A French-inspired chateau in the Sunshine Coast hinterland has set a new suburb record, highlighting the growing prestige of the region’s luxury acreage market.
The $11 million landmark sale of Chateau Immanuel at 25 Glenvista Place, Chevallum, is believed to be the highest residential price ever achieved in the suburb.
Queensland Sotheby’s International Realty agent Melissa Schembri, who sold the property alongside colleague Daniel Rees, said the deal was one of the most notable hinterland transactions on the Sunshine Coast in recent times.
“We broke the record for Chevallum,” Ms Schembri said.
“It’s definitely one of the most significant sales for the region, especially not being a waterfront property.
“We do see some of those prices sometimes on the water, but this shows the calibre of properties we have in the Sunshine Coast hinterland.”
The buyers behind the record purchase are Australian supermodel Catherine McNeil and her husband, former NBA player Miles Plumlee, who recently relocated to the estate with their young family.
The move follows the sale of the couple’s nearby Tanawha retreat at 55 Rainforest Road for $5.7 million – also handled by Ms Schembri and Mr Rees.
Ms Schembri said the Chevallum estate stood out as one of the most unique luxury homes she had brought to market.
“The chateau is like half European but with a bit of Hollywood glamour,” she said.
“It is just extraordinary. There are fireplaces from Italy and all these beautiful finishes that the owners had sourced from around the world.
“The effort that had gone into building this place really deserved acknowledgement.”
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Set across about four hectares, the 1340sqm residence features French chandeliers, Italian flagstone flooring, Portuguese limestone fireplaces and soaring ceilings.
Completed in 2012, the grand home was awarded Master Builders Sunshine Coast House of the Year and sits among manicured grounds with a private lake, pool and extensive entertaining areas.
Ms Schembri said the property had previously been listed with other agents for three years before her team relaunched the campaign and sold it to the high-profile couple.
“We did some re-imagining and re-styling of the property and then brought it back to market and sold it.
“I think (McNeil and Plumlee) could really appreciate the architecture and the European feel of the property. They’ve travelled the world, so they understood that style and the uniqueness of it. I think it was very much a heart decision for them. They fell in love with the property.”
The couple married in 2023 and are raising their 20-month-old son Atticus and a newborn baby boy on the Sunshine Coast.
Ms Schembri said the estate’s scale and design made it an exceptional family home.
“It’s extraordinary,” she said.
“There’s a 10-metre void when you walk into the house and these beautiful high ceilings that create a real sense of space.
“It’s a level of luxury that is rarely seen on the Sunshine Coast in that genre.”
The couple sold their Tanawha property, a sprawling rainforest estate they purchased in 2021, for $3.49 million.
That property, set on about 1.9 hectares, is described as a resort-style oasis featuring a pavilion-style main residence, guest accommodation, a pool house, bar and games room and sports facilities including a full-size tennis court and basketball hoop.
Ms Schembri said the Tanawha sale also set a new benchmark for the suburb.
“We broke the record for Tanawha by about a million dollars,” she said.
The property spent about four months on the market before being sold to a local family with young children.
Ms Schembri said the two sales reflected the increasing interest in prestige Sunshine Coast properties from both local and international buyers.
“It’s exciting to see people appreciate the value of these homes,” she said.
“We really do have world-class properties on the Sunshine Coast.
“For buyers like Miles, who’s from New York, and Cat, who’s Australian, it shows the Sunshine Coast is seen as an extraordinary place to live.”
Auction results
36 Coolum View Terrace, Buderim
- Sold under the hammer for $1.865m
- 4 bed, 3 bath, 2 car
- Ray White Buderim, Zoe Byrne
12 Glenview Close, Buderim
- Sold under the hammer for $1.355m
- 3 bed, 2 bath, 2 car
- Ray White Buderim, Eden Farimbella
607/1 Mantra Esplanade, Birtinya
- Sold under the hammer for $950,000
- 2 bed, 2 bath, 1 car
- Ray White Kawana Waters, Justin Wijaya
7 Eagleview Court, Woombye
- Sold under the hammer for $885,000
- 4 bed, 2 bath, 3 bath
- Define Property, Ross Cattle
3 Hume Parade, Currimundi
- Passed in, on the market for $4.95m plus, contact agent
- 4 bed, 2 bath, 2 car
- Next Property Group, Richard Scrivener
