Tradie who spent $70k building incredible treehouse in Byron Bay rainforest is ordered to TEAR DOWN the Airbnb favourite
- Former tradie who transformed property with tree house ordered to demolish it
- Murray Taylor built the treehouse partly on public property without permit
- The treehouse was a popular choose for people using the AirBnB service
- Court ordered him to demolish the tree house and pay council legal fees
A ‘revolutionary’ builder who spent eight months and $70,000 to build an incredible treehouse in a picturesque rainforest has been ordered to tear the structure down.
Byron Bay man Murray Arthur Taylor bought a piece of land on Upper Crystal Creek Road in 2015 before beginning construction on the tree house in 2016.
The treehouse became a hit on Airbnb and saw Mr Taylor earn more than $40,000 as travellers queued to stay in the unique property.
But on April 5, he was handed a development control order demanding he stop renting the property as it was built without permission partly on public land.
A ‘revolutionary’ builder who spent eight months and $70,000 to build an incredible treehouse in a picturesque rainforest has been ordered to tear the structure down
Byron Bay man Murray Arthur Taylor bought a piece of land on Upper Crystal Creek Road in 2015 before beginning construction on the tree house in 2016
Council also claimed the structure presented a safety risk, which Mr Taylor denied, The Daily Telegraph reported.
He said he had built the tree house with the surrounding forest in mind, attaching it in three places to log clamps that could hold nine tonnes.
He also said tearing the structure down would cause his family considerable financial distress.
Justice Brian Preston ultimately ruled in favour of council and said the tree house had been built against local laws as Mr Taylor never sought council approval.
Mr Taylor said he chose not to seek council approval because regulation would have required him to clear trees which he said went against the very appeal of the tree house.
The treehouse became a hit on Airbnb and saw Mr Taylor earn more than $40,000 as travellers queued to stay in the unique property
‘I consider myself a bit of a revolutionary and when authority tells you to do something, whether it’s right or wrong I believe in standing up and fighting for what you believe in and not just rolling over,’ Mr Taylor (pictured) said
‘I consider myself a bit of a revolutionary and when authority tells you to do something, whether it’s right or wrong I believe in standing up and fighting for what you believe in and not just rolling over,’ he told the publication.
Despite his claims Justice Preston ordered My Taylor to demolish the popular tree house within three months.
Mr Taylor was also ordered to pay the $25,000 legal fees for the council.
‘I don’t want to do it but what options do I have? I can’t violate court order, so I just have to comply which is a shame because I spent eight months building that treehouse from scratch. At a cost of $70,000,’ he said.
Justice Preston ordered My Taylor to demolish the popular tree house within three months