Racing driver Paul Weel puts Carrara mega mansion on the market

Australian racing driver Paul Weel and his wife Emma are waving the chequered flag on their sports-friendly mega mansion on the waterfront at Carrara, putting it on the market for $11.95m.

The couple bought the property at 14 Maryland Ave in 2011 for $2.4m, where they lived for five years before moving to 504 The Esplanade in Palm Beach in 2015, while they worked on designs for a new home at the Maryland address.

Deploying award-winning architect Bayden Goddard, who also designed the Broadbeach Waters mansion of Gold Coast entertainment king and queen Billy and Jackie Cross, which sold last week for $12.5m, the Weels moved back to Cararra in 2018 when the mansion was complete.

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The couple, who have two daughters, Abby, 10, and Mila, 8, said the property, marketed by Michael Kollosche of Kollosche Broadbeach, was a truly multi-generational home, where an extended family could live comfortably, and which was great for entertaining.

Spread over three storeys and making full use of the elongated one acre block on which it sits, the six-bedroom home comes with a tennis court, infinity pool, pavilion on the river,

media room, home office, wine cellar, cold room, gym, 15m pontoon and double jetski dock.

No expense was spared on the build or interiors, which feature dark cabinetry, polished concrete floors, Rosewood ceilings and a bespoke chandelier in the foyer.

“My favourite space is the gorgeous gold foyer which has a 4.5m chandelier to match the peacock wallpaper we had made in England and our taxidermy peacock,” Mrs Weel said.

For Mr Weel the garage, which can comfortably fit more than 10 cars, and his motor sports-themed man cave with a built-in bar, are his favourite places to escape.

“These days once you have a couple of adults and some kids, a two-car garage doesn’t really cut it anymore,” Mr Weel said.

The pièce de résistance for motor enthusiasts, though, would have to be the LED race track that mirrors the layout of the Monaco Grand Prix and two 1/8 scale Red Bull Formula One cars on the ceiling of the man cave.

“The cars are significant because Red Bull was the first F1 team we supplied our PWR products to and whom we’re still a technical partner. One is a replica of the car Mark Webber

drove in his last race with Red Bull and the other is the one Daniel Ricciardo drove in his first race for Red Bull. While not technically part of the house sale, Mr Weel said he would be prepared to part with them if someone made him the right offer.

Mr Weel has been involved in Australian motor racing since 1998 as part of the Paul Weel

racing team, originally competing in the V8 Supercars Championship Series. He has recently re-entered the competitive arena, racing trophy (or Baja) trucks, after an horrific accident in 2008 in which he suffered a fractured back, split spleen and a punctured lung. The accident led him to take time out to focus on the development of the family’s PWR Performance

Products business, which is based on the Gold Coast and manufactures high-performance radiators, intercoolers and oil coolers for leading motorsports.

With COVID putting a halt to any overseas travel over the past year, Mr Weel said the family had been able to spend some time together and think about their next move.

The family have decided to make a tree-change, relocating to the 150-acre property they

already own on the river in nearby Gilston, where they plan to build a world-class dressage facility.

“Emma and the girls are into dressage and riding and horses so we are going to build a world-leading, German standard full dressage facility with indoor and outdoor arenas and stables,” Mr Weel said.

The family are currently training a horse which they hope will make it to the Olympics.

“We’ve been working with an architect from Adelaide who specialises in these things and it will be the best of the best that we can build.”