Latest news with #Doonan
News.com.au
19-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Architect's bold ‘villain's lair' wins Australian Home of the Year
A bold black Sunshine Coast estate has been awarded one of the nation's top building honours, just weeks before it goes under the hammer. Blackwood at Doonan is the work of Sarah Waller, a local talent who stands out as both builder and architect in the male-dominated construction industry. Her latest statement home in the Noosa Hinterland, dubbed the 'villain's lair', embodies her daring approach – like a superhero drawn to the dark side, she overcomes challenges to create spaces that defy convention. The estate at 134 Valley Drive was crowned Australian Home of the Year at the 2025 HIA-CSR Australian Housing Awards. Marketed by Queensland Sotheby's International Realty Noosa Heads agents, Paul Arthur and Richard Bowen, it goes to auction on May 31. The pavilion-style property was the realisation of Ms Waller's dream of a 'glass house' on a lush 7,635 sqm parcel she and partner Paul Blatchford acquired in 2021. Completed two years later, its dramatic façade of off-form concrete and black timber cladding contrasts with a monochromatic interior palette. High-end finishes include Italian oak and terrazzo stone, while extensive glazing frames 180-degree views of the Noosa Valley Country Club. 'I wanted the architecture to be really bold and very striking – the villain's lair was what we called it because it was all very stealth-like with its sharp points and corners,' she said. 'I didn't want it to be feminine at all – that is my personal style. Black isn't for everyone, and when I am designing for a client I can do light and bright, but when you have all that landscape around you the boldness of the black works really well because it has the space to breathe.' Blackwood marked a next-level personal project for the couple, who in 2021 collected $4.3m for their last award-winning home, 'The Doonan Glasshouse', located nearby. 'I wanted to push myself and take on even more of a challenge with this house, which is bigger,' Ms Waller said. 'We built just after Covid and there were storms for months on end which set us back a week every time it rained. 'Of course, it's always challenging when you are the architect, the builder and the client because if anything goes wrong, it's your fault. 'This home is our dream, but now it's on the market and we're going to do another one – I tell my husband it's like having a baby, you forget about the labour and you just remember all the best bits.' The UK-trained architect moved to Australia nearly 20 years ago, originally inspired by her builder father to enter the construction industry. HIA judges praised Blackwood's 'meticulous craftsmanship' blending 'bold architectural design and functional living'. 'Set across subtle cascading levels on a sprawling acreage, it effortlessly blurs the line between inside and out, enhancing both privacy and connection to the landscape.' Designed for multi-generational living, the property includes a fully self-contained studio and multiple alfresco zones anchored by a 21m pool, sunken firepit lounge, and outdoor kitchen. 'Every element has been thoughtfully considered, resulting in a home that is both luxurious and liveable – providing an elegant retreat that remains private from the street but open and inviting from within,' judges noted. Agent Mr Arthur described Blackwood as 'the ultimate resort-style paradise'. Features include five ensuited bedrooms over the single-level main house and studio, along with a five-car garage and large shed.
BBC News
30-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Antrim and Fermanagh promoted to Division Three
Antrim and Fermanagh secured promotion and spots in the Ladies Football League Division Four Final after victories in high-scoring contests on Sunday. The Saffrons earned a 5-8 to 3-10 win over last year's All-Ireland Intermediate champions Leitrim at Kingscourt with Fermanagh beating Sligo 5-12 to 3-13 at Tarmonbarry in county goals from Omolara Danhunsi, Anna Mulholland and skipper Bronagh Devlin helped the Saffrons lead Leitrim 3-6 to 2-5 at Jones fired in Antrim's fourth major in the second half with Devlin completing a 2-3 haul as she fired in the Saffrons' closing goal three minutes from were determined to achieve promotion after losing in the Division Four semi-finals last season and Eimear Smyth's 1-8 and Joanne Doonan's 2-1 helped them battle past hit the opening three points but Doonan's opening goal in the 11th minute was soon followed by Smyth finding the net which helped the Erne women into a five-point Yeats County were back in front after Ciara Walsh and Cara King netted but their lead didn't last long as Doonan's second goal and a Cliodhna Martin strike left Fermanagh 4-4 to 2-6 up at the put further daylight between the teams after the resumption with a run of 1-3 which included their fifth goal from Sinead the impressive Smyth continued to tag on points, Fermanagh were never really under threat in the closing quarter despite Carol Coleman's late Sligo goal and they can now look forward to the Division Four Final on 13 Division Two, Donegal were beaten 1-8 to 0-8 by Cork, who will face Galway in the decider, with the Rebels and Tribeswomen having secured promotion to Division One. Cavan will meet Wexford in the Division Three Final safe in the knowledge that promotion has been Breffni defeated Limerick 0-10 to 0-9 on Sunday in what was a dead rubber with both promotion and their final spot already National Ladies Football League resultsDivision OneDublin 2-12 Kerry 2-10Kildare 4-10 Tyrone 2-8Meath 2-12 Armagh 4-5Waterford 2-13 Mayo 1-6Division TwoCork 1-8 Donegal 0-8Galway 4-22 Clare 0-5Westmeath 2-11 Monaghan 0-13Tipperary 1-12 Roscommon 0-10Division ThreeLouth 7-12 Offaly 1-8Cavan 0-10 Limerick 0-9Down v Carlow - Down walkoverWexford 3-9 Laois 0-10Division Four semi-finalsFermanagh 5-12 Sligo 3-13Antrim 5-08 Leitrim 3-10
Yahoo
26-01-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Increase in IMSA Popularity with OEMs Creates Space Problem for Series
Any new future entries—Genesis from the Hyundai family and/or Ford, maybe—would mean current entries would not make the cut. More OEMs is a good thing, unless maybe you're a gentleman racer hoping to bring your GTD team to the Rolex or an OEM that wants to bring another car or two to the party. While any additions to the GTP class would be welcome, such additions could cause for some tough decisions or call for a cap on the size of the GTP class. Another year, another full field of 61 cars at the Rolex 24 at Daytona for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Great show. Great racing. Even after 24 hours, the Rolex once again left race fans wanting more. And therein lies a bit of a quandary. There's no room for more. IMSA President John Doonan said this weekend at Daytona International Speedway that 89 cars applied for entry into this year's race. Plus, there's a buzz that Genesis could be bringing a GTP GMR-001 LMDh prototype to the GTP field as soon as 2027. Ford is another manufacturer believed to be weighing a possible GTP program. Any new future entries—Genesis from the Hyundai family and/or Ford, maybe—would mean a few current entries would not make the cut. More OEMs is a good thing, unless maybe you're a gentleman racer hoping to bring your GTD team to the Rolex or an OEM that wants to bring another car or two to the party. Full-season entries get first priority for those 61 spots at Daytona. This year's field included 236 drivers and 18 manufacturers. Doonan had to say, 'Sorry, no room at the grid' to 28 entries that wanted to play in the Rolex 24 sandbox at Daytona Beach this week. That total number of cars on property doesn't include the other series in action at Daytona on race week. Interest, to be sure, is out there—even well beyond what's on the ground here. 'First and foremost, we've tried to take a very methodical approach to introducing the regulations and to introducing new manufacturers to competition,' said Doonan, who has been at the helm of IMSA since October of 2019. 'We're super sensitive to the ebbs and flows of the auto industry. We've tried to keep the regulations and the platforms stable. That's No. 1. Clearly, there's BoP (Balance of Performance) discussions, and we tried to integrate things like torque sensors and common hybrid in LMDh and things like that, to provide stability for the automakers to enter, to announce they're coming first, to prepare, then to enter, and know they have a long runway. 'Last year, we announced an extension of the regulations, which provides stability to those who have already invested and already here. Now you're seeing it with a brand like Genesis wanting to come, they know they have an extended runway.' While any additions to the GTP class would be welcome, such additions could result in some tough decisions or even call for a cap on the size of the GTP class. This year, 12 cars competed in that class. 'It's very possible,' Doonan said when asked about a possible limit to the number of GTP entries the series can handle. 'Sixty-one cars here is absolutely maxed out. Fortunately, the prototype categories don't pit at the same time as the GTs. We've got to be very sensitive to capacity. The rest of the season is at capacity for the WeatherTech Championship or above. We have a reserve list for events like the Sahlen 6 Hours at the Glen and for Motul Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway. 'After we get through this event and throughout the season, we'll sit down as a team and talk about what that looks like because you do have to plan probably three years ahead to see what it looks like. Obviously, we're thrilled that the garage area is so full—I think there's 280 transporters are in there, but you start running out of space and we've got to be sensitive to that.' Doonan and his team also need to be sensitive to the grassroots history of the event and the vision that IMSA founders John and Peggy Bishop had when they set the groundwork for the series more than five decades ago. "When Bill France and the Bishops established this, they had this vision that people could come racing at maybe whatever level they were able to, or their resources or their passions and their dreams held," Doonan said. "We want to live within our means and also make sure we're putting on a good show and not devaluing the experience for the garage area, or on track. Sixty-one cars around here are a lot, and it creates some credible action with the prototypes and the GT cars interacting. "But we got to be sensible and make sure we're not stepping out of our space."
