Third time lucky? Bondi hoarder house again up for grabs, with rubbish included

The long-running saga between Waverley Council and the Bobolas family’s notorious Bondi hoarder house is set for yet another auction showdown in a bid to recoup about $250,000 in outstanding costs.

The November 22 auction will be the third attempt by the NSW sheriff to forcibly sell the property from under its piles of rubbish in recent years after previous auctions were halted at the last minute when the family produced bags of cash to pay off part of their debt.

The Californian bungalow has become one of the most infamous examples of hoarding in Australia given the extreme pile-up of rubbish, the putrid smell and pests that have plagued neighbours for the past 20 years and the owners’ inability to resolve the issue given complex mental issues at play. 

The property has been home to Mary Bobolas since she purchased it in 1973 for $15,000. However, in recent years Ms Bobolas and her daughters Elena and Liana have reportedly stopped being able to sleep in the property because it is so full of rubbish.

Ric Serrao, of Raine & Horne Double Bay, has again been enlisted to sell the 550-square-metre property, but is not providing a buyers’ guide for his third auction attempt because it is being offered inclusive of the rubbish.

Inspections are limited to its Boonara Avenue kerbside.

The last time the property was offered to buyers with a $1.8 million guide in June 2016 it was cancelled at the last minute when the Bobolas family produced enough funds to pay off part of their debt to council for the continual clean-ups.

There are five writs on title, totalling more than $248,000 worth of council clean-up charges and legal fees.

Waverley Council general manager Ross McLeod said council had tried over the past 20 years to connect the Bobolas family with support services and agencies to help prevent a recurrence of these issues, but that assistance has been rejected.

“We understand how difficult and frustrating this matter has been for neighbouring residents,” Mr McLeod said. “The council has conducted numerous clean-ups at the property over the past 20 or so years, and we cannot expect ratepayers to continually foot the bill.”

Council is currently seeking a clean-up order through the Land and Environment Court after Ms Bobolas failed to comply with clean-up orders from November last year.

As part of those court proceedings, the Bobolas family have been given an opportunity to clear the property themselves before council undertakes the clean-up and incurs further costs.