Beachfront Queensland Mansion With Drive-In Foyer Lists For $6.8 Million

A contemporary waterfront megamansion with a drive-in foyer, a lionfish-stocked saltwater aquarium and direct access to the beach hit the market Monday with a guide price of $6.8 million.

Located in Kewarra Beach — which is part of the Cairns northern beaches region of Queensland—the residence is expected to set a record for the most expensive home in the area, according to listing agent Barbara Wolveridge of Queensland Sotheby’s International Realty.

“The highest sale price [in the region] is $6.5 million and we anticipate exceeding that price with the Astoria House sale which has a price guide of $6.8 million,” she said in an email. “With the buyers’ interest that we have received to date, we anticipate establishing a new benchmark sale for the region.”

Designed by Los Angeles-based architect Andy Hall, the more than 1050sqm abode was commissioned by restaurant entrepreneur Alistair Paton and his wife, Theresa, and completed in 2018. They purchased the underlying property in 2009 for A$1.3 million, according to records on PropTrack.

The glass-and-steel home was designed to maximize views of Double Island and beyond to the Great Barrier Reef. In fact, it has the largest glass window in the southern hemisphere and it is manufactured with bulletproof glass, according to Mr. Paton. The couple also installed an array of impressive amenities, starting with the foyer, which boasts drive-in capabilities and room to display a car collection.

“People [are] instantly wowed when they walk through the front door and see the massive steel-and-glass curtain wall,” Mr Paton said in an email. “Everyone wonders how it was built, how long it took and how we got the materials to the building site. They also love the Ducati inside, the extensive art gallery walls and the vintage Alfa Romeo that we used to have parked inside.”

The saltwater aquarium is another highlight.

“We have lionfish, an epaulette shark, stonefishes, Picasso triggerfish, and a dog-faced puffer,” Mr Paton continued. “I wanted a tank with a blue-ringed octopus and leopard sharks, however, that was sensibly tempered given our young children enjoying feeding the fish.”

The home has five bedrooms, including two primary bedroom suites which are “like little houses in themselves,” Ms. Paton said in an email. “I love the oversized balconies. In winter, we sleep with the balcony doors open. There’s nothing like seeing the stars at night and falling asleep to the sound of waves then waking up to a beach view in the morning. What a way to start the day!”

Other amenities include a soundproof office, solar panels, a concert-grade sound system “suitable to host a Rolling Stones concert or a solo violinist” and an outdoor entertaining area with a pool and sports fields. The home also has direct access to the beach and the paved walking trail that extends along the Coral Seas coastline.

A breathtaking view and a lush quarter-acre block are high up the wish list with any lifestyle property, but this contemporary Buderim residence takes things to another level.

Designed and built by owners Stu and Nat Faid, the Sunshine Coast home reflects their vision and incredible attention to detail.

As an architect and designer, Nat believes a prime position deserves an incredible project.

“The heart of the house is undoubtedly the living area and expansive deck. At over 100sq m and elevated more than 6m above the ground, you literally feel like you’re floating. We love how the views stretch from the Glass House Mountains along the coastline to Mooloolaba. Across the ocean, you can even see the sandbanks on Moreton Island,” she says.

While the views and the 1024sq m land parcel make their mark, it’s the suspended 12m heated shipping container swimming pool that’s making waves locally.

“When people arrive, the first thing they do is look up,” Nat adds.

After purchasing the property in 2021, the pair knew the existing house wouldn’t live up to their family of four, but they fell in love with the location and outlook so decided to adapt.

Initially, the pool’s unique design was simply a reaction to an everyday Queensland problem, but ultimately became a feature.

“The pool was at first a product of practicality. We wanted to be able to watch the kids in the pool from the house, but to do that required elevating the pool more than six meters off the ground,” Stu says.

“When we looked at the engineering required, it conflicted with our minimal-touch ethos in preserving the land and the visual aesthetic of the finished design. What followed was a lot of searching for a solution, and as luck would have it, the answer was almost on our doorstep.”

Shipping Container Pools seemed like a no-brainer answer to the pool problem. Having moved internationally multiple times, the couple saw an opportunity to weave their personal story into the fabric of their new home.

“The opportunity to incorporate a nod to that chapter of our life into the build was too good to miss,” he says.

“It also unashamedly reinforces the origins of the pool construction, which ties into the rest of the design in the house. Throughout the home, we have embraced where the old meets the new, we have not tried to blend, cover or hide the origins of the home, we have chosen instead to make sure the evolution of the house is clear to see.”

The Faids’ global family journey is evident throughout the home, from the grand Middle Eastern entry doors sourced from Dubai where the couple once lived, to the remarkable views from the Glass House Mountains to Mooloolaba.

Created to enjoy every season, the house has a space for all eventualities with an open plan living area spilling out to the full-width deck and pool, a sleek kitchen with an Ilve integrated fridge and freezer, Bosch ovens, an induction cooktop, built-in coffee machine and microwave, two dishwashers, filtered water and a butler’s pantry.

Four spacious bedrooms each have built-ins, the main features a large ensuite with twin vanities and two more bedrooms share a“Jack and Jill” style bathroom. There is also a third full bathroom.

The Buderim home is 12.5kms from Mooloolaba and the Mooloolaba River National Park with the Sunshine Coast Airport 13.5kms to the north, however Stu adds that there is rarely a reason to leave.

“It would be fair to say that apart from popping down the hill to go to the beach, we often go days without ever leaving the village. It’s really is a wonderful spot.”

Packed with mod cons, the Buderim home also features six-zone ducted air-conditioning, engineered oak floors and a double-sided Stuv wood-burning fireplace, a mudroom, heated floors and sensor lights in the bathrooms. There is also a private elevator, solar power and battery, as well as landscaped gardens and a large lock up garage and shed.

The property at 10 Orient Court, Buderim is listed with Zoe Byrne and Greg Ward from Ray White Buderim and will go to auction on September 22 at 9am at Mercedes-Benz Sunshine Coast, 65 Maroochy Blvd, Maroochydore.

Beachfront Queensland Mansion With Drive-In Foyer Lists For $6.8 Million

There’s also a saltwater aquarium, a soundproof office and views of the Great Barrier Reef.

This sky-high home on the Sunshine Coast with iconic shipping container pool is a testament to modern design and engineering.