Tide still receding at Wategos Beach, Byron Bay

Tide still receding at Wategos Beach, Byron Bay
Jonathan ChancellorJuly 13, 2014

The Wategos Beach beachfront house of the late Sir Leslie Froggatt and Lady Elizabeth Froggatt has finally been sold.

The British-born Froggatt bought the dress circle property (centre above) on the fringe of Byron Bay for $66,500 back in 1970, the year after he became chief executive of Shell Australia.

The 720 square Marine Parade property sold recently for $3,735,000 through Ed Silk at Ed Silk Byron Bay, inconjuction with Martin Schiller, of Savills to the Melbourne lawyer Scott Stewart, a partner at Moray and Agnew.

It was initially listed in late 2007 when the Melbourne-based businessman, a former chairman of Ashton Mining, Pacific Dunlop and the Shell Company of Australia, had $8 million expectations. After his 2010 death, it was relisted last year with $4.5 million hopes.

The house was renovated with a dated Christine Vadez design almost three decades ago.

The sale reflected $5,180 per square metre land value, with minor access issues. 

Properties on either side have sold over the past five years at $12,600 and $13,700 a square metre.

The strip's record $15.68 million sale in 2006 was at $11,000 a square metre.

Jonathan Chancellor

Jonathan Chancellor is one of Australia's most respected property journalists, having been at the top of the game since the early 1980s. Jonathan co-founded the property industry website Property Observer and has written for national and international publications.

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