logo
Secret island with its own castle hits market

Secret island with its own castle hits market

News.com.au06-07-2025
A secret Scottish island and castle has hit the market for the first time in 80 years.
Spanning across 1,110 acres, the island has been in the hands of the same family for the last eight decades, The Sun reports.
Shuna Island, which has eight residential properties on it, as well as the castle, is on the market for just £5.5 million ($A11.5 million) - similar in price of a standard Sydney mansion.
It is located just off the coast from Appin, Argyll and Bute and features a working farm and a holiday home business.
Shuna Castle, which was built in the early 20th century is in ruins, but offers panoramic views of the stunning Scottish coast.
According to estate agents Sotheby's International Realty and Knight Frank there is potential to renovate the castle, subject to planning rules.
The estate agents described the island as a 'truly rare offering, rich in heritage, natural wonder and possibility'.
It added that the island is 'teeming with wildlife, from red and fallow deer to eagles and porpoises'.
Livestock farming is also supported on the island, with island traditions including country sports and deer stalking.
Plus, the island is eco-friendly, thanks to the renewable energy system that powers it, including photovoltaic panels, wind turbines, battery storage and back-up generators.
It even has its own helipad, plus a private pier and slipways for boats.
Helicopter flights connect the island to Glasgow airport, which is just 55 miles away and it is also easy to reach the island by boat.
'Whether as a regenerative tourism venture or a family estate, this extraordinary Hebridean island offers an exceptional life lived off the beaten path', the estate agents said.
The Gully family have owned the island since 1945, with Jim Gully stating that growing up next to white sandy beaches gave him an 'idyllic' childhood.
The current managers of the island have decided to move into another role, which has promoted the Gully family to sell up.
In total, the eight properties on the island house 52 people, making the island suitable for multi-generational living, or a hospitality business.
Viewings for the property will begin this week.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Mt Waverley Secondary College zone unit sells for $753k
Mt Waverley Secondary College zone unit sells for $753k

News.com.au

time22 minutes ago

  • News.com.au

Mt Waverley Secondary College zone unit sells for $753k

A Vietnamese family has ended a nine-month house hunt with a $753,000 auction win for a renovated home in one of Melbourne's most fiercely contested school zones. The buyers, whose daughter already attends Mt Waverley Primary, had missed out at several auctions before securing the two-bedroom unit at 4/2 Clive St in the coveted Mt Waverley Secondary College catchment. The father, a lecturer in Vietnam, had been flying in for inspections, determined to keep the family within the prized zone. RELATED: 'Traps': Vic homes you shouldn't buy Shock list of Melb's most sold suburbs Affairs, lies and leaks: Block chaos exposed Ray White Mt Waverley's Jacob Biviano said renovated units were a scarcity in the suburb and this one's quality and location made it hotly contested. 'They'd been looking for nine months, missed out several times, and this time they weren't leaving without it,' Mr Biviano said. 'Being in that school zone was non-negotiable, and renovated units like this just don't come up very often here.' The home is tucked at the rear of the block and had been comprehensively updated by its former owner, who lived in it for several years before renting it out. Polished floorboards flow through open-plan living and dining, the kitchen features stone benches and premium appliances, and a cafe servery window opens onto a north-facing deck and synthetic-turf courtyard. Two robed bedrooms, a modern laundry/bathroom, separate toilet, reverse-cycle heating and cooling, evaporative cooling and a carport round out the low-maintenance package. More than 55 groups inspected the home during the campaign, with three bidders — including a local investor and a buyer from Camberwell — vying for it at auction. The family prevailed just above the $700,000-$750,000 price guide. Mr Biviano said the home's location had all of the right ingredients for buyers. 'You can walk to Mount Waverley and Jordanville train stations, Hamilton Place shops are just around the corner, and you're in one of Melbourne's most sought-after school zones,' he said. 'The past fortnight has been noticeably busier, buyers know spring will bring more stock and more competition, so they're acting now to get ahead of that,' he said. The Ray White Mount Waverley agent said he believes Mount Waverley is poised for another growth surge, with the Suburban Rail Loop on the horizon and Monash and Deakin universities close by. 'Thirty years ago my father was selling here when it was still mostly market gardens,' Mr Biviano said. 'Now it's a premium market in its own right, quieter than Glen Waverley but with exceptional schools. 'I think the capital growth here will rival and could potentially exceed Glen Waverley in the years ahead.'

Billionaire Mark Zuckerberg slowly buys entire housing estate
Billionaire Mark Zuckerberg slowly buys entire housing estate

News.com.au

time43 minutes ago

  • News.com.au

Billionaire Mark Zuckerberg slowly buys entire housing estate

For years, Palo Alto's Crescent Park was a postcard of California suburban bliss — leafy streets, neighbourly block parties and children coasting on bikes. Now, residents say their once-idyllic enclave has been transformed into a real-life game of Monopoly, with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg buying up the board. Since arriving in 2011, the billionaire and his wife, Priscilla Chan, have amassed at least 11 properties along Edgewood Drive and Hamilton Ave, spending more than USD $110 million (AUD $168m). Five homes were folded into an expansive private compound for the couple and their three daughters, outfitted with guesthouses, lush gardens, a pickleball court and a pool with a hydrofloor cover, according to the New York Post. Nearby structures serve as an entertainment hub, staging area for outdoor events, and — controversially — a private school for 14 children, an unpermitted use under city code. In the middle of the compound stands a 7-foot silver statue of Chan, commissioned by Zuckerberg, while beneath it lies 7,000 square feet of underground space that permits describe as basements — but neighbours call bunkers or 'a billionaire's bat cave.' The eight years of ongoing construction have clogged streets with heavy equipment, blocked driveways, and, residents say, knocked mirrors off parked cars, according to the Times. Surveillance is another sore point. Neighbours report cameras trained toward their yards and security guards stationed in vehicles, filming visitors and questioning pedestrians on public sidewalks. 'No neighbourhood wants to be occupied,' Michael Kieschnick, whose Hamilton Ave home is bordered on three sides by Zuckerberg's holdings, told the Times. 'But that's exactly what they've done. They've occupied our neighbourhood.' City records show 56 permits approved for Zuckerberg-owned properties since his move-in. Critics accuse officials of bending to the tech titan. In one instance, police created a tow-away zone for several hours so the family could host a barbecue. Frustrations date to 2016, when Zuckerberg sought to demolish four adjacent homes and replace them with smaller houses and large basements. The Architectural Review Board rejected the proposal, but construction proceeded piecemeal, avoiding another public hearing. Former board member Peter Baltay recalled visiting the site during the review process: 'I said 'I'm standing on the sidewalk looking at this project for review.' He said, 'Well, we'd appreciate it if you could move on.' I was pretty shocked by that.' MORE: 'Greedy' Katy Perry slammed for 'unforgivable' act Greer Stone, a Palo Alto City Council member, said the billionaire has 'been finding loopholes around our local laws and zoning ordinances,' adding, 'We should never be a gated, gilded city on a hill where people don't know their neighbours.' The Zuckerbergs' spokesman, Aaron McLear, told The Post in a statement that the couple has 'taken a number of steps above and beyond any local requirements to avoid disruption in the neighbourhood.' He cited credible security threats as the reason for the protective measures and denied that cameras target neighbours. 'Mark, Priscilla and their children have made Palo Alto their home for more than a decade,' he said. 'They value being members of the community.' Not all interactions are frosty. Security guards now use quiet electric cars, and while Zuckerberg skips the annual block party, last year he sent over an ice cream cart. Before big events, staff have delivered goodwill gifts ranging from sparkling wine and chocolates to Krispy Kreme doughnuts and noise-cancelling headphones. Still, for residents like Kieschnick, the sense of community has been hard to salvage. 'Billionaires everywhere are used to just making their own rules — Zuckerberg and Chan are not unique, except that they're our neighbours,' he said. 'But it's a mystery why the city has been so feckless.'

Geelong city milk bar conversion like living ‘in a five-star hotel'
Geelong city milk bar conversion like living ‘in a five-star hotel'

News.com.au

time3 hours ago

  • News.com.au

Geelong city milk bar conversion like living ‘in a five-star hotel'

Bags of mixed lollies are a distant memory at a former Geelong milk bar that's emerged from an award-winning conversion as a luxury inner city home. Developer Bill Votsaris oversaw the transformation of the prominent heritage building at the corner of Malop and Swanston streets after saving it from years of neglect. He's now seeking a buyer for one of two premium townhouses within the landmark 1852 bluestone building. Jellis Craig Geelong listing agent Marcus Falconer said the $1.8m property set the benchmark for luxury living in Geelong's city centre. A private rooftop terrace with an indoor bar and servery is the crowning glory of the surprising two-bedroom residence. 'There are not too many people that would invest the money in saving that kind of history,' Mr Falconer said. 'It's SJB Architects, which are renowned as being one of Victoria's premier architectural firms, so the attention to detail and the quality of the fixtures and fittings is of a standard that is probably unparalleled in the Geelong market. 'This is the kind of home for a professional that wants to feel like they are in a five-star hotel.' The building, which was most recently home to Fan's Milk Bar, was described as being in 'very dire' condition when Mr Votsaris bought the property. His efforts to restore its original Victorian-era facade as part the conversion earned the project a 2024 Geelong Heritage Award. Thoughtfully retained original bluestone and red brick details are also incorporated into the interior design. A high-end kitchen featuring an integrated Liebherr fridge/freezer and Gaggenau induction cooktop, ovens and a coffee machine, is the centrepiece of the ground floor open-plan living zone. A private north-facing courtyard offers an alternative outdoor entertainment area, while a wide tandem garage accommodates two cars. Mr Falconer said the townhouse provided an attractive alternative for premium apartment buyers seeking easy access to the waterfront, Eastern Gardens and the CBD. 'This is one for people that perhaps don't want to be part of a body corporate and run the risk of big fees,' he said. 'It's one where everything has been done.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store