Skaters’ skyhome sells for cool $1.15m
THE planned sale of a Surfers Paradise apartment that was home to two former skating icons was almost put on ice after it failed to sell at auction.
But two days later a local couple glided in, snapping up the dazzling skyhome in a $1.15 million deal.
Donald McKnight and Colin Jackson, who both played pivotal roles in iceskating across Queensland, owned the three-bedroom apartment on the Mantra Circle on Cavill’s 45th floor.
The pair share a long list of achievements on the ice, including a national championship, Olympic judging, coaching and the formation of Queensland’s two Iceworld Olympic Ice Rinks.
McKnight, who died last year, was the president of Ice Skating Australia for more than two decades and a figure skating judge at the 1994 Winter Olympics.
His partner of 53 years, Jackson, died in 2017. He was also a skater and coached two-time Olympian Anthony Liu.
NGU Real Estate agent Edward Smyth, who marketed the apartment with Karen Stewart, said they undertook an extensive campaign that extended overseas to find the right buyer.
“We secured a buyer from 6km away,” he said.
“You just never know where the buyer is going to come from.
“We only had eight groups through the apartment – everyone was online.”
The buyers made an offer on the apartment before it went under the hammer but it was knocked back.
They made another offer after it passed in at $950,000 at auction, and it went under contract in the nick of time.
“I actually secured the contract two hours before they went to Europe for six looking at it weeks,” Mr Smyth said. “Now that we’re unconditional, I’m getting the apartment repainted and recarpeted for them.”
The property’s outlook of 270-degree views capturing the ocean, skyline and Hinterland was its standout feature.
“The people that bought it, they didn’t intend to move, they only renovated their home last year,” he said. “They just fell in love with the apartment. What got them was the views.”
A close friend and one of the executers of the ice-skating couple’s estate, Gillian Levett, said they lived and breathed ice-skating.
“They dedicated their whole lives to it,” Ms Levett said when it hit the market.
“They ran a small ice rink WITH JESSICA BROWN & MIKAELA DAY in the ’70s and their dream was to develop a full-size rink for Queensland.
“Over the years they did that twice for the (Ice Skating Queensland) association – they could have done it privately but they chose to do it for the association so ice-skating was ensured of its future.”
She said their time was split between living in Brisbane and the Gold Coast.