Bondi Apartment Hits $1.8 Million, Auction Pulled

One of the most famous homes in The Block history has been dramatically pulled from auction just hours before it was due to go under the hammer.

The Bondi Beach apartment renovated by Paul and Kylie Ingram during the inaugural 2003 season of the hit Channel Nine renovation show was withdrawn from its scheduled weekend auction - and is now being offered with a $1.8 million asking price.

The two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment at Roscoe Street, Bondi Beach had originally been listed with a $1.7 million price guide, before the sales campaign took an unexpected turn.

The top-floor apartment holds a special place in Australian television history after plumber Paul and travel representative Kylie transformed it on the very first season of The Block, then hosted by .

The pair narrowly missed out on winning the competition, finishing runners-up when their apartment sold for $747,000 at auction in 2003.

Their renovation earned them a $152,000 profit above the reserve price of $595,000, although they were edged out by eventual winners Adam Thorn and Fiona Mills, whose downstairs apartment sold for $751,000 - just $4,000 more.

At the time, the winning couple also pocketed the show's $100,000 first prize.

The apartment was later sold in 2009 for $765,150, before its current owner purchased it for $1.415 million in 2019.

Now back on the market, the property comes with concept plans to convert the roof space into a third bedroom, potentially adding even more value to the sought-after beachside home.

Despite being more than two decades old, the renovation still retains much of the charm that made it a standout during the groundbreaking reality series.

The apartment features open-plan living, a modern entertainer's kitchen, a sunroom and a north-facing aspect, offering buyers a rare chance to own a piece of Australian television history.

The

According to long-standing industry lore, media mogul Kerry Packer was initially sceptical about the format, reportedly remarking that he didn't expect viewers to 'watch paint dry.'

Instead, the series became one of Australia's biggest television success stories and launched a franchise that continues to dominate ratings more than two decades later.