McGrath Surfers Paradise agents John Natoli and James Ledgerwood are taking the Aurora Penthouse apartment to auction on March 7 (by receivers at PricewaterhouseCoopers). Brisbane businessman Charlie Caltabiano purchased the ‘Soul’ penthouse in 2006 for an Australian record of $16.85 million, but the contract was terminated in 2014 after the deal failed to settle.

The exclusive residence, which spans four levels and boasts stunning ocean vistas, has been stripped down to a shell. Three high profile design firms have been engaged to assist buyers and create design concepts for an interior fit out: Bayden Goddard Design, Blainey North & Associates and DBI Design, the original designers and architects for the Soul development. Alternatively, buyers can choose their own designer for a bespoke fit out. The 1040 square metre penthouse apartment has six bedrooms, an internal glass lift and six parking spaces.

“Having sold 14 penthouses over the past 20 years, and marketed several more, I have come to learn that the majority of penthouse buyers are generally successful people who have very individual taste and needs," said Natoli. "This is the first time I have seen a Gold Coast penthouse available where buyers are given the opportunity to come in and start with a blank canvass in a completed building. There have been occasions where buyers have purchased penthouses ‘off the plan’ and have then worked with the developer to completion but in those instances they were working with architectural drawings and did not have the benefit of being able to walk in and around the space.”

The property is scheduled for auction on March 7, 2015. A price guide is not available due to new QLD legislation banning price guides for auction properties. The property qualifies for FIRB approval. The contact agents are John Natoli (0414 453 221) and James Ledgerwood (0417 927 517) at McGrath Surfers Paradise.