The Block 2025: First glimpse of the Daylesford site
Construction works for The Block 2025’s brand new sustainable pavilion style homes are underway in the picturesque Victorian country town of Daylesford, and local agents predict they are likely to fetch top sum come the all-important auction day.
New images of the sprawling 2400sqm Raglan Street site have given fans a sneak peek of what the 21st season of The Block has in store.
Next year, the hit renovation reality television show will see a new cast of Blockheads overhaul five homes, which will form a new neighbourhood within Hygge Property’s Middleton Field new housing estate, located at the regional town’s eastern entry point.
Belle Property Daylesford principal Will Walton – whose company sold the sprawling site for an undisclosed sum to the Nine Network – told realestate.com.au sustainable homes were a strong buyer lure in the area, and a good quality, architectural home attracted a starting price of $1.1 million.
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The Block site in Daylesford. Picture: media-mode.com
“These are going to be premium,” Mr Walton said.
“Because of new town planning regulations, most properties have to have an element of higher star ratings and that sustainability.
“So the importance of good insulation, good heating and good cooling – we have one (weather) extreme to the other here.”
The Block site in Daylesford. Picture: media-mode.com
The Middleton Field estate presented a good choice of housing options, Mr Walton said.
“It offers everything from small, accessible housing right up to these more high-end, resort style homes for retirees,” he said.
The Block host, Scott Cam. Picture: Supplied
“We have a very large retiree population here, some self-funded retirees, who have their families come and visit them regularly and stay so having that intergenerational type home is what we get a lot of enquiries for now.”
McQueen Real Estate Daylesford director Kim McQueen said modern, eco-friendly, new homes like The Block’s 2025 properties were unique to the area.
The Block site in Daylesford. Picture: media-mode.com
Ms McQueen, who was one of The Block Gisborne’s selling agents and who has sold many of Daylesford’s high-end properties, said to her knowledge the highest price to date paid for a home in the area was $3 million during the pandemic.
The Block site in Daylesford. Picture: media-mode.com
“We haven’t seen any sales of any new properties, or any properties over that,” she said.
“Given what we know about the past Block series, The Block always pushes the boundaries with the prices on the home.
“I think that we will hopefully see some records broken next year (and) again we are coming out of a very sluggish market.”
The Block site in Daylesford. Picture: media-mode.com
Mr Walton said Daylesford’s economy had been pretty tough during the past 12 months, and small businesses were looking forward to The Block coming to town.
“Both employers and employees are looking forward to a little bit of relief, certainly with the Daylesford brand being so strong nationally, we’re very lucky we don’t rely on sun, sand or snow for our tourism here, in fact, sometimes the colder it is, the more people come,” he said.
“It’s all really focused on our award-winning culinary restaurants, that’s the driver here that brings people to our region.”
Daylesford Hotel. Picture: media-mode.com
Ms McQueen agreed and said like many Victorian tourism areas, Daylesford has suffered.
“Occupancy has been lower than usual, traders, restaurants… that flows through obviously to all of the businesses in town,” she said.
“So I think most people are really excited about The Block coming, and I think they think that it’s going to give it a really good boost and put Daylesford sort of on the map.
“Obviously, Daylesford is a really well-known tourist area, but I think The Block will take it to a whole new level.”
