‘You’re old’: 1980s party pad sparks retro divide

One of the original bathrooms Between its rad green stone bathrooms and a totally tubular outdoor set-up complete with a tiki bar, this 1980s gem is enough to make a property lover scream, ‘Cowabunga!’ The Gold Coast property has hit the market for the first time in 43 years, igniting a fiery debate among vintage real estate diehards: exactly when did the decade of excess become “retro”? The time-capsule home quickly landed on the radar of popular Facebook group Retro House for Sale (and renovation) Australia, where it divided the community of mid-century purists. “90s isn’t retro, 80s is marginal,” one group member said. “Some houses might have an early 80s original bathroom but that’s the only feature of the entire house that could be called retro.” An aerial view of the Gold Coast acreage property MORE NEWS Rachel Finch sells Gold Coast site with approved plans Toy titan’s $14.5m beachfront play ‘No escape’: Inside new Big Brother house But a new wave of fans has embraced the bold, brick-heavy style of the era. “News flash 80s is the new 70s,” another member fired back. “There’s plenty of thoughtful 80s architecture that is worthy of showcasing. It just might not be to your tast...