Luxury home crowned House of the Year sells for record $11.5m

A hilltop mansion that won House of the Year in 2024 has shattered the sale price record for a Noosa hinterland home, fetching circa $11.5m — just days after a neighbouring property sold for $11m.

The region is abuzz with news of the sale of ‘Whipbird’ at 81 Panorama Dr, Doonan, following a lengthy campaign, as the once sleepy hamlet starts to gain attention from wealthy homehunters.

The sale of the 1100sqm, five-bedroom, six-bathroom mansion comes just days after it was revealed ‘Stonelea’ in neighbouring Cooroy Mountain had changed hands for around $11m.

‘Whipbird’, 81 Panorama Dr, Doonan, has sold for circa $11.5m. Photo: Timothy Kaye.

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Both sales eclipse the previous Noosa hinterland record set in September last year, when a property at 146 Solar Road in Cooroy Mountain sold for $10m to Ian Wells of Liontown Resources.

Agents for both properties are declining to comment on the sales.

The T-shaped pavilion at 81 Panorama Drive received the House of the Year Award at the 2024 Master Builders Queensland Housing and Construction Awards.

Comprising 1100 sqm over two wings and two levels, the property takes full advantage of its unrivalled panoramic coastal and hinterland view.

It had been listed with Rachel Sellman of Century 21 Conolly Hay Group.

The property is the work of Jayden and Jenny Zernich of Zerni Projects — a couple who moved to the region from Melbourne before Covid, alongside award-winning architect Jen Negline from Minnow Studio.

Mr Zernich declined to comment on the sale price.

Records show Zerni bought the site for $2.96 million in January 2022. They spent 13 months building ‘Whipbird’.

Ocean Blue Travertine from Artodemus has been used throughout the house, and was sourced from one quarry in Italy.

The ground floor is low key yet striking, encased in black shiplap cladding, with handmade grey bricks and granite.

There is a mineral swimming pool and bathing court for lingering on after a dip.

Dark walls were selected to harmonise with the rich foliage of the forest beyond and lighter accents of the sky.

The kitchen features Swiss-made appliances from VZUG including a CookTop Wok, teppanyaki grill, and multiple wine fridges.

A whopping 88 tonnes of rustic granite was supplied to line the six bathrooms and create the hand-carved baths and vanities.

‘Stonelea’ at 430 Cooroy Mountain Road had been on the market with several different ages since 2020 — originally with a price tag of $15m-plus, before finally selling recently through David Conolly of Century 21 Conolly Hay Group – Noosa Heads.

The five-bedroom, five-bathroom house features wide, panoramic views of the Noosa Hinterlands, stretching out to the Pacific Ocean in the east.