Château Immanuel: A Grand Hinterland Escape with a Private Lake
Tuscan elegance and Hollywood glamour come face to face in the Sunshine Coast’s coveted hinterland with the award-winning Château Immanuel.
2 min
Created by the current owners Helene and Nick Van Der Merwe, the European-inspired five-bedroom mansion was listed a year ago but has just resurfaced with an $11 million price guide through Melissa Schembri and Daniel Rees of Queensland Sotheby’s International Realty.
An iconic estate behind a secure gated entry, the 1340sq m property features a long tree-lined driveway leading up to a stately turning circle and grand water feature, manicured lawns, ornamental gardens and a private lake.
Unfolding across one of the hinterland’s most tightly held pockets, the landmark residence was even crowned the Master Builders Sunshine Coast House of the Year upon its completion in 2012.
Château Immanuel was a two-year labour of love for the pair. Mrs Van Der Merwe said the couple, who have decided to relocate to a cattle farm, will miss the home’s year-round versatility.
“I’ll miss the serenity for sure. When the gate closes behind you, the busy world is left behind. It’s private and quiet, our own little bubble of paradise. In winter, I enjoy sitting in front of our bedroom fireplace with a good novel, chocolates, and red wine. In summer, I love being outside on the patio, sharing fabulous food and laughter with friends,” she said, adding that the house is a great entertainer inside and out.
“It’s grand and spacious, yet warm, comfortable, and inviting. Everyone loves dancing under the stars,” she said.
Hand-picked finishes include Italian flagstone flooring, Portuguese limestone fireplaces, ceiling roses imported from the US and French chandeliers.
The residence’s main wing has a dramatic foyer with 9m ceilings, which opens through to multiple formal and informal living areas focused on the vast covered patio for seamless outdoor entertaining.
The contemporary kitchen has stone bench tops, a long, expansive central island, a walk-in pantry, and commercial-grade appliances including a double oven and gas cooktop tucked behind bespoke cabinetry.
The outdoor room has multiple seating zones with bronze chandeliers, an integrated alfresco kitchen, and a stone fireplace overlooking a 14m swimming pool and gazebo.
A palatial primary bedroom suite sits in its own wing and is home to a sitting area, private terrace, fireplace, walk-in robe, a deluxe dressing room and a spa-like ensuite with a sunken tub.
An upper level houses a second spacious retreat with a bath ensuite, fireplace and balcony.
Across the expansive layout the self-contained guest annex adds more flexibility for extended family or visitors, containing three more bedrooms with ensuites, a separate kitchen, an open plan living zone and a courtyard.
Additional features at Château Immanuel include ducted air-conditioning and vacuuming, an integrated sound system, security, a 10kW solar system with a generator backup and an irrigation system. The grounds have a self-contained artist’s studio, a large shed, a dog run, ornamental ponds, antique statues and a four-car garage.
Château Immanuel is close to Maroochydore CBD and the international airport, 30 minutes to Noosa, and under an hour to Brisbane.
Offered through an expressions of interest campaign, Château Immanuel has a guide of $11 million via Melissa Schembri and Daniel Rees of Queensland Sotheby’s International Realty.
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A hidden masterpiece above the Glass House Mountains, Asgard is a $15 million modern fortress where luxury meets breathtaking elevation.
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A futuristic fortress in the clouds, Asgard sits above the Glass House Mountains at Mount Mellum; the epitome of a sky-high real estate dream come to life.
At an altitude of nearly 400m, the remarkable residence is a modern retreat hidden from the world, but crafted so the homeowner can cast an eye over the Sunshine Coast hinterland out to the Coral Sea.
Named after its mythological namesake, Asgard was designed by Dan Sparks of Sparks Architects and completed in 2020.
A year later, the enviable estate earned the coveted Australian Institute of Architects Commendation Award for Residential Architecture and was featured in a long list of publications, including The Design Files and The Local Project.
Today, agents Melissa Schembri and Daniel Rees of Sotheby’s International Realty Maroochydore have been tasked with selling the contemporary home, which has price expectations of more than $15 million.
“It’s rare to find something this elevated in both design and geography,” Schembri said.
“Asgard is for someone who wants to feel like king—or queen—of the mountain.”
In Nordic mythology, Asgard is a location associated with the gods, befitting of this parcel of paradise.
Tech entrepreneur and vendor Matthew Myers is no stranger to innovation.
After exiting multiple startups, he built Asgard as his dream home. However, with a new partner and a baby on the way, Myers is preparing for his next chapter; a nearby property complete with equestrian facilities and a go-kart track.
“I built this to be my forever home,” he said.
“But forever just got a little more exciting.”
The main home and separate guest lodge span a combined six bedrooms and four bathrooms, complemented by three fireplaces and a solar-heated infinity pool. The compound has also been built to withstand a Category 5 cyclone.
Thanks to an L-shaped dual-pavilion design, the footprint makes the most of sweeping 360-degree views and allows for loads of natural light to stream through walls of engineered glass.
The exterior is a sophisticated palette of blackened Ironbark cladding—treated using the traditional Japanese Shou Sugi Ban technique—adds a layer of fire and pest resistance while complementing the rugged Queensland landscape.
European oak floors are contrasted against darker architectural elements, while a gourmet kitchen with Miele appliances, black granite bench tops, and a butler’s pantry anchors the home’s central living area.
For days when the Sunshine Coast turns off the heat, a fireplace warms the space and bifold doors blur the line between indoors and out, spilling onto a covered terrace with a built-in barbecue and bar fridge.
Beyond the living areas, the main bedroom is a luxury hotel-inspired zone including a walk-in wardrobe and a spa-like ensuite with a freestanding soaking tub.
The sleeping quarters also feature three additional en-suite bedrooms, a flexible sitting room, and a handy study nook.
A partially subterranean level hosts a gym, a laundry, an infrared sauna, and a fifth bedroom – ideal for dual living or longer-term guests.
The second residence, tucked behind the main home, was also finished alongside the main house five years ago. A fully self-contained guest lodge, it includes its own kitchen, designer bathroom, alfresco deck, and open-plan living zone.
Across the 4.7ha grounds, there are 7000 native trees, plenty of room for wallabies and deer, a 127,000 litre rainwater tank, a grand saltwater and chlorine pool, fire pits, and multiple storage sheds.
Backed by solar, Tesla battery power, a generator, and rainwater tanks, Asgard offers off-grid capabilities without compromising comfort.
The townships of Landsborough and Beerwah are nearby, while Noosa Heads is approximately an hour away, with the Sunshine Coast airport accessible within about 30 minutes.
Asgard, at 35a Agnew Rd, Mount Mellum is listed via private treaty through Sotheby’s International Realty Maroochydore with a price guide of more than $15 million.
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