Bikini goddess' ‘missing sister' for sale in $15m mystery twist

News.com.au

23-04-2025

A bikini-clad bronze statue bearing a striking resemblance to one snatched from a Gold Coast beach has been put up for sale for $15m – with the buyer receiving a 'free' luxury house as part of the deal.
The tongue-in-cheek offer came from Sydney real estate agent Lisa Novak, after Gold Coast realtor Renee Pannekoek spotted the statue poolside in a listing for a stunning home in Curl Curl.
Ms Pannekoek's eagle-eyed discovery added a new twist to the mystery surrounding the Sun Spirit statue, which was feared stolen after disappearing from its beachside bench at Currumbin, where it had been for nearly 20 years.
Locals quickly weighted in after Ms Pannekoek shared her find online, speculating whether the poolside beauty could be the beloved public artwork by sculptor Frank Miles.
But photos from a previous 2023 listing of the Curl Curl property also showing the statue dashed hopes it was the missing Sun Spirit.
Ms Novak said the Curl Curl statue was not the Gold Coast's but rather 'Sheila' – one of just three produced from the Sun Spirit mould.
'You can only imagine the surprise of my clients when they awoke to the news that maybe the missing Sun Spirit statue was found at their beautiful luxury property in Curl Curl,' Ms Novak said.
'That is certainly not the case. This is her sister Sheila, which they have owned since 2008.'
She joked: 'You might be interested to know, however, that the statue is for sale for $15m, and with that you get a free house.'
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Property owners Annette and Brett Straatemeir said it was 'love at first sight' when they first saw Miles' original Sun Spirit.
'The sculptor only produced three of these iconic works before the mould broke, making Sheila an incredibly rare treasure,' the Straatemeirs said.
'Sheila now faces the ocean and morning sunrises, encapsulating the beauty and serenity that surrounds the property.'
The owners said they had been inundated by interest in the origins of their prized bronze lady.
'The messages illustrated the humour of being Australian, demanding immediate deportation to El Salvador's new mega prison and Gold Coast surfers organising a road trip to Curl Curl to bring Currumbin's Sun Spirit back to her home,' they said.
Ms Pannekoek shared side-by-side pictures of the original Sun Spirit and her lookalike and said the community had been 'saddened by the loss' of the bronze goddess from Currumbin.
'The Sun Spirit is an iconic and one-of-a-kind piece that disappeared,' she said.
'The statue in the video has striking similarities and I wonder if it could be the same one.'
Artist Frank Miles told ABC Coast FM he did not believe the Sydney statue was the original Sun Spirit.
Mr Miles said he was 'absolutely devastated' by last month's suspected theft of the statue, which was a rendition of his daughter, Bronwyn.
He ruled out creating another copy, confirming the mould used to create the beloved artwork had broken.