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“This thing is getting fair dinkum,” Scott Cam says during this episode, in which we rewatch ourselves from six months ago, one minute joking about hoarding dunny rolls, the next minute realising we may be about to face the apocalypse.

Work stops for the Scott Morrison press conference announcing limits to gatherings of more than 100 people (what luxury!). That doesn’t mean The Block has to shut down — yet — but the parents among the contestants are beginning to get edgy about what a looming shutdown could mean for getting home to their kids.

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Former contestants Mitch and Mark recap week 3 on The Block

Scott comes up with a plan to bring the contestants’ kids and their carers to Melbourne. He’s even going to set up a mini school at Block HQ so they don’t miss out on any education. It’s a nice idea, but in reality it’s not going to be much use to anyone.

Daniel and Jade’s parents are not only caring for their kids, including one with significant health issues, they’re also running the couple’s farm.

“We’re at a crucial, crucial time,” Jade says. “If we don’t get seed in the ground, that’s our livelihood.”

Contestants watch Scott Morrison’s coronavirus press conference announcing bans on mass gatherings.

At the same time they’re desperately worried about what the virus might mean for their daughter.

“It makes me wonder if I even want to be here,” Daniel says. “We have a daughter that has a lot of bigger issues than most people. I won’t stay if I get a whiff of it back home. I’ll walk home if I have to.”

Jimmy and Tam are also upset. They’re longing to see their daughter, but recognise having her travel to Melbourne from her safe spot of Noosa isn’t necessarily going to be the best choice. Ditto Luke and Jasmin and their kids in Perth.

It seems Scott’s kind gesture isn’t the solution he hopes it will be.

Meanwhile, Sarah and George have now changed their minds about travelling to Sydney for her grandmother’s funeral. They’re worried about interacting with the other vulnerable older people who will be there. Instead they decide to spend a few days away from The Block with Sarah’s family.

Who said The Block is just cheerful escapism?

It’s not all plague and death though. There’s also stress and breakdowns to enjoy.

Jimmy and Tam wrestle with the decision of whether to bring their daughter to Melbourne mid coronavirus

While Sarah and George are away their builder cracks on with their master ensuite build, until Keith discovers a monumental error. After eight hours of intricate tiling work is completed, Keith notices the plasterer hasn’t put in enough screws. The plaster would be fine if it was just being painted, but it’s not secure enough to support a heavy set of floor to ceiling tiles. The tiles have to come off, and there’s a risk that they’ve dried to the point that will rip off the waterproofing, giving the pair no chance of finishing the room.

For once Keith doesn’t sound gleeful at finding the error.

He saves that for Harry, when he and Dan noticed some major errors with the installation of a puddle flange. Nope, us either. Anyway, it’s wrong, and a bunch of sheeting has to come up for it to be fixed.

Harry’s woes aren’t over even after that though. Tash has chosen three different tiles for their master ensuite, because that worked out so well for them in their guest bathroom, but they’re all different sizes so the grout lines won’t meet up neatly.

Tash comes close to ignoring her dad’s increasingly hysterical calls, and she’s still having none of it when he tells a producer that The Block has been a “steep learning curve” for her. Given he’s not exactly a master handyman himself it’s not surprising Tash executes a perfect “excuuuuuuse me” face when she hears that patronising line.

Tash’s face when Harry says she’s had a “steep learning curve”.

But by the time Scott and Shelley arrive for their pre-judging inspection, all is well. Sarah and George’s tiler Hoppy worked 17 hours straight to redo the tiling.

“What’s the greatest word for appreciation? We are forever in debt. It touched me, man. After this show I’ve got brothers for life,” George says.

And Scott and Shelley approve of Tash’s tile choices. There may be three of them again, but this time they’re understated rather than a mish mash of patterns.

One of the only sour notes of the show (other than old mate COVID-19) is a dibber dobber incident. When Keith notes Dan’s waterproofer has used the wrong edging material and tells him to rip it up, Dan is quick to alert Keith to the fact his was not the only house the waterproofer worked on.

Keith is quickly on to Jimmy and Tam’s house to get them to rip up their edging too, and is just as quick to tell Jimmy that Dan was the one who told him about it.

“How nice. I didn’t think we were playing schoolyard dibber dobbers,” Jimmy says. “That was a dick move by Daniel.”

Daniel denies dobbing – why do contestants on this show seem to forget there’s cameras recording their every move?

But Jimmy doesn’t stay mad for long and soon the couples are consulting one another about what to do about their kids.

Daniel and Jade are definitely leaving their kids on the farm.

“If they have to self-isolate they can run for days and not be found,” Daniel says. We think that means he thinks they’re safer there.

Likewise, Jimmy and Tam know their little girl is happy and settled in Noosa, so they make the difficult decision to choose not to bring her to them.

What none of the contestants know at this point is in a few days it will all become moot.

MISSED AN EPISODE?

Episode 13 recap: ‘Blockhead’s potty antics disgust Keith’

Episode 10-11 recap: The new Block rule that could ruin the season

Episode 9 recap: Favourtism allegations hit The Block

Episode 8 recap: Judges pull no punches on grieving Daniel and Jade

Episode 6-7 recap: Sack your builder: Keith slams ‘pathetic’ work

Episode 4 recap: Luke and Jasmin’s big stuff up

Episode 3 recap: “So two years ago”. Team’s boring room slammed

Episode 2 recap: Disappointment as Block houses are handed out

Episode 1 recap: Block 2020 tears start flowing early

The post The Block 2020 episodes 14, 15 recap: Contestants in tears as COVID hits, and dobbing drama see tensions rise appeared first on realestate.com.au.

18 Martin Road, Centennial Park, has some special features.

What would you pay for a Centennial Park mansion with features such as a solar-heated plunge pool with waterfall, a Gone with the Wind-style staircase; a 20-seat dining room and a 14-car garage?

Hoteliers Sandy and Angelo Elliott’s six-bedroom, eight-bathroom home at 18 Martin Road has all of these things and it’s just been listed with LJ Hooker Double Bay’s Bill Malouf and Margaret Morosi.

There’d been lofty ambitions of breaking the $16.5m suburb record when the property was previously listed in March with another agent.

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The mansion comes with a 14-car garage.

Imagine the party you could have in the 20-seat dining room.

The Gone With the Wind staircase.

The record had been set when tech billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes sold his Lang Rd mansion, Braelin, for $16.5 million, in 2018.

But these hopes have now been revised to simply exceeding the $13m offer the Elliotts — who have purchased a $20m+ apartment at One Barangaroo — have received previously.

. Among the Martin Rd home’s many other attractions are a continual water supply thanks to a bore and of course palatial interiors.

The house is simply too big for the empty-nester couple, who say they are now “right sizing” to One Barangaroo Crown Residences, which are in James Packer’s Wilkinson Eyre-designed landmark hotel tower complete next year.

The master bedroom is palatial.

The terrace has city skyline views.

The view from the street.

Details about the apartment haven’t been provided, except it’s known it was purchased in the $20 million to $30 million range.

CoreLogic records show the Elliotts purchased the 802 sqm property across the road from Centennial Park for $950,000 — the price of some one bedroom apartments today — 32 years ago in 1988.

However, the original house was torn down 20 years ago with the current residence, built in the grand Victorian style, rising in its place.

The master suite has a sitting and living room with built-in TV and two balconies overlooking Centennial Park. The luxurious spa ensuite has gold fittings.

The post Hoteliers Sandy and Angelo Elliott’s Centennial Park mansion comes with 14-car garage appeared first on realestate.com.au.

Qantas is looking to sublease 20,000sqm of office space at its Mascot headquarters. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

Qantas is looking to sublease half of its entire Sydney headquarters as it continues to deal with the fallout from COVID-19.

The national flag carrier who announced on Tuesday it could move its head office away from Sydney, is offering businesses the ability to lease two stand-alone buildings at 10 Bourke Rd, Mascot.

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With up to 20,000sqm of office available, prospective tenants are being lured with the promise of a “highly competitive rental rate” of around $450 per sqm.

Building C has 14,690sqm of leasable space.

Forming part of the national flag carrier’s headquarters, the buildings have recently been renovated with new open plan workstations, meeting rooms, collaboration and breakout areas.

The space on offer represents two of the four buildings which currently house Qantas staff, with the airline retaining the head lease for another 12 years. There is 14,690 sqm of office space across six levels available in one building, with the ability to lease each floor separately.

The other building has two level with 5036sqm of space for lease and is being offer in one line.

Coronavirus has seen the airline retire its last Boeing 747-400 aircraft, along with the grounding of its entire Airbus A380 fleet. Picture: Christian Gilles.

Both buildings were recently renovated.

Colliers International South Sydney director Michael Crombie, who is managing the listing with his colleague Neil Murray, said the buildings were two of the best commercial offerings in Mascot.

“We are seeing an increasing number of Sydney CBD and fringe tenants looking at South Sydney as a great alternative, we still have incredible access to rail and amenities,” he said.

“The rent will be the major selling point, especially when occupiers see the quality of this fit out.”

The decision to lease part of its national headquarters follows the airline on Tuesday confirming it had started a tender proposal with state governments about relocating its Sydney office and maintenance operations in Brisbane.

No. 10 Bourke Rd has been the headquarters of Qantas since the late 1980s.

Passenger numbers have remained low since international and many state borders closed in March.

As well as the Sydney properties, the airline is looking to also sublease 2000sqm of office space in Melbourne at 333 Collins Street.

There is also 1500sqm up for grabs at its Qantas Premium Contact Centre in Hobart, which Colliers said is an opportunity for an organisation to commence a call centre style of operation at a reduced start-up cost.

Previously Qantas has announced a number of saving measures including the grounding of its Airbus A380 fleet until 2023, as well as a number of Boeing 787-9s until at least mid-2021.

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Basketball star Andrew Bogut has hit back at claims his Beaumaris mega mansion would destroy precious coastal habitat.

The ex-NBA player used Twitter to say it was “a little concerning to be feeling like a criminal” for returning to his home city and attempting to build his dream home, after his extravagant property plans came under fire from the Beaumaris Conservationist Society.

The basketballer submitted plans to Bayside Council for a three-storey mansion that includes a swimming pool, half-sized basketball court, gym, sauna, massage room, rooftop terrace and a basement with a home cinema, cellar and car stacker that fits 16 vehicles.

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Images from the planning application for 401 Beach Road, Beaumaris.

Bogut has starred for the Boomers. Picture: Tim Carrafa

The lavish $5m build, which also has a summer house with a games room, would replace a celebrated Beaumaris garden that was designed by former owner, Joan McCrae.

Beaumaris Conservation Society member Caroline Lawton told the Herald Sun that plans at 2 Point Ave and 401 Beach Road, which Bogut owns, would involve ripping out dozens of mature trees and native vegetation.

She said the “visual bulk” of the mansion and the height of its fence was inappropriate for the area.

Artist impressions of the luxurious $5m build.

The Beaumaris block where Andrew Bogut will build his mansion.

“It doesn’t sit comfortably within its environment,” she told the Herald Sun.

“The natural feel of the area, the bird life, the wildlife, the loss of vegetation, the unmade roads and the feel of this very special part of Point Avenue, Beaumaris will be lost forever.”

Bogut responded to the community concerns via Twitter on Tuesday night, claiming the trees were “considered a fire hazard” at the time he bought the property.

Construction hasn’t begun, with plans before council.

Plans submitted to council show a half-sized basketball court on the grounds.

He said his property plans were “70 per cent open space and gardens”, with more than 5500 plants and 50 canopy trees included in the landscaping.

“We are comfortable in saying that not one other property in the area would be close to that ratio,” Bogut said.

“Our architect has designed a home that specifically responds to retaining and protecting the beautiful Moreton Bay fig trees … we have a tree which we believed is older than any person currently living and we have made sure that it will be a feature of this property.”

Bogut says 70 per cent of the property will be gardens and outdoor space.

Conservationists are unhappy with Bogut’s plans.

Bogut would not budge on plans for a large fence, retweeting a photo of people standing outside his vacant block yesterday that showed he was already receiving unwanted attention from media and local residents.

“We have two young children under four and I have made a concerted effort my whole career to give them a childhood outside of the spotlight of a professional athlete,” he said.

“I will continue to try and do this moving forward.”

Bogut, who runs a basketball academy in Carrum Downs, was most recently playing with the Sydney Kings in the NBL until he left the club mid-2020.

Reporters and local residents standing outside Bogut’s Beaumaris property on Tuesday. Picture: Twitter/@JamoMck3

Bogut quit the Sydney Kings earlier this year. Picture: Brett Costello

When contacted by the Herald Sun on Monday night, Bogut initially played down the environmental concerns raised by community members.

“I am building a refuge for cats and birds to live in,” he said.

“They will enjoy the view.”

Views from the Beach Road property are impressive.

Living the dream.

But his Twitter statement acknowledged the concerns of the Beaumaris Conservation Society and confirmed he had spoken to his direct neighbour, an arborist and liaised with Bayside Council about the development.

“It is a little concerning feeling like a criminal for returning to my home city and attempting to build a home I didn’t think would ever be possible,” Bogut said.

“I don’t want sympathy, or anything like that, I only hope this matter is treated fairly by all involved and we can move on civilly.”

A Bayside Council spokeswoman told the Herald Sun the full proposal for the development could be inspected on the council website.

It was too early to say when the application would be considered by the council, she said.

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The Mount Gambier property at 6 Mountain Court recently sold. Pic: realestate.com.au

The coronavirus pandemic is doing little to deter househunters from snapping up property in two regional South Australian locations.

Whyalla and Mount Gambier are among the country’s top 10 local government areas that have recorded the strongest price growth in the past three months (June to August), according to latest realestate.com.au data.

Whyalla came in fourth, notching 25 per cent growth to take its median house price to $174,000, while Mount Gambier came in seventh, with a 20 per cent increase to a median of $277,000.

Blights Real Estate director Gregg Utting said an increasing number of sales, particularly at a high price point, was responsible for the growth.

The Whyalla house at 12 Marevista Crescent is on the market with a $575,000 to $590,000 price guide. Pic: realestate.com.au

“There has been a good number of sales at the higher end of the market, which will skew some of the median price data,” he said.

“We’ve been in an improving market for a couple of years and a really strong market for the past four or five months.

“Listing numbers are down now, which creates more buyer demand as well.”

Mr Utting said most of the buyers were locals and they felt confident buying property now because the area hadn’t been too heavily impacted by COVID-19 like some others.

“I think there’s just a continued sense of optimism around the town,” he said.

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In the South East, Ray White Mt Gambier principal Tahlia Gabrielli said local and interstate househunters were flocking to the region, which had bumped prices up.

She said more people were moving to the area because they were able to work from home as a result of COVID-19, while others were investing in the region because they believed bricks and mortar was a safer alternative to a term deposit.

“We’re actually achieving higher prices for properties because the demand is there – we’re listing properties and having multiple offers on it in the first week,” she said.

“There’s been much more demand and there’s less stock on the market, which is pushing prices up.”

Chief economist at realestate.com.au Nerida Conisbee said the national list was “overwhelmingly” dominated by regional areas.

“The shift in interest to the regions is one of the more fascinating – and positive – trends to come out of COVID-19 – and the high level of interest in regional Australia is now flowing through to short-term pricing growth,” she said.

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