Miner strikes it rich in jackpot

Blackwater mine worker Ron Sestero and Kathy Mills are the happy winners of $250,000 cash from a statewide GJ Gardner Homes competition after they built their new home in Yeppoon.

Nikita Watts

SPENDING nights in a shack on a historic property in Yeppoon, mine worker Ron Sestero and his partner Kathy Mills never dreamed it would land them a jackpot win.

The Blackwater couple bought their 40-hectare property a few years ago and spent their weekends pottering around on the farm while their new four-bedroom brick home was being built.

And when it was completed in December last year, they not only had a new home, they won a $250,000 cash-back promotion from builders GJ Gardner Homes.

The competition was open to all new GJ Gardner Homes' customers, across the state, who built last year.

At the lucky new house yesterday, Kathy said she was still in shock, and they had lots of plans on how to spend the money.

These included landscaping and decorating their new home, which they plan to move into in a few months.

"I think we're both still a bit stunned. We were very fortunate," Kathy said.

"It's the icing on the cake."

Sales and marketing manager for GJ Gardner Homes, Ross McNeil, said the promotion was to encourage people to put the company on their shopping list and have a look at the homes on offer.