Chinese buyer pays $6.95 million for Gold Coast mega mansion

IT’S a lifestyle many only dream about – your own mansion on a secluded island in the middle of Surfers Paradise.

But that’s the life that awaits the new owners of  11 Southern Cross Drive, Cronin Island.

The small triangular pocket off Chevron Island has only 34 properties.

Ray White Broadbeach agent Sam Guo was behind the sale of No. 11, which went to a Chinese buyer.

CoreLogic data reveals its $6.95 million sale price is the fourth highest on the Gold Coast this year.

Vendors Brenden and Natasha Rutherford, both dentists, plan to travel now they have sold their four-level mansion.

The family bought their property on exclusive Cronin Island, famous for its shared park in the middle, in 2000.

The park become a massive part of the Rutherford family’s lives, being used for children’s birthday parties, cricket, football, soccer and a host of remote controlled cars and helicopters.

But the biggest benefit of the island was that the kids had their own private running track for training, as all four of their children are elite runners.

“I measured out the distance around the island with a friend and put markers every 100m so the kids could do any sort of training they needed to,” Dr Rutherford said.

“While we will dearly miss living on Cronin Island, we have simply reached a point in our lives where we would like to work less, travel more and expand on our life experiences.”

The Rutherfords plan to travel around Australia for eight months after the Commonwealth Games.

Mr Guo, with his business partner Julia Kuo, have now sold eight homes on Cronin Island totalling almost $38 million. More than $20 million changed hands with the pair this year.

“There is something very special about Cronin Island, it’s so private and exclusive with only 34 homes,” Mr Guo said. “I love the view over the water – in every direction it is beautiful and magical.

“And the shared park in the middle too is such a bonus too for its lucky homeowners.”