I’m so excited to be bringing this circa 1880s Coorabell homestead to you today. She is a true glory, a magnificent home that has been cared for and loved and restored exquisitely.
a quick sales history
This home, located at 895 Coolamon Scenic Drive, Coorabell, was most recently sold in March 2021 for $14,100,000. I thought it might be interesting to dive a little deeper into her sales history.
The earliest sale that I can see for this homestead is in March 1997 when she sold for $238,000 (join me, let’s cry real tears). Two years later, she was sold again for $250,000. Then, five years later the sales price doubled to $500,000 (I’m assuming that there is an error in the sales history, there’s no way that she sold for $5,000). Then it looks like the house was put on the market a few times, without being sold.
The first listing in 2011 was for offers over $9m. Interesting, two years later, in 2013, they were asking $7.5m. The property didn’t sell and was listed five years later, in 2018, for offers between $5,995,000 and $6,495,000, selling just one month after listing for $6,200,000. We’ll deep dive on the 2018 listing shortly. The next sale is the most current one, selling for almost $8,000,000 more!
onethehouse.com (accessed on 1 July 2021)
the sale in 2018
Let’s start with a photo from the 2018 property listing.
Prior to this sale, Coorabell homestead had been owned for two decades by jewellery designer, Giovanni D’Ercole, founded of the LOVE & HATRED luxury jewellery brand. The listing gives credit to Giovanni’s ‘skilled eye and attention to detail’ that ‘transformed the stunning Queenslander into a truly unique estate’.
Even though the photos don’t match up exactly, I love this little side showing the transformation of this home.
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Just reading the 2018 listing increases the desirability of this homestead.
Set on 56 pristine acres, Coorabella has a magical feel to it – that rare quality that comes from the land. A stream runs through the property (home to an abundance of wildlife including the resident platypus) with frontage to the Wilson River and a magical, deep swimming hole as well as a private waterfall.
Here’s the stream (there is 1km of river frontage!)
The celebrity connections
This home was a sought-after location for film and photo shoots, plus it is where Margot Robbie got married in 2016. So did Suits stars Gabriel Macht (Harvey Specter) and Jacinda Barrett.
A sought-after location for film and photo shoots, this property is also an in-demand destination wedding venue, hosting the 2016 wedding of actress and producer Margot Robbie (I, Tonya; Wolf of Wall Street), among others.
Coorabella homestead was once owned by author Di Young, who wrote the Australian book turned animated film “Fern Gully – The Last Rainforest” while she was living on the property in the 1980s.
After the boys left for school I would wander down to the creek with my writing pad and spend all day there. (source)
the exterior
The listing talks about the grand entrance to Coorabell homestead with 1000m2 of hand-laid Italian porphyry cobblestone.
You can see the work that has been done in these comparison photos from the 2018 listing and the 2021 listing.
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the entry
It’s extremely difficult to chose a favourite view of this home. I’ve chosen this photo. I really don’t have any words.
the verandah
This verandah sits off the dining room. That arch is sublime.
Cold winter nights by the fireplace. This is so perfect.
sleeping spaces
There are three bedrooms in the main residence, plus a study and an office. There is a separate, self contained home called ‘The Bales’ (more info down further).
Here is the main bedroom. It has a walk in robe and bathroom, plus those beautiful views. It’s the first room on the left as your enter.
The walk in robe. Oh my gosh.
This looks like the bedroom at the back of the house (6.3 x 4.8m). The windows are incredible.
This is the third and final bedroom in the main residence (3.6 x 3.6m). It’s almost a separate wing of the home as it is connected to a dressing room and the study.
the bathrooms
Let’s start with the main bedroom’s ensuite. So luxurious. I love the rustic, imperfect look of the tiles. And all of that marble.
Below is the main bathroom in the main residence. I like how they have carried the look through from the ensuite bathroom with the square tiles. The colour is gorgeous.
eating spaces
First I want to start with a photo from the 2018 listing to give you an idea of how much work was done between the 2018 and the 2021 sale.
First the 2018 listing.
And the 2021 listing. WHAT. A. DIFFERENCE.
The living room in the 2018 listing is cosy and feels like you are on a mountain top in the snow somewhere.
Painting the walls white completely transforms the space. I like both spaces. The fireplace is double sided and connects to the verandah from the photos above.
the barn
The barn was added after the sale in 2018 and it is magnificent. Reminds me a little of the modern industrial / commercial barn in this beautiful Byron Bay home I posted about last year. Where I pictured myself in a completely creative space alongside my daughter (who would use the space for dancing). All of this while my son kicked a footy with my husband outside. Sigh.
While I love both of these spaces, this barn is unbelievable. According to the listing, it is an American style macrocarpa barn. I originally thought that macrocarpa was the style of the barn, but I’ve since discovered that it is type of wood. This website says that the species is originally from the United States of America; in Australia it was commonly used for windbreaks on Victorian farms, where it was planted around 70 to 100 years ago.
The barn is three levels. The lower level is fitted out as a workshop, the middle level is “the barn” and the top is a mezzanine with a wood stove and balcony that overlooks ancient fig trees. The curved staircase makes me feel out of breath.
the pool
In the 2021 listing, the pool is described as:
There is a stunning European style pool and crafted terraced rock walls built mainly with stone sourced from the property.
And then, from the 2018 listing:
Outdoors the 15 metre, tiled swimming pool lies within an aromatic scented garden of gardenias and jasmine, with spectacular views over the valley. Framed by a 10ft high bespoke wrought iron fence, the pool offers the perfect place to relax or entertain.
the surroundings
The 2018 listing mentions the homes ethos of sustainable living, featuring a home solar system, an orchard, vegetable garden and two 38,000 litre rainwater ranks (with a spring fed dam, and a pum house with the ability to provide an endless supply of water to the property when needed).
Another comparison
While these photos don’t line up perfectly, they show the beauty of Coorabell homestead.
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And here’s a last photo for you.
the floor plan
Coorabell homestead – the details
This glorious circa 1880s Coorabell homestead is located at 895 Coolamon Scenic Drive, Coorabell. It was sold for $14,100,000 in March 2021 by Tara Torkkola of First National Byron. For more information or to view the listing click here.
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