A sprawling mega-mansion that was once Queensland’s most expensive home is set to be largely demolished after sitting uninhabited for 16 years.
The scandal-plagued home on 3-9 Riverview Avenue, Buderim, had a price tag of about $25 million in 2008, claiming the title of most expensive home in the state at that time.
The opulent residence boasted nine rooms, nine garage spaces and loungeroom-sized bathrooms as well as a rumoured million-dollar nuclear bunker built into its bottom.
The nuclear bunker was reportedly later converted into a billiard room.
Property records show 3- 9 Riverview Avenue was sold by its former multi-millionaire owner Ron Miller to Distinctive Estates in July 2021 for $5million.
Distinctive Estates has lodged a development application with Sunshine Coast Council to subdivide the site at 3-9 Riverview Ave as well as the adjoining 22-24 Coolum View Terrace.
Engineering plans show the new owner proposes to knock down most of the original mansion on Riverview Avenue, but will keep about one-third of the building.
The four original blocks will then be subdivided into a total of six blocks.
The adjacent block on 22-24 Coolum View Tce would be subdivided from the original two blocks into four blocks.
The development application is still in progress.
Buderim resident Adrian Holland said he remembered the hive of activity and droves of workers on the site when the huge mansion was being built in 2005 by the American-born tech millionaire Mr Miller.
Mr Miller had reportedly already spent some $20million on building it when it was the centre of media attention in the early 2000s.
Neighbours at the time, including prominent architect David Cox, took Mr Miller and the Maroochy Shire Council to court arguing it should never have been approved, the ABC reported at the time.
The residents lost, but construction stopped.
Later it was reported Mr Miller was taking legal action against the property’s developer, and the project stalled.
It has remained uninhabited for many years.
The Director of Distinctive Estates Noel Covey was not available for comment at the time of publication.
