Sydney family wins $4 million waterview property in $5 raffle

A family who resides in the Sydney suburb of North Manly has been announced as the winner of a raffle where the major prize was a $4 million beach-side house.

The view from the Freshwater home in Sydney, NSW. Source: RSL Art Union

News Limited reported that James Burry, 40, was announced as the winner of the raffle, where the major prize was a fully furnished four-bedroom house in the lucrative suburb of Freshwater.

Mr Burry said it would take time to comprehend that he had won the house, which includes water views stretching from Freshwater to Curl Curl.

“I’ve got a lot of mates who like pulling pranks, so I thought someone was taking the piss when I first got the call saying I’d won,” he said.

“It’s a lot to take in. It will probably still take another couple of weeks for it all to settle in."

The fire protection worker spent more than $200 on tickets for the RSL Art Union raffle, which were sold for $5 each.

“I’d actually forgotten I’d entered,” he said.

“I heard about the draw on the radio and thought I’d buy a couple of tickets because it was going to a good cause.”

Mr Burry said his family were considering moving to the Central Coast, and that their new acquisition was in a location they knew well.

"We used to go to a nearby park to eat fish and chips and soak in the view. It’s strange to think we’ll be waking up to the same view every morning,” he said.

The RSL Art Union launched the raffle for the waterfront property in August, and revealed that it was the most expensive house the union had ever given away.

John Devaney from the Union told SBS that the proceeds, a substantial amount gathered from ticket sales, would go back to the RSL to distribute to veterans.

“Our objective really is to support veterans, either existing or returned, and the issues that they face in the community,” he said in August.

The view from the Freshwater home in Sydney, NSW. Source: RSL Art Union

Mr Devaney said that veterans struggled with the physical and emotional toll of service, and the union was committed to providing direct services to those needing support.

“The nature of the people that we face means they often struggle to come forward.”

The home was purchased by the union in September 2014 before redeveloping it for the lottery.

The union holds around 12 property raffles per year.

Inside the luxury property at Freshwater at Sydney's northern beaches. Source: RSL Art Union

The $4 million porety in Sydney at sunset. Source: RSL Art Union