THE man who makes business look like a “buddy movie” – Consolidated Properties tsar Don O’Rorke – couldn’t be more laid-back about selling his house if he tried.
Most people start stressing out months ahead of putting their home on the market, but not this boardriding 53-year-old. He’s the epitome of cool, calm and collected.
The board O’Rorke likes to ride is his surfboard – at Casuarina Beach every Thursday at dawn. He works out with his personal trainer several times a week and is loyal to those closest to him.
After a month-long family skiing holiday in Japan, carving up the deep powder, O’Rorke, wife Natasha and their posse of seven children last week moved out of their trophy home at 33b Harbour Rd, Hamilton, and into rented digs.
Balaam, one of Brisbane’s most prestigious homes, is now officially on the market.
The home is surrounded by high-rises and famous faces, as his immediate neighbours are fitness queen Lorna Jane Clarkson and her husband Bill.
“Balaam is a stunning house, built at a time when money was no object, before the GFC. No expense was spared,” O’Rorke explained.
“The reason we are moving is we have bought 10 acres at Brookfield and we are going to have the same architect, Shaun Lockyer, who designed our Hamilton home, build something really nice, centred around horses. You cannot have horses in the city.”
Born in Esk, O’Rorke was a boarder at Brisbane Boys’ College from age 11, when he met Scott Hutchison, now chair of one of Australia’s largest privately owned building and construction companies.
“Scott’s done all our construction now for 25 years,” he said, of his loyalty to Hutchinson Builders.
“We figure if you are an informed client you should know what things are worth and what things costs.”
But what O’Rorke doesn’t know is what his home is worth.
Ray White New Farm principal Matt Lancashire said Balaam was a true showpiece offering a lifestyle of excess and luxury.
He said in rare find the home also comes with an opportunity to develop high density with a current development application for a 10 storey riverfront building.
“The home itself is a meticulously designed 1034sq m palatial family residence set across the 1609sq m block.”
Expressions of interest for the home will open soon and Mr O’Rorke has “no idea” what it will sell for.
Brisbane architect Shaun Lockyer was entrusted by Mr O’Rorke to “push the limits” when they built his home in 2007.
Balaam has every conceivable luxury, including two swimming pools, an aviary for chickens and birds, a fireman’s pole with a cubby house and fire pit.
It stretches along 48.3m of the Brisbane River at Hamilton, with an approval for a private pontoon.
But more importantly, it also comes with two titles and a current development application for a 10 storey riverfront building.
Balaam is a series of specific sculpted spaces that focuses its efforts on intimacy and craft rather than size and grandeur.
The overall feel and inspiration for the house is overwhelmingly the modernist language, but delivered in a contemporary and sustainable way.
Mr Lockyer, a director of Arkhefield Architects when he designed Balaam, said the O’Rorkes are fantastic about trusting him to push the boundaries.
But not at anyone’s expense.
“The pool was all about maximising the use of it, so it was located in the middle of the house. This decision meant it was elevated off the ground, which created the opportunity to express this playful element in the facade.
“It’s unexpected and fun, but overwhelmingly practical, allowing it to be used year round given that it’s heated as well. The red glass was my call and is the only colour accent in the house.
“All of the dark timber in the house both inside and out is Australian jarrah, a very rare timber to find these days.”
Mr Lockyer, now of Shaun Lockyer Architects at Newstead, has been charged with designing the O’Rorke’s new home.
“Brookfield will take the modern language to acreage and plays on existing brick and weatherboard themes that characterise the area,” he said.
“The house is a simple plan, but a long house enjoying all the acreage can offer.
“Light, shade, courtyards and poetic little moments in a simple material palette is what it will all be about.”
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