The 100-acre property at 71 Fig Hill Lane Dunmore, colloquially known as ‘Minnamurra Mansion,’ remains unsold despite being on the market since April, even after a $1 million price reduction.

It has once again been withdrawn from the market. The listing agents have yet to comment on this development.

Stone Real Estate Agency listed the property for sale with a price guide of $5 - $5.25 million, a drop of $1 million from the previous year. The approved DA for an Eco Resort still stands. 

The sellers touted it as a boon for the area if someone with grit and tenacity decided to buy it and get on with restoring it and creating something special since it would be a pity to see it fall into further rack and ruin.  

The property was described as a “Rare opportunity for an Eco Resort or incredible home on just under 100 acres”.

Minnamurra Mansion is a property with a chequered and colourful history. Formerly known as the Dunmore Equestrian Centre, the site has never been occupied in its entire history and, when completely abandoned, looked like a movie set for something like The Walking Dead or a skate or music video.

Perched atop the hill beside Dunmore House, Minnamurra Mansion boasts panoramic views that encompass Jamberoo's rolling hills, Saddleback Mountain, the Illawarra escarpment, Mystics Beach, Kiama Golf Course, and the charming township of Kiama. This sprawling five-square-kilometre estate boasts over three kilometres of Minnamurra River frontage.

In 2009, construction of the mansion, overseen by owner-builder John Kosseris, ground to a halt when his Wollongong-based businesses faced receivership.

Controversy ignited when unauthorised clearing reached the riverside, encroaching on environmentally sensitive wetlands. This led to a number of Council actions to attempt to restore the riverside area. These were never resolved when the construction was abandoned. The fact the property is on the boundary between Kiama and Shellharbour Councils caused some issues.

The abandoned mansion was used as an illegal skating site and was heavily graffitied for some years while abandoned. 

In 2015, the mansion was sold for just under $1.5 million. 

Shellharbour Council subsequently greenlit a development plan in 2021, envisioning its transformation into an eco-tourism resort. It was originally built with six bedrooms and nine bathrooms; the DA allowed for 33 guest rooms. Owning partners, horse breeder Tony Petersen and entrepreneur David Moodie, had various visions for the site, including as an equestrian centre. 

The abandoned mansion was last put up for sale in September 2022 and offered for $6 million but was taken off the market in late February this year. A lot of current effort has gone into cleaning up the graffiti and making it as sale-ready as possible.