Ray and Gina Spinaze bought a sixth-of-an-acre (700 sqm) block of sand behind the dune at Sawtell in 1950. Even as a now-established solicitor in Dorrigo, Ray thought 300 quid was a lot of money. In 1952, they built a very solid brick house on it (called 'Seascapes'), comprising an upstairs flat ('Seatops') and a downstairs flat ('Seatides'), plus a weatherboard garage ('Sandy Peep'). It was used by the family and let as holiday flats for a quarter-century, 1952-1977. Ray and Gina lived there in retirement 1977-91. It was again let as holiday flats and used for occasional holidays by the family 1991-2007.
After investigating ways to finance the renovation, further development and retention of the property, the family reluctantly sold their 55-year-old heirloom in late 2007. Here are the large ad and the small ad that were used to sell it. (It was bought for $1.35 million by a merchant banker, just before the Global Financial Crisis). Here's a map, and a satellite image.
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Looking North across the estuary, to the house on the far right |
From Park St, showing the NE corner |
From Park St, showing the SE corner |
From within the block, showing the SW corner |
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An aerial View |
The view South ... |
... over the estuary |
The view West to Dorrigo |
This a page within Linda Spinaze 's Family Web-Site
Contact: Roger Clarke and Linda Spinaze
Created: 4 September 2011; Last Amended: 4 September 2011
