High Drama as Auction Day Delivers Unprecedented Results in Daylesford

In a dramatic conclusion to this season of The Block, five brand-new builds went under the hammer in Daylesford this weekend at a tense auction, with some couples walking away with big profits and others left empty-handed. 

In a rare move, all five couples unanimously agreed prior on the auction order,  a united front heading into the biggest day of the year. But the mood quickly changed once they found out their reserves were set at $2.99 million. 

Britt and Taz in House 3 started the day with a bang. Their bids soared to $3,410,000 and the final hammer delivered a massive $420,000 profit for the cops from WA. The winning bid came from a new buyer to The Block scene, injecting fresh energy into the competition.

Robby and Mat in House 5 followed, and were met with the familiar face of serial Block investor Danny Wallis. The IT entrepreneur known for his philanthropic support of the show over the years secured the home with a trademark bid of $3,099,999. The best mates from SA pocketed a profit of $109,999. 

Then the momentum slowed with new parents Em and Ben in House 1. Bidding reached only $2.97 million before the auction was dramatically paused. After deliberation, a vendor bid of $3.10 million was placed, but there was no further interest and the house was passed in.

Sonny and Alicia in House 4 entered the auction with a $50,000 reduced reserve of $2.94 million from winning Week 12, but the auctioneer started strategically with a vendor bid of $3.05 million. This set the stage for one of The Block’s most consistent buyer advocates, Frank Valentic, Director of Advantage Property Consulting, to enter the fold and place a bid of $3,060,000.This secured a $120,000 profit for the parents from Queensland. 

Finally, Han and Can in House 2 closed the day with immense pressure. Like House 4, their auction started directly with a vendor bid of $3.10 million, but with no buyer uptake the house was also passed in for the couple from WA. 

After the final hammer, the coppers and parents from Newman in WA scooped the $100,000 prizemoney and a take-home a total of $520,000, plus the title of the first team from WA to win The Block. 

Winners Britt and Taz said: “It’s phenomenal to walk away with a reward like this for all the hard work we have put into it. This is life-changing for us, it’s incredible. It’s our mortgage paid off. 

“But it’s mixed emotions though as we really wanted everyone to walk away a winner and sell their houses. 

“I thought our auction set the tone for everyone else. We took it upon ourselves to do that, and we were shocked more than anything. We had worked as a team right to the end, so it’s just a bit hard for us to see what has happened today.” 

Taz said he was very proud of Britt, as he wasn’t as eager to get onto the show. 

“We had put it on the back burner for the last few years as it was never the right time, but it got to the point where I couldn’t say no to Britt anymore. She never faltered from day one. She had a vision and she did it.” 

Britt said: “I’m so proud of Taz too. He worked so hard. We sacrificed so much to be here and to get this result. While our hearts are breaking for our team mates we are also so proud of ourselves.” 

Recapping the day, host Scott Cam said: “Today was more realistic of what mums and dads are going through when they are selling their homes. Some are successful and some are not. But we want all of our contestants to be successful. 

“We filmed with them for three months and got to know all of them so well, but unfortunately Em and Ben and Han and Can weren’t able to do it today. But they still have the opportunity to be rewarded for their hard work as the houses go back on the market.

“Congratulations to Britt and Taz on their very well deserved win and the beautiful home they created.”

Executive Producer, Julian Cress, said: “Auction day is hard for all of us. There is no other day of the year we wake up feeling physically ill when we go to work. We are worried sick because we get so close to our contestants over the months and we want everyone to do well.

“It’s bittersweet to see two coppers from the Pilbara make half a million dollars at auction, which is amazing, but then to watch a young couple like Emma and Ben, who just had a baby, pass in, as well as Han and Can. It was an up and down and sometimes very tough day for some.”

The final results leave three teams with big profits, while House 1 and House 2 now enter into a post-auction negotiation period. This season’s winnings record a combined total of $749,999. The Block has now awarded an incredible $40,377,138.06 in total winnings.

PREVIOUS BLOCK WINNERS
2003 – BONDI – Adam & Fiona, $256,000
2004 – MANLY – Jamie & Andrew, $178,000
2010 – VAUCLUSE – John & Neisha, $305,000
2011 – RICHMOND – Polly & Waz, $115,000
2012 – SOUTH MELBOURNE – Brad & Lara, $606,000
2013 – ALL STARS (BONDI) – Phil & Amity, $395,000
2013 – SKY HIGH (SOUTH MELBOURNE) – Alisa & Lysandra, $395,000
2014 – FANS v FAVES (ALBERT PARK) – Steve & Chantelle, $736,000
2014 – GLASSHOUSE (PRAHRAN) – Shannon & Simon, $435,000
2015 – TRIPLE THREAT (SOUTH YARRA) – Darren & Deanne, $935,000
2015 – THE BLOCKTAGON (SOUTH YARRA) – Dean & Shay, $755,000
2016 – PORT MELBOURNE – Will & Karlie, $815,000
2017 – ELSTERNWICK – Josh & Elyse, $547,000
2018 – GATWICK (ST KILDA) – Hayden & Sara, $645,000
2019 – OSLO (ST KILDA) – Tess & Luke, $730,000
2020 – BRIGHTON – Jimmy & Tam, $1,066,000 
2021 – FANS v FAVES (HAMPTON) – Mitch & Mark, $744,444
2022 – TREE CHANGE (GISBORNE) – Omar & Oz, $1,686,666.66
2023 – HAMPTON EAST – Steph & Gian, $1,750,000
2024 – PHILLIP ISLAND – Maddy & Charlotte, $1,650,000