Boutique mountain retreat loved by celebrities on the market
This award-winning retreat on Tamborine Mountain blends country-chic design, VIP pedigree and serious earning potential in Queensland’s Scenic Rim.
2 min
A boutique mountain retreat that has welcomed a long list of VIP guests has come to market in Queensland’s pristine Scenic Rim.
The Tamborine Mountain property, known as Verandah House Country Estate, is owned by designer Judy and Lawrence Pereira.
The couple bought the rundown B&B compound in the Gold Coast hinterland back in 2022 for $2.5 million. It was then transformed into a secluded child-free holiday spot where the high-profile guests have included the extended Irwin family, Jude Law and a bevvy of sports stars.
Listed via an expressions-of-interest campaign through Sotheby’s International Realty Main Beach agent Blake McDonald, the vast 2ha property has no official price guide. Under Queensland real estate law, agents cannot publish price estimates.
Judy Pereira, co-founder of Verandah House Interiors, has more than three decades of experience as a designer styling homes across south east Queensland, and even a private super yacht. The Pereiras are reportedly travelling and seeking out their next renovation project.
Her creative stamp on the mountain-top getaway features country-chic interiors with eight Ralph Lauren-inspired guest rooms that have fireplaces, bespoke French oak furniture, private outdoor spaces, and panoramic district views that capture Springbrook, Beechmont, Mount Warning, and the Gold Coast skyline.
The award-winning resort is famed for its spa facilities, including a day spa, an infrared barrel sauna, an ice bath, an outdoor cinema, fire pits, and expansive landscaped gardens. There is also a large pool area with an additional fire-heated cedar spa and direct access to the mountain’s walking trails, waterfalls, and nature experiences.
Additionally, the private four-bedroom main residence has 236sq m of internal living space and a communal entertainment lounge in a purpose-built barn, which comes complete with a cocktail bar and covered barbecue area.
Beyond the guest and owner accommodation, added investment in hidden infrastructure includes new septic systems, upgraded water tanks and filtration, the planting of more than 60 trees and manicured lawns.
Verandah House Country Estate received an industry gong last year, winning the 2024 Travellers Awards and a Booking.com guest award for its consistent 9.8 rating.
The owners dish up a private chef, complimentary minibars, custom picnics, and high tea. It has also earned its stripes as a romantic venue for weddings and proposals. Nightly suite rates average more than $1000 in high season.
Positioned within the Scenic Rim – named by Lonely Planet as one of the world’s top destinations in 2022 – Verandah House Country Estate is approximately 30 minutes to the Gold Coast and is surrounded by a thriving food and wine scene.
Verandah House Country Estate at 13-17 Munro Court, Tambourine Mountain is listed with Blake McDonald of Sotheby’s International via an expressions of interest campaign.
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The new Brooklyn Tower, a mix of luxury condos and rentals, rises from the historic Dime Savings Bank building.
3 min
Listing of the Day
Location: Downtown Brooklyn, New York
Price: $16.75 million
Boasting 360-degree panoramic views across New York City, this new 92nd-floor penthouse is the highest residence in Brooklyn.
The full-floor apartment stands atop the new Brooklyn Tower, which encompasses 143 condos and 398 rentals in the heart of downtown Brooklyn, said Katie Sachsenmaier, senior sales director, Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group.
The condos begin on the 53rd floor, and the penthouses begin on the 88th floor. This one, Penthouse 92, is the only full-floor penthouse.
“The building is coming into its own now,” she said. “It feels very busy when you step into the lobby.”
Developed by Silverstein Properties, the building at 85 Fleet Street rises from the historic Dime Savings Bank building, according to a news release.
It was designed by SHoP Architects with interiors curated by Gachot Studios, and it is the borough’s only super tall skyscraper.
Penthouse 92 features custom interiors by Brooklyn-based Susan Clark of design firm Radnor, Sachsenmaier said. “Her selections have made it really beautiful. It feels very warm and inviting.”
Architectural details include 12-foot ceilings, European white oak floors in a custom honey stain, mahogany millwork, bronze detailing and floor-to-ceiling windows.
The eat-in kitchen features Absolute Black stone countertops, an island with seating, oil-rubbed bronze Waterworks fixtures and integrated Miele appliances, according to the listing.
The primary en suite bathroom showcases large-format Honed Breccia Capraia marble. There is also a separate laundry room as well as a wet bar and a butler’s pantry.
The views are spectacular, Sachsenmaier said. “If you’re standing in the living room, you take in the Statue of Liberty and all the way up through Midtown. On a clear day, you can see the planes take off at LaGuardia (Airport).”
Photo: Sean Hemmerle
Moving around the apartment, you see south over the harbor and then north and east over the whole city, she said.
From the front door, “you’re immediately greeted with the expansive living room and the view,” she said. “It’s really the first thing you see.”
The primary suite features a dressing room, multiple walk-in closets, two bathrooms (one with a cedar sauna) and southwest-facing windows, Sachsenmaier said. “You get those really beautiful harbour views.
The amenities will be ready by the end of summer, she said. A Life Time club will occupy the entire sixth and seventh floors, and an outdoor pool deck wraps around the dome of the bank building.
Stats
The 5,891-square-foot home has four bedrooms, five full bathrooms and one partial bathroom.
Amenities
Residents will have access to over 100,000 square feet of exclusive indoor and outdoor leisure spaces.
Fitness company Life Time will manage an array of amenities that include a 75-foot indoor lap pool, outdoor pools, a poolside lounge and atrium, a billiards room, a library lounge, a conference room, a theatre with a wet bar, a children’s playground and playroom and limited off-site parking.
The Sky Park offers an open-air loggia with a basketball court, foosball, a playground and a dog run.
Photo: Gabriel Saunders
Neighbourhood Notes
Downtown Brooklyn is at the centre of a number of neighbourhoods, including Fort Greene, Cobble Hill, Boerum Hill and Brooklyn Heights. The tower has access to 13 subway lines, 11 commuter trains, the city’s ferry network and 22 Citi Bike stations.
“You can walk to Fort Greene Park in less than 10 minutes,” and Dekalb Market Hall, which has a Trader Joe’s, a Target and a food hall, is “right next door,” Sachsenmaier said.
Agent: Katie Sachsenmaier, senior sales director, Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group
Now complete, Ophora at Tallawong offers luxury finishes, 10-year defect insurance and standout value from $475,000.
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