By Phil Jarratt
One of the first houses to be built at K’gari’s remote Orchid Beach is being offered for sale for the first time in 34 years.
Named K’gari long before the Butchulla First Nations’ name became official for what we used to know as Fraser Island, the stylishly simple bungalow nestled in the treetops high above the beach with a breathtaking coastline view from Waddy Point to Sandy Cape, is being offered as part of an estate of three architect-designed houses, set on 3414 square metres, for $2.6 million.
That might seem a lot for such a remote hideaway, but as the seller notes: “With only two per cent freehold land available in one of Australia’s most popular holiday destinations, this is a rare opportunity to become the new custodian of a unique piece of paradise.”
With three accommodation options, the property also offers a healthy and established rental income, and comes fully furnished with its own website.
The story of K’gari, and later its smaller companion cottages Kyeema and Mia Mia, began in 1989 when Simon Dibbs and the late Hans Pomeranz, partners in one of Sydney’s leading film editing studios, decided on a whim to buy a large plot of land above Orchid Beach, where they had been enjoying beachcombing and fishing holidays for several years.
They started planning a fairly basic shelter that would still surpass the “dongas” they were used to at the rundown (and falling down, literally) Orchid Beach Resort, but neither had any idea of the problems they would encounter building any kind of house 70 kilometres of sand away from civilisation.
The “resort” had been built in the mid-1960s for an Irish peer and WW2 airman named Sir Reginald Barnwell, the founder of Polynesian Airlines, among other adventurous enterprises. Ignoring advice, he built far too close to the sand cliff, and over the years, as occasional visitors to Orchid Beach, we watched the beer garden, the pool and other vital parts topple down to the beach below, none of which bothered Sir Reg, who had sold up in 1973.
When Hans and Simon were ready to build in 1991, there were a few fishing shacks popping up on freehold land around the resort but Orchid was still far from being a village. There were no local tradesmen and everything and everyone had to be brought in, most materials by 6WD trucks. Although the build was modest by Sydney standards, hidden extras, like $10,000 for transport of materials and another $10K to build a wooden-slatted driveway up the steep block, began to add up.
There being no concrete mixer on the island, the mixing had to be done by hand. And then there was the labour!
Finding a builder prepared to spend three months with a small crew in a remote environment with no power or running water proved difficult, but every cloud has a silver lining, and in this case it was the early ‘90s downturn in the Australian film industry.
Granted, it didn’t help the editing studio business, but it did deliver an unemployed crew of film set builders. Although they were accustomed to working in two dimensions, the crew had a reputation as “wild boys who can build anything anywhere”. They lived up to that, completing K’gari, with the difficulties of category one cyclone compliance, including anchoring the house on three-metre concrete piers, in just 14 weeks.
Having recently moved to Noosa, we took advantage of the proximity to the island and spent time camping out during the build with the Dibbs family, friends from Sydney’s northern beaches. I remember being handed the toolbox on arrival and maybe oiling a bit of timber, but I think my main contribution was to put the odd fish on the dinner table, in those days on K’gari not a difficult chore. And we watched K’gari grow amid the trees.
In 1993 we made the K’gari shack a major feature of the debut issue of Casa, our Noosa-based homes and gardens magazine. Perhaps as a quid pro quo, Simon allowed me to use the retreat to try to beat a book deadline. I remember it as the most productive writing week of my life – fishing for my tucker at dawn and dusk, writing all day, a couple of beers in the locals’ bar at the fading resort, then home for a fish feed and a final session at the keyboard. I often wonder how much creativity has been sponsored over the years by this serene place.
In 2009 Simon added a second cottage, Kyeema, to the elegant open-plan three-bedder at the top of the property, with Mia Mia following in 2012. For these he used local builder Frank Meusburger who had become legendary since the ‘90s for his ability to solve all the problems caused by the tyranny of distance or a difficult block.
The two smaller accommodations (Kyeema is a one-bedder for a couple only), offering ocean glimpses through the trees, have created a unique hideaway compound just minutes from the beach.
Now in the 2020s it’s the tyranny of age affecting we boomers, and K’gari is on the market. If you’re interested visit domain.com.au/14-eliza-avenue-fraser-island-qld-4581-2019157625
