to $8.5m guide.

Heading from the hills

West Coast Eagles star Nic Naitanui is set to make a big loss on his former Perth home. The Swan View residence, which became an $800 a week rental following his upgrade in 2016, cost $1.285 million in 2012, shortly after he was named the All-Australian team starting ruckman. He is now asking for offers of more than $900,000. The two-level entertainer on an 855sq m hilltop parcel northeast of Perth has four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a cinema and a swimming pool. Swan Real Estate agents Trevor and Gabriella Black have the listing. Naitanui, who made his debut for the Eagles in 2009 after being the No 2 draft pick a year earlier, upgraded homes in 2016. He spent $3m on a five-bedroom house with a swimming pool in Mount Lawley.

[e-mail]