For Caffrey, the coastal home has proved the ultimate base for her and Blair to raise their three children – aged 18, 16 and 13.
“Backing on to Gordons Bay there’s the snorkelling trail, the kids love to stand-up paddleboard and surf off the [local surf break] Bommie,” Caffrey said. Her husband, who grew up in Armidale, northern NSW – values the freedom of living so close to nature.
“Craig will hydrofoil out in the bay, and take the kids for a fishing trip in the tinnie, or out to Wedding Cake Island,” Caffrey said.
The property overlooks Gordons Bay between Clovelly and Coogee in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.
“I think Gordons Bay is a little hidden gem, you can only access it by foot. We’re one of a handful of properties that back onto the reserve and at night you can’t hear any cars, just birds, crickets and bats.”
Architect Celia Carroll worked alongside Caffrey to transform and upgrade the property with a new kitchen and revamped bathrooms. The three-level, lift-connected home features six bathrooms, separate guest accommodation, internal atrium courtyard with 12-metre mosaic tiled pool, heated floors and chef’s kitchen opening to an ocean-view terrace.
The 740-square-metre landholding comes with garden design by Will Dangar and 360 Degrees’ Daniel Baffsky.
Craig Blair and Melanie Caffrey’s son Jude paddleboarding across Gordons Bay.
Listing agent Sotheby’s James Ball (of recently merged Ballard Property) said Gordons Bay is regarded up there with Tamarama and Bronte as one of the best locales in the eastern beaches.
“It’s such a tightly held enclave, it’s very difficult to buy into – particularly anything that fronts the ocean,” Ball said. “There are houses on the water side of Gordons Bay that would be between $30 million and $40 million – but they’re unlikely to trade because you can’t repeat what they’ve got.”