One of Perth’s best kept secrets, a breathtaking 143ha private retreat nestled in the Perth Hills comprising of lakes, beaches, a cabin, waterfalls, sculptures and jetties is set for auction this month.
Dubbed Le Lake Retreat, 2346 Toodyay Road, Gidgegannup was the brainchild of the late Perth-based shopping centre magnate Michael Coleman, who spent almost two decades bringing his vision of creating a tranquil secluded sanctuary to life.
Featuring 10ha of lakes, Le Lake Retreat also includes 12 gazebos, and an array of artworks sourced from the United Kingdom.
The breathtaking estate was created by a team of horticulturists, drawing inspiration from the 15th century gardens of the French Renaissance, and Rothschild Gardens at Lake Como.
The property last sold in 2019 for $7.7 million, to a Vietnamese family and it was opened to paying visitors to enjoy.
“In my 20 year real estate career, it is probably the most unique property I've ever inspected,” Effective Property Solutions managing director Erwin Edlinger said
“It’s still in good condition, so all the landscaping is still being maintained daily, and then there's obviously lakes, there's ponds, there's elevated views from parts of the site over the Hills.
“It's all gated, so it's sort of very safe and secure.”
EPS head of property investments Ollie Salimi said with three kilometres of walkways winding through the property tucked quietly away in natural bushland in the hills, it was perfect for bushwalking, kayaking, photo shoots, weddings and other functions.
“Le Lake Retreat is a magical botanical paradise offering a level of peace and tranquillity that’s incredibly rare to find in a secluded valley just 40 minutes from the Perth CBD,” he said.
Its stunning gardens are comprised of about 150,000 individual plants of about 350 species, half of which are native, and the other half exotic, and there is also 27 species of native orchids.
More than 108 bird species, 11 frog species and five fish species all call Le Lake Retreat home.
The property also offers scope to create a commercial venture of an international standard, as the local council had previously adopted a structure plan for a proposed development of 147 lakeside chalets, a lakeside lodge, restaurant and convention centre.
Mr Salimi said the possibilities for Le Lake Retreat’s future were endless, and included scope for an extraordinary resort-style hotel, wellness or eco-retreat, event or function venue on the site to build it into a buzzing tourism destination.
“Of course, this one-of-a-kind property may also be snapped up by someone seeking to return it to its original purpose as a lake-filled, secluded haven for private family use,” he said.
Mr Edlinger said there has been strong buyer interest from wealthy locals, many who have expressed interest to buy Le Lake Retreat to live in.
“And then others have got plans to sort of turn into more of a short stay accommodation set up,” he said.
“There has been (eastern state buyer interest) but it’s just the locals who know it so well, and obviously have a strong appreciation for it so I would say 70% to 80 % of enquires have been high-net-worth locals.”
Nine large development lots with urban/rural zoning are also being sold, with a combined site area of more than 175ha.
Le Lake Retreat is set to go under the hammer on site on Friday, March 21.
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