Property of the week: 6 Bulkara St, Wagstaffe
Agave is the epitome of Instagramable coastal vibes in an exclusive deep waterfront setting.
2 min
Agave may only be six years young, but the glamorous Central Coast beach house is already a record holder two times over.
Crowned HIA-CSR Australian House of the Year in 2018, the Dennis Rabinowitz-designed waterfront residence set a price benchmark for the region in 2020 when it sold for $9.5 million, then again in 2022 after reportedly achieving “well above” its $13.5 million price expectations.
Cathy Baker, principal of Belle Property Central Coast, sold the property each time and has just listed the insta-worthy retreat again with a $16 million guide.
“This is a world class offering. The parcel of land is incredible and it has such a unique north-facing aspect in an exclusive gated community,” Ms Baker said.
“It’s rare to find properties like this one which tick all the boxes for a beautiful home or luxury holiday house.”
Set in the private San Toy Estate on 2188sq m, the Wagstaffe weekender is a sophisticated snapshot of laidback coastal design blending the great outdoors with carefully curated interiors featuring clean white lines and a minimalist palette.
Created for outdoor entertaining on a grand scale, or just lazy days on the water’s edge, Agave’s savvy open-plan design flows freely from three separate living zones onto alfresco decks a lanai-style internal courtyard with welcoming palm trees and feature tiles.
The grand central deck is focussed on capturing the tranquil water outlook and has an integrated barbecue area with ample room for all year round dining or soaking up the sun by the saltwater pool or private sandy beach.
Boating enthusiasts can pull right up to the jetty with deepwater mooring suitable for a super yacht or luxury cruiser while a separate deck is home to a private boathouse retreat that is ideal for yoga or meditation. There is also plenty of space for kayaks and stand up paddleboards.
At the heart of the home an open plan dining area takes centre stage and the state of the art kitchen has sleek marble bench tops, high-end appliances and a big butler’s pantry.
The indulgent seven-bedroom layout features five deluxe ensuites including a luxury hotel-inspired primary suite on the ground floor privately positioned away from the main living areas and other bedrooms. A second level houses six more bedrooms including a bunk room, ideal for multiple family getaways.
Previously listed as a luxury holiday rental earning in excess of $4000 a night, Agave can sleep up to 14 people comfortably, and with multiple entertaining areas and lounging spaces there is a place for everyone to retreat to inside and out.
In addition to landscaped gardens, there is a a top-of-the-line security system, air-conditioning and a double lock-up garage.
Agave is close to Lobster Beach, the Palm Beach and Ettalong ferries and the Bouddi National Park.
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Built as a forever home, Corazón combines wellness, luxury and architectural flair in one of New Farm’s most ambitious residential projects.
4 min
Although Corazón was meticulously built to be the Smout family’s dream home, the glamorous Brisbane residence is now seeking its next custodian.
The luxury New Farm property named Corazón, the Spanish word for heart, was always meant to be the Smouts’ forever home.
Becky, a teacher-turned-design specialist, and her property developer husband Francisco bought a pre-war timber home on the 810sq m site back in 2022 for $2.625 million. They then painstakingly transformed it into a luxury 21st-century residence.
The laborious process included a full year of negotiations with Brisbane City Council to secure approval for the now six-bedroom, nine-bathroom architectural landmark at 563 Lower Bowen Tce.
Plans for the family of five are taking another direction, and on June 13, Corazón will go under the hammer, marketed by Matt Lancashire and his team from Ray White Collective Luxury.
“This is the most incredible house I have ever seen. The quality of the build, the finish, this family poured their heart into this home for three years, and it shows in every single detail. There is nothing else like it in Brisbane,” he said.
Since the house is headed to auction, Queensland regulations prevent agents from publicly advertising price guides.
However, according to Cotality records, the current price record for New Farm is $25 million, set by a renovated home at 17 Julius St that sold for $25 million in 2025.
The top figure paid on Lower Bowen Tce was set in 2023, when a contemporary 503 sq m property at number 603 sold for $6.2 million.
Lancashire added that demand for luxury Brisbane property had never been stronger, as more cashed-up buyers seek designer homes close to the CBD.
Just this month, Lancashire and his colleague Josh Brown set a new suburb price record when Governess, an 1860s-era home in Paddington reimagined by local builder-developer Graya, sold for an undisclosed sum reported to be “more than” $12 million.
Corazón is an example of how the Australian prestige market is currently reflecting the high-end tastes of high-net-worth buyers.
Vanessa Rader, Ray White head of research, said the nation’s wellness economy – now valued at $141 billion and representing 7.8 per cent of GDP – was actually reshaping buyer expectations.
“The most significant transformation in luxury real estate is happening behind the walls,” Rader explained.
“Intelligent wellness design is no longer coming; it has already arrived in Australia’s premium property market, redefining luxury for a generation that values optimisation.”
Today, the spacious three-storey New Farm home has 963sq m of internal and external living space, crafted for Queensland’s long summers and laidback lifestyle.
Standout design features include a dramatic double-helix spiral staircase, 3m ceilings, curved glass and steel, off-form concrete surfaces, Venetian plaster walls, and a show-stopping solid marble travertine bathtub carved from a single block of stone.
The ground floor is an entertainer’s playground with a vast open-plan living and dining zone anchored by a sleek kitchen complete with a long eat-at island bench, a hidden buyer’s pantry, plus Miele, Gaggenau and Pitt appliances.
Floor-to-ceiling glass walls peel back to reveal a paved terrace featuring a full outdoor kitchen and an integrated Beefeater barbecue.
A heated magnesium-filled pool sits next to a grassed courtyard and fire pit, with an added wellness retreat space housing a sauna, an ice bath, and a bathroom.
The entry level also houses a separate media room, a wine bar, a guest bedroom with an ensuite, a mudroom-style laundry and a home office with built-in desks.
A private lift serves all floors, including the accommodation level, which has five ensuite bedrooms, as well as a first-floor retreat and study area. In the primary suite, there is a huge dressing room, strategically placed skylights and a lavish bathroom with a double shower.
As an added bonus for the kids, one bedroom has its own rock-climbing wall and suspended net cubby.
One more level up, and the rooftop lounge with a kitchenette has sweeping city skyline views and a grand terrace.
Security features at the home include facial-recognition entry, perimeter cameras, and a comprehensive internal and external alarm system. There is also a Crestron smart home system with Dali lighting control for more than 400 fittings.
Corazón has a three-car garage with a gym and parking for up to three more cars behind the security gates. The Lower Bowen Tce home is approximately 200m from New Farm Park, 400m from Merthyr village and 2 km from the Brisbane CBD.
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