{"id":405556,"date":"2026-01-11T05:00:26","date_gmt":"2026-01-11T05:00:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/405556\/"},"modified":"2026-01-11T05:00:26","modified_gmt":"2026-01-11T05:00:26","slug":"the-block-favourite-mat-johnson-unveils-shock-new-property-purchase-after-disappointing-auction-day-result","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/405556\/","title":{"rendered":"The Block favourite Mat Johnson unveils shock new property purchase after disappointing auction day result"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mat Jo\ufeffhnson<\/a> was a renovation rookie when he first walked onto The Block<\/a>‘s worksite, but the baptism by fire hasn’t put him off.<\/p>\n

In fact, he’s got his next project lined up… and it’s definitely a little unusual!<\/p>\n

Mat is \ufeffthe new owner of a run-down church in the tiny South Australian town of Brinkworth.<\/p>\n

\"TheWe didn’t see this coming! (Instagram @mat_johnson_)<\/p>\n

Stream every episode ever of The Block for free on 9Now.<\/a><\/p>\n

It certainly seems like an unusual move, but it’s actually the realisation of a long-time dream.<\/p>\n

“I can’t tell you the reason I wanted a church or the need that I wanted one, but it’s been a goal that I’ve had for years,” Mat told Glam Adelaide<\/a>.<\/p>\n

“It’s unique for other people but not for me.”<\/p>\n

READ MORE: Manpower, three broken engagements and the $10k loan that changed his life: Inside the loves and career of garden guru Jamie Durie\ufeff<\/a><\/p>\n

\"TheClearly a lot of work to do! (Instagram @mat_johnson_)<\/p>\n

Mat, a hairdresser, discovered the 1900s sandstone church listing only\ufeff hours before it was set to go under the hammer, while working at his salon with a client.<\/p>\n

So he registered to take part over the phone, put in his headphones and bought the house \u2013 all while cutting someone’s hair.<\/p>\n

According to Domain<\/a>, the property was sold for $250,000 in December.<\/p>\n

READ MORE: The Block’s Kristy and Brett are expecting their first child \u2013 plus the one cast member they shared the news wit<\/a>h\ufeff<\/a><\/p>\n

\ufeff”I could tell by the structure and everything that it was sound. Properties like this don’t come up very often, structurally sound, ideal location, on land with an incredible view. I knew I had to have it there and then,” he said.<\/p>\n

\"TheRobby and Mat won Australia over with their fun sense of humour during The Block 2025. (Instagram @robbyandmat)<\/p>\n

Mat hopes to transform the church, which was decommissioned in 1997, into a fully functional space with a kitchen, bathroom and mezzanine.<\/p>\n

That will require a lot of hard work, as shown in a video where he gives best mate and Block teammate Robby\ufeff Lippett a tour.<\/p>\n

“Can I opt out?” Robby joked in the comments.\ufeff<\/p>\n

\"TheWe can’t wait to see this after Mat’s hard work! (Ray White Clare Valley)<\/p>\n

While he was apprehensive, The Block’s very own Shelley Craft<\/a> couldn’t wait to see the reno get underway.<\/p>\n

“Aaaaahhhhh!!!! I’m so excited!!!! \ud83d\ude4c\ud83d\ude4c” she commented on Mat’s announcement.\ufeff<\/p>\n

READ MORE: Fans in tears as The Block’s Steph and Gian reveal harrowing birth story<\/a><\/p>\n

Overwhelmingly, his followers agreed with her.<\/p>\n

“Please tell me you are doing with videos or a TV station has signed you up?? I loved your personality on The Block… you were a breath of fresh, hilarious air!” one fan wondered.<\/p>\n

Thankfully, Mat said \ufeffhe planned to document the process on social media for all those following along.<\/p>\n

In Pictures<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

The first photos The Block 2025 stars have shared since auction <\/p>\n

Emma and Ben respond to House 1’s auction disaster.<\/p>\n

View Gallery<\/a><\/p>\n

It’s been a very big few months for Mat.\ufeff<\/p>\n

He welcomed his first child, a son, with his friend and co-parent Leah Cocks in December.<\/p>\n

“Yesterday my life changed forever,” Mat captioned photographs of him holding his son while in an Adelaide hospital.<\/p>\n

\"TheMat holds his newborn son in his arms. (Instagram @mat_johnson)<\/p>\n

Robby and Mat became quick fan favourites during The Block’s 2025 Daylesford season.<\/p>\n

The pair were also tipped by many, including the judges<\/a>, to win the season on Auction Day, but \ufeffwalked away in third place after securing a modest prize of $109,000 to split between them.\ufeff<\/p>\n

Stream every episode ever of The Block for free on 9Now.<\/a><\/p>\n

FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE<\/a>: Stay across all the latest news from your favourite shows via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Mat Jo\ufeffhnson was a renovation rookie when he first walked onto The Block‘s worksite, but the baptism by…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":405557,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[64,63,134,427],"class_list":{"0":"post-405556","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-tv","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-entertainment","11":"tag-tv"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/405556","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=405556"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/405556\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/405557"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=405556"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=405556"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=405556"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}