BYRON HINTERLAND TROPHY HOME WITH STAR POWER RETURNS TO MARKET
Award-winning Byron hinterland estate Amileka returns to market, blending architectural pedigree, celebrity history and lucrative luxury retreat appeal.
2 min
A Byron Bay hinterland trophy home that once starred on Love Island Australia has resurfaced for sale after making a brief appearance on the market last year.
Amileka in Federal, 24kms from the famous shores of Byron Bay, was listed for a short time in July with a guide of more than $8m, but is now asking $7m to $7.7m with Sotheby’s agent Will Phillips via an expressions of interest campaign, closing on March 12, at 5pm.
The contemporary homestead on 10ha last sold for $9.5 million during the regional post-pandemic boom in 2022. Since then, the iconic house has been earning its owners thousands of dollars a night as a glamorous short term rental.
Built in 2008, Amileka took home the Australian Institute of Architects (NSW country division) Architecture Award in the same year. The minimalist design on secluded Blackbean Lane was crafted by architect owner Sharon Fraser and her husband, Steve Esson.
Tom Lane, of the Oroton fashion family empire and his stylist wife Emma, then bought Amileka for $4 million in 2011. They sold up in 2015 for $3.5 million to the Johnson family, who offered up the compound to feature as the Love Island home for the Channel 9 dating show’s third season in 2017.
Later, in 2022, the remote residence was snapped up by Mikaela Lancaster, Spotify Australia managing director, and her husband Mark Britt, founder of video-streaming platform Iflix. Lancaster and Britt are now seeking Amileka’s next custodians.
The main home has a large sunken lounge room and a spacious dining zone seamlessly connected to the gourmet kitchen and multiple outdoor terraces. In the designer gas kitchen there are stone surfaces including a big island bench, and a discreet but large butler’s pantry.
Created for grand scale outdoor entertaining, Amileka’s alfresco options include a central courtyard, level lawns with rolling district views punctuated by ancient Black Bean, fig and pandanus trees, plus an 18m by 5m pool and a fire pit.
Internally, the house features a stately formal entry, honed concrete floors with solar hydronic heating, bespoke cabinetry, walls of windows to capture the leafy outlook, a dedicated media room, and five bedrooms.
Off the primary suite there is a large walk-in wardrobe, an ensuite with bidet and a private hot tub, plus the house has two more family-friendly bathrooms.
Additionally, the estate also has a three-bedroom caretaker’s cottage with its own swimming pool.
Famous for its legendary lush vistas, untouched rainforest and waterfalls, the Byron Hinterland is also known for picturesque sleepy villages such as Bangalow and eclectic fine dining options.
Federal is home to a small general store, the popular Doma Cafe, and is approximately a 25-minute drive from Byron Bay, 35 minutes to Ballina Airport and 50 minutes to Coolangatta International Airport.
Amileka in the Byron Bay hinterland is for sale with Sotheby’s International Realty via an expressions of interest campaign, closing on March 12, 5pm.
Brickworks has enlisted acclaimed architecture studio Kennedy Nolan to explore how homes could become more adaptable, energy-efficient and connected to community.
Ophora Tallawong has launched its final release of quality apartments priced under $700,000.
Brickworks has enlisted acclaimed architecture studio Kennedy Nolan to explore how homes could become more adaptable, energy-efficient and connected to community.
2 minAustralia’s housing debate is often dominated by affordability and supply, but a new collaboration between Brickworks and acclaimed architecture firm Kennedy Nolan argues the conversation should also focus on the quality and longevity of the homes being built.
The project, titled Our Next Neighbourhood, examines how suburban housing could evolve in response to shrinking block sizes, rising energy costs, increasing density and changing family structures.
Rather than proposing luxury dream homes, the initiative focuses on what its creators describe as achievable suburban housing models that are more flexible, sustainable, and better suited to modern Australian life.
Brickworks commissioned Kennedy Nolan to investigate what suburban housing might look like if “design, long-term liveability and enduring materials were placed at the centre of the conversation”.
The result is two housing concepts, known as the Street Terrace and Canopy Terrace, which explore higher-density living while maintaining access to green space, natural light and privacy.
The designs incorporate adaptable floorplans that can evolve as family needs change, along with passive design principles intended to reduce reliance on mechanical heating and cooling.
Brett Ward, General Manager of Marketing at Brickworks, said the company wanted to broaden the discussion around housing beyond simply increasing supply.
“Much of the housing conversation today is understandably focused on supply and affordability, but there is an equally important discussion to be had about the quality and longevity of the homes we build,” he said.
“We wanted to explore how thoughtful design, combined with durable, resilient materials, could create homes that not only function well today, but continue to support Australian families and communities long into the future.”
Kennedy Nolan said the project was partly inspired by concerns that contemporary housing often struggles to adapt to changing household structures and environmental pressures.
The architects said innovation in suburban housing was “essential” to address changing family groupings, energy use, urban heat island effects and growing disconnection from place.
According to the design team, the concepts draw on lessons from some of Australia’s most influential housing projects while seeking to create neighbourhoods with stronger links to landscape, community and local identity.
Rachel Nolan, founder of Kennedy Nolan, said the practice saw an opportunity to reimagine suburban housing as something “more connected to our climate, our landscape, our communities and our Australian identity”.
The project comes as policymakers, developers and planners continue searching for ways to deliver more housing without sacrificing liveability, neighbourhood character or long-term sustainability.
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