NRL Raiders player Josh Papalii selling his Ngunnawal home

Canberra Raiders star Josh Papalii’s three-bedroom Ngunnawal home is now on the market.

Mr Papalii and his wife, Sepa, purchased the property at 7 Bunima Crescent in 2017 and, after more than three years, the couple has decided to part ways with the home.

“It wasn’t an easy decision to sell because this house has been our home for the best part of our lives,” Mr Papalii said.

“We were looking for a house for quite a while and this three-bedroom property had everything we needed. Although it wasn’t the biggest house, it was perfect for us.”

Mr Papalii said he will miss the property that was the foundation of many fond family memories. 

“When we moved in, we were already a family of three, my wife and I and our daughter, Khalani-Rose, and not long after, our son Noa was born,” he said.

“Our kids’ early years were spent in that house, we celebrated many birthdays there and watching them grow up was definitely a highlight.”

Sitting on 350 square metres of land and built in 2014, the home features an open-plan kitchen, living and dining area. 

The couple made modest changes to their home, including installing a deck and turning their garage into a games room.

“We installed timber flooring in the garage and that became the poker room because we were into poker at the time. My wife added in a mini-bar, a TV and, of course, the poker table,” he said.

The seamless indoor/outdoor connection made entertaining effortless.

“Despite its size, we still had a number of people come over to hang out, catch up and chat over a barbecue,” he said.

The three-time Mal Meninga Medallist, who was raised in Brisbane, welcomed many interstate families and friends to his humble abode over the three years.

“Being a Polynesian, it’s quite common to have a big family so we had our fair share of visitors but we loved having our families and friends come down and stay with us … we made some incredible memories there,” Mr Papalii said.

While it’s a bittersweet sale for the family, Mr Papalii hopes the new owners will get the same amount of joy that he and his family got from the property.

Earlier this week, Mr Papalii extended his time with the Raiders until the end of 2024 with the option of playing for an extra year should he choose to do so.

“I love this club and I love Canberra. This is my home now and my family and I are very happy to be remaining with the Raiders and in Canberra,” he said in a press statement earlier this week. 

The property is set to go under the hammer on October 10 through Jonny Warren of White Rhino Property.

Mr Warren said the home’s private entertaining area was a drawcard for many potential buyers.

“Some homes in Gungahlin can look over a neighbour’s property but at 7 Bunima Crescent, it’s quite private and requires very little maintenance which a lot of people would appreciate,” he said.

“It’s the perfect entry-level home or for anyone looking to downsize or perhaps, upsize for those moving from an apartment.”

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