The billionaire Chemist Warehouse scion Damien Gance and his wife Sasha Robertson have expanded their Bryon Bay beachfront.
They’ve paid $20m to buy nextdoor to their record setting $33.5m luxury home acquisition on the Belongil Beach peninsula, just north of the town last year.
Robertson and Gance, who is the son of Chemist Warehouse co-founder Sam Gance, bought the 1083sq m building block from Rob and Andrew Gray, the co-founders of Brisbane-based developer Graya, who will build on the remainder of the cleared site.
It offers 20m of beach frontage, with a view of the Cape Byron Lighthouse over at Wategos Beach.
MORE: Jackie O’s cunning $30m exit plan amid Kyle payout
Damien Gance and Sasha Robertson expanded their Bryon Bay beachfront.
It was late 2024 when the Gray brothers bought the 2022sq m block for $20.65m from developer Adam Garrisson, who resided in a one-bedroom pod-style home on the sparsely occupied site.
Garrison had paid $2.25m in 2013 when it was bought from the late entertainment industry entrepreneur John Cornell and his wife Delvene Delaney. The Cornells had initially bought a 26-lot, one hectare holding in 1987 for $375,000 from the developer Peter Kurts.
Their compound was secured after the exodus of management from the meatworks, the tourism town’s previous main industry.
MORE: How David Jones signed its own death warrant
Damian Gance and Sasha Robertson.
Merivale’s Justin Hemmes leads the property acquisitions at Belongil, having spent $63m across five purchases. The hospitality tycoon kicked in 2023 with a $16m beachfront.
The who’s who of locals include former Swisse Vitamins chief executive Radek Sali and his wife Helen, celebrity chef Shannon Bennett, activewear queen Lorna Jane Clarkson, Seek’s Bob Watson and Harvey Norman retail heir Glen Norman.
MORE: Bombshell immigration finding exposed
Justin Hemmes loves Byron Bay too. Picture: Jonathan Ng
The initial Gance purchase in early 2025 was Malia, the luxury five-bedroom, six-bathroom home on 2097sq m sold by the Gold Coast estate agent Shane Smollen and his wife Rebecca. Designed by architect John Bornas, from Workroom Design, the luxury build took more than three years.
Its main living room has 4.5m Blackbutt ceilings with Vitrosca sliding glass doors, fully stackable, with a concealment space along with retractable flyscreens.
It reportedly sold at below replacement cost, having first hit the market with a $40m guide in 2023.
Justin Hemmes’s Belongil Beach offering
An aerial view of Belongil.
Damien Gance was the pharmacy chain’s initial franchisee in 2000, and the group’s chief commercial officer before its merger with Sigma Healthcare. Now a Sigma director, Gance has sold $800m worth of stock in the pharmacy giant since its 2025 stockmarket debut.
MORE: Australia’s $85bn savings crisis exposed
Broke 39yo truckie paid off home in 10 years
‘$90 Bunnings gadget saved me from a $3m mistake’
Help us improve your reading experience
Got a minute? Your feedback will help us build a better experience for you.
Help us improve this page
English (US) · 