Former The Farm owners list Byron Bay 'conscious conferencing' venue, The Beach House East Coast

The former owners of one of Byron Bay’s most high-profile properties, The Farm, have listed their beachside venue – The Beach House East Coast, in nearby East Ballina – for sale.

Tom and Emma Lane, the environmentally-conscious couple, who turned a modest dairy farm into a thriving, sustainable agriculture and restaurant enterprise before selling it late last year, bought the sprawling coastal property in 2017 for $3 million.

In early May, they listed the former Christian camp at 70 Shelly Beach Road for sale, as they put the finishing touches on a stunning revamp that transformed the run-down camp into a breezy, boutique coastal venue, which the couple say is “perfect for conscious conferencing or beachside retreats.”

The listing is the latest in a string of high-profile property transactions in the Byron Bay area, which has become somewhat of a celebrity enclave and where the median house price has soared by 31.2 per cent in the 12 months to March. 

Mr Lane, the grandson of Oroton founder Boyd Lane, said when the couple first saw the 0.8-hectare (two-acre)  coastal property, with views over Angels Beach, they couldn’t quite believe it even existed.

“It’s a very unique property, to have two acres right on the beach,” he says. “And in the same way The Farm was all about the land and agriculture, we wanted The Beach House to be a place to share stories around the conservation of our coastline and marine ecosystems.”

“We had created a farm for the people, so we saw the potential to create a beach house for the people, too,” Emma adds.

Part of the hire fee for the renovated boutique venue, which can host up to 250 guests, and sleep up to 24 people,  goes back into local, coastal-based conservation causes.

However, after spending more than two years revamping the original campsite, complete with old school bunkhouses, shower blocks, a large communal meeting house and a private residence, the pair were already dreaming up a new business venture.

“About a year ago, we decided to change tack and exit The Farm and finish The Beach House and offer it up for someone else to follow on from what we started,” Tom says.

“We think it’s perfect for conscious conferencing, where you get people out of a hotel environment … and inspire and engage them by bringing them into nature.”

Emma adds: “It’s like being invited into someone’s beach home, but at the same time, it’s a space where ideas and business can be discussed in a relaxed environment.”

The pair have created another business called The Lane Estates, which will include a portfolio of “beautifully designed” and “sustainable” properties, including their current home, The Range, in the Byron hinterland, which people can hire and “immerse themselves in the home as well as the environment and the agricultural experience.”

Other properties will include a macadamia farm and an equine property, both in the Byron hinterland region. However, they are also eyeing off properties as far away as Tasmania and New Zealand.

“So, I guess the main reason The Beach House is leaving the family is so more babies can arrive,” Tom laughs. 

Agent Matthew Skene from Kollosche Byron Bay says The Beach House is a one-of-a-kind offering that presents an exciting opportunity for a new owner to walk in and grow the existing operation or repurpose the property for an entirely new endeavour.

“Tom and Emma have done an amazing job with what they’ve created here, but the property is still very much a blank canvas with plenty of potential yet,” he says.

“Some people might see it as a private family compound, while others could look to redevelop the site for a private residence, a boutique hotel or even a high-end restaurant, all subject to council approval.” 

Already, the property has attracted interest from local buyers, as well as buyers from interstate and overseas, with one prospective buyer considering developing a microbrewery on the site.

Expressions of interest close on Thursday, June 10, at 5pm.