Exclusive: $35 million Gordons Bay House to Reset Coogee House Price Record
Now known as GB House or Gordons Bay House, the five-bedroom residence has been brought to market through James Ball and Michael Pallier of Sydney Sotheby’s International Realty, who are telling prospective purchasers a record $35 million would be enough to secure the landmark home.
4 min
For years, the progress of the remarkable house at 1 Major Street was observed by the thousands of people who followed Sydney’s Bondi-to-Coogee coastal walk.
Perched directly above Gordons Bay, its construction unfolded in unusually public view. Walkers could see the enigmatic white structure gradually taking shape on the cliff, even as the completed residence was being designed to preserve privacy from the path and neighbouring properties.
Now known as GB House or Gordons Bay House, the five-bedroom residence has been brought to market through James Ball and Michael Pallier of Sydney Sotheby’s International Realty, who are telling prospective purchasers a record $35 million would be enough to secure the landmark home.
The residential price records for Coogee was set in 2024 when the penthouse atop Ballamac House, the redevelopment of a historic mansion into a boutique collection of apartments, sold for just over $20 million.
Architecture at the water’s edge
Designed by Renato D’Ettorre Architects, GB House occupies approximately 740sqm at the northern edge of Coogee, looking across the protected waters of Gordons Bay and out to the Pacific Ocean.
Its restrained white exterior draws on the elemental architecture of the Greek islands. Behind that comparatively quiet street presence, perforated glazed brickwork filters sunlight, ocean air and fragments of blue water into the house.
The design is based on alternating experiences of openness and enclosure. Broad ocean views are not revealed all at once. Instead, the residence moves between sheltered courtyards, framed openings, reflective water and expansive rooms facing the coastline.
Arrival is marked by a reflection pond and the sound of waves below. From there, the house opens gradually towards its north-east aspect and uninterrupted views across Gordons Bay.
The residence spans approximately 538sqm internally, with five ensuite bedrooms and six bathrooms. The principal suite occupies an entire level and includes a private courtyard, ocean-facing terrace, fireplace, dressing area and a Tadelakt-finished bathroom with an Agape bath positioned towards the view.
One of the remaining bedroom suites is configured as a self-contained studio with its own entrance, giving the house flexibility for guests, adult children or live-in assistance.
At the centre of the home is a vast living pavilion with a sunken lounge and ceilings rising to approximately five metres. A dramatic internal rock wall and garden extend through the double-height volume, accompanied by a 2.5-metre waterfall cascading into a fish pond.
The feature reinforces the central architectural idea: this is a house in which stone, water, light and planting are treated as part of the interior rather than scenery beyond it.
Marble, fire and filtered light
The kitchen is anchored by a sculptural cantilevered bench in Verdi Alpi marble, complemented by Miele appliances, a Barazza gas hob, Zip HydroTap and concealed butler’s pantry.
There are several living and entertaining zones, including a mezzanine office or media area, a subterranean music room, theatre or rumpus room, and a temperature-controlled cellar.
Three integrated fireplaces serve the principal bedroom and two living areas, while hydronic underfloor heating and four zones of reverse-cycle airconditioning provide year-round climate control.
The house is also equipped with smart-home technology, timed blinds, solar photovoltaic and solar-thermal systems, custom joinery and Boffi tapware.
Outside, an ocean-facing garden descends towards the cliff. A heated infinity pool with swim jets appears to merge with the Pacific horizon, while separate entertaining areas include a north-facing barbecue terrace, outdoor refrigeration, pizza oven and retractable awning.
The campaign also refers to plans for an additional ocean terrace suspended above the sea. Buyers should independently establish the approval status, conditions and transferability of those plans before treating them as part of the property’s future potential.
One of Australia’s most awarded coastal houses
GB House is already well known within Australian architecture.
The project received the 2019 Wilkinson Award for Residential Architecture from the NSW chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects—one of the state’s most important awards for residential design.
It also received a national residential architecture award, the Horbury Hunt Residential Award at the Think Brick Awards, and recognition for its interiors and use of materials.
The home has appeared in architectural and design publications, as well as film and television coverage. Dimark Constructions, which documents the project in its portfolio, credits Justin Alexander for its published photography.
Its awards are significant because they establish GB House as more than a newly presented prestige listing. It is an already recognised work of Australian residential architecture, created for one of the most difficult and valuable types of site in Sydney: an exposed coastal holding that must balance views, weather, privacy and public visibility.
From $6.9 million to a potential suburb record
Public property records indicate 1 Major Street last changed hands for $6.9 million in 2010, long before the former home was demolished.
Although the residence became a familiar landmark to people using the coastal walk, the architecture was conceived to provide shelter from that very exposure. Angled walls, courtyards and screened openings protect its living spaces while maintaining direct contact with the water.
That combination gives the current campaign unusual reach. It is a trophy home with international architectural credentials, but it is also part of Sydney’s public coastal memory, a house thousands of people have walked past, watched evolve and wondered about from the path below.
GB House at a glance
- Address: 1 Major Street, Coogee, NSW
- Also known as: GB House and Gordons Bay House
- Price guide: $35 million
- Selling agents: James Ball and Michael Pallier, Sydney Sotheby’s International Realty
- Architect: Renato D’Ettorre Architects
- Construction: Dimark Constructions
- Land: Approximately 740sqm
- Internal area: Approximately 538sqm
- Bedrooms: Five, all with ensuites
- Bathrooms: Six
- Parking: Double garage plus two off-street spaces
- Aspect: North-east
- Key amenities: Infinity pool, gym, steam room, music room, theatre/rumpus room, cellar, internal waterfall and fish pond
- Previous recorded sale: $6.9 million in 2010
- Current Coogee property record: $20 million-plus Ballamac penthouse sale
- Previous freestanding-house record: $13.1 million on Wolseley Road
- Listing: View the live campaign
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Restored Victorian Italianate manor Earlswood combines two substantial residences on 778sqm and leads the prestige offering from the newly established Ray White Phillips & Co.
3 min
Alexander Phillips has unveiled his first newly launched trophy campaign since establishing Ray White Phillips & Co, with the landmark Randwick estate Earlswood being offered with a guide of $10.5 million.
The listing is an early statement for Phillips’ new Woollahra-based agency. Less than a month after opening, Ray White Phillips & Co had already secured more than $30 million across a series of booked auction campaigns, including the $9 million sale of 92 Ocean Street, Bondi, and sales in Waverley, Bronte, Clovelly, Paddington and Coogee.
Phillips also recently sold 9 Kenneth Street, Tamarama, for $20.25 million, the highest reported Eastern Beaches sale of 2026.
The latest addition to the agency’s books is one of the eastern suburbs’ more distinctive estates.
Occupying 778 sqm at 54 Dutruc Street, Earlswood pairs a restored Victorian Italianate manor with an adjoining two-storey contemporary residence designed by X-PACE Design Group.
The original home was built in 1891 and is a locally listed heritage residence within Randwick’s St Marks conservation area. Its restoration retains much of the formality and detail expected of a grand Victorian property, including a substantial entrance foyer, frescoes by Augusto Lorenzini, four-metre ceilings, marble fireplaces and a series of reception and entertaining rooms.
Four king-sized bedrooms are arranged on one level, while an attic retreat captures views towards the ocean. More recent additions include a custom kitchen with Gaggenau appliances, a butler’s pantry, Spotted Gum floors and ducted air-conditioning.
Next door, the second residence takes a distinctly contemporary approach. Off-form concrete, wide oak floorboards and clean architectural lines establish a deliberate contrast with the ornate historic manor.
The modern home contains three upper-level ensuite bedrooms, two living areas, a designer kitchen, courtyard and north-facing rooftop terrace. Villeroy & Boch-appointed terrazzo bathrooms and Italian lighting continue the detailed finish found throughout the estate.
Although architecturally different, the two homes have been designed to operate together or independently. Each has its own entrance, while both connect to a four-car basement containing a vehicle turntable, wine cellar and internal lift access.
The configuration lends itself to multigenerational living, accommodation for adult children or extended family, or a principal residence with a separate income-producing home. The properties have also been prepared for possible future title subdivision, subject to council approval.
The estate spans approximately 717sqm of internal floor area and has a 39-metre frontage to Rae Street, as well as landscaped gardens and dual-street access. It last changed hands for $10.75 million in November 2023, according to publicly available property records.
Earlswood arrives as Phillips begins the next phase of a 24-year career in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. He has been ranked among Australia’s leading residential agents for more than a decade, with his team reported to transact more than $1 billion in property annually across more than 400 clients.
Phillips said his decision to launch Ray White Phillips & Co was driven by the industry’s increasing reliance on technology, data and network reach, while maintaining his team’s focus on the eastern suburbs.
For Ray White, Earlswood provides an appropriately high-profile introduction to its newest prestige operation: a rare dual-residence property that offers both a carefully preserved piece of Randwick’s history and a markedly contemporary way of living.
Earlswood at 54 Dutruc Street, Randwick, is being marketed by Alexander Phillips of Ray White Phillips & Co through expressions of interest closing November 5.
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