Sunshine Coast couples open holiday accommodation The Villas Mooloolaba after renovations

Two Sunshine Coast couples have transformed an asbestos-clad old brick set of units into a stunning Insta-worthy holiday hotspot. See the before and after photos.

Before and after images of The Villas Mooloolaba. Photo: Supplied.

Two couples on the Sunshine Coast have worked tirelessly and invested more than $750,000 to transform an old and “horrible” brick apartment complex into a Palm Springs-style resort.

Minyama resident Andy Colley, 52, and his wife and couple Nerine and Daniel O’Brien own four-unit complex The Villas Mooloolaba on the corner of Barooga Cres and Goonawarra Dr in Mooloolaba after buying the property for $1.9m in February last year.

Mr Colley, a self-proclaimed “serial developer”, said the two couples were hunting for an investment property to buy, renovate and turn into holiday accommodation.

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The dad-of-three said they landed on this two-storey site because it was being sold as a whole package rather than individual units, saying “this doesn’t come along too often”.

The recently renovated The Villas Mooloolaba in Mooloolaba. Photo: Asa Andersen.

He said the property was previously in a “horrible” condition, describing it as a damp, tired-looking brick block with overgrown trees and bushes.

Mr Colley, also owner of energy company Halcol Energy, said the couples poured “blood”, “sweat” and more than $750,000 to transform it into a Palm Springs-style villa.

Before and after images of The Villas Mooloolaba. Picture: Supplied.

Mr Colley said it was a “mammoth” task and did an “awful lot” of renovating and refurbishing themselves between February and November last year, partly because it was hard to land tradies.

Now the stunning property flaunts an all-white exterior with a palm tree, string lights, artificial grass and a circular pool next to sun lounges and white umbrellas.

The Villas Mooloolaba. Photo: Supplied.

The inside featured a minimalist white, wooden interior with new floors, bathrooms and kitchens.

Buddina resident and mum-of-two Nerine O‘Brien said she and the others worked 15 to 20 hours a week outside of their full-time jobs to put the property under an extreme makeover.

She said they worked mornings, evenings and on the weekends.

Mrs O’Brien, also owner of jewellery and fashion brand Salty Safari, said they had to remove asbestos, gutter the interior and replace “everything”, but said it was “so rewarding”.

Before and after images of The Villas Mooloolaba. Photo: supplied.

“There are a lot of people who wouldn’t do this extent of work because they don’t have the vision that the four of us have,” she said.

The Villas Mooloolaba former guest Jill Egerton, who visited from Brisbane, said she was impressed with the new look, saying they have “changed it a lot”.

Originally published as Sunshine Coast couples open holiday accommodation The Villas Mooloolaba after renovations