Latest news with #SunSpirit
News.com.au
23-04-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Bikini goddess' ‘missing sister' for sale in $15m mystery twist
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.' Why Qld's empty nesters won't budge 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.
7NEWS
23-04-2025
- 7NEWS
Incredible twist in case of missing Gold Coast bronze statue after it was ‘found' at home in Sydney
The Gold Coast's missing Sun Spirit bronze statue is still missing, following reports it was spotted at a Sydney home. The Sun Spirit is a bronze statue of a bikini-clad woman relaxing in the sun and sat atop a wooden box on Currumbin Beach, on Queensland's Gold Coast for almost two decades since being purchased in 2006. Last month, the statue was stolen from its spot and a widespread search for it was launched. Gold Coasters hopes were raised when a real estate agent spotted the statue at a Sydney home tour. On Wednesday, Gold Coast reporter Georgia Costi spoke of the possible find. 'A Gold Coast real estate agent has posted on social media that she was browsing online when she came across a listing in Sydney's Northern Beaches that appears to show a very, very, very similar-looking statue sitting around the pool,' Costi said. But hopes were quickly dashed as sculptor Frank Miles told ABC Coast FM that he made two other replicas. Miles confirmed he had kept a replica for himself and his own family. The artist also ruled out any more replicas, saying the Sun Spirit mould was accidentally broken. The statue, which was purchased for $20,000, stands 1.6m tall. It had proved popular with locals and tourists alike, with many stopping to take photos of it. Locals initially thought it was removed as a safety precaution as the region prepared for Tropical Cyclone Alfred, only for Gold Coast Council to announce it was missing and likely stolen. Previously, Costi had interviewed local man Nick Atkinson at Currumbin Beach, who offered two cartons of beer for anyone who has information leading to its return. '(It's) unreal. Everyone's devo,' Atkinson told Costi. 'It would have been a significant effort, just picking it up... even grinding it. 'Someone must have seen something. I feel like the sparks and sound, someone knows something about where this (statue) is and I'm going to find it today. 'I've got a carton of beer on offer and a sponsor has just come in and said they're going to throw in another one. 'So, there's two cartons of beer for anyone who gives me info to find this thing.'
