They were told they had made a crazy decision. They were questioned for turning away from some of the most spectacular water views on The Block. And for much of the competition, their choice of House 4 gave critics plenty to talk about.
But now, Courtney and Sev have had the last laugh.
The best friends have made history after being crowned the winners of The Block 2026, securing the biggest overall prize in the show’s 22-season history. Their property sold for an astonishing $4.72 million, earning them $1.27 million above its reserve, along with $100,000 in winner’s prize money and Scott Cam’s prize pool valued at up to $500,000.
And following their extraordinary victory, the pair have delivered a cheeky message to everyone who questioned their decision.
“We fought like crazy to get House 4,” Courtney told nine.com.au, recalling the moment they chose the property that would eventually change everything.
THE DECISION EVERYONE QUESTIONED — AND THE REASON THEY NEVER BACKED DOWN
When Courtney and Sev first stepped into House 4, they knew it was the one they wanted.
It was not the obvious choice.
Other properties offered more impressive water views, making the decision to favour House 4 particularly surprising. But the Brisbane best friends believed there was something more important than simply having the best outlook.
For them, the floor plan, the larger land size and the way the home flowed between its spaces offered something the other properties could not quite match.
“It just spoke to us … the beautiful floor plan, the views from both levels, the flow and then Sev just put her amazing flair on it,” Courtney explained.
Their decision was based on a clear vision of what they wanted to create: a home that felt distinctive rather than another predictable luxury renovation.
Sev shared that the pair had always wanted to build something different.
“It was always a goal to try and create a beautiful unique home that just wasn’t cookie cutter,” she said.
It was a gamble that attracted plenty of criticism throughout the competition. But with their House 4 eventually achieving the highest sale price of the season, the decision looks very different now.
“YOU CAN EAT YOUR WORDS”: THEIR MESSAGE TO THE DOUBTERS
Looking back on the criticism, Courtney did not hide how strongly people had reacted when they chose House 4.
The pair recalled being branded “absolutely batshit” for turning away from properties with more impressive views.
Now, after winning the competition, they were more than ready to respond.
“Sev, what did they say? That we were absolutely batshit?” Courtney recalled.
Sev was equally unapologetic.
“Sev definitely thought we were crazy for dismissing those views but you can eat your words people, because we’re the winners!!”
It was a triumphant response from two contestants who had continued backing their instincts even when others questioned their strategy.
And the final auction result gave them the ultimate answer.
Their House 4 attracted 17 registered bidders, setting a new record for the number of registered bidders on an individual property in The Block’s history.
After everything they had been told about their choice, the result was extraordinary: $4.72 million under the hammer, $1.27 million above reserve and the season’s biggest victory.
THE $1.87 MILLION WIN — AND THE MOMENT IT FINALLY HIT THEM
For Courtney and Sev, the auction result was almost impossible to comprehend.
Their $1.87 million total prize haul comprised:
- $1,270,000 above their $3.45 million reserve.
- $100,000 in cash as the overall winners.
- Scott Cam’s Plungie Prize Pool, valued at up to $500,000.
The additional prize package included a Chery vehicle, a Bar Crusher boat, a Titanium caravan, luxury Rolex watches and other rewards.
It was the biggest prize package ever secured by a winning team across 22 seasons of the competition.
Yet even after hearing the extraordinary figures, the pair were struggling to process what had happened.
“We are feeling overwhelmed, grateful … it doesn’t feel real,” Sev said emotionally.
Courtney, meanwhile, offered a much more humorous explanation of when she expected the reality to sink in.
“I don’t think it’s going to sink in until I sink about 20 beers,” she joked.
After 12 weeks of demanding renovations, relentless deadlines and enormous financial pressure, it was perhaps no surprise that the two friends needed a moment to absorb the result.
THE DESIGNS THAT PUSHED THEM TO THEIR LIMITS
Behind the record-breaking auction result was a renovation journey that demanded an enormous amount from both women.
Sev brought her distinctive interior design vision to the project, while Courtney helped turn those ambitious ideas into reality.
Some of the designs were particularly elaborate, leaving the pair facing the challenge of completing extraordinary spaces within the show’s tight weekly deadlines.
Courtney joked that she still had a little trauma from building some of Sev’s more ambitious creations.
But there was no question about how she felt looking back.
“They were so epic to do in one week but I couldn’t be prouder!”
Her words offered a glimpse into the demanding teamwork behind the finished property.
What viewers ultimately saw was a beautifully presented luxury home. What the contestants experienced was a succession of intense deadlines, complicated construction decisions and the pressure to deliver something special every single week.
THE BUYERS WHO MADE THEIR DREAM A REALITY
Another emotional part of the victory came when the pair discovered who had bought their home.
House 4 sold for $4.72 million after a fierce bidding contest, with a local Melbourne family and long-time Block fans ultimately securing the property.
Sev revealed that they had only met the buyers a few days before the auction.
When the result was confirmed, the pair ran straight towards them and embraced them.
“We ran straight up to them, gave them a cuddle and we said we’re so glad it’s you – it was just this really electric moment,” Sev recalled in a separate interview with TV WEEK. <Cite refs={[“turn363757view1″,”turn245300view1”]}/>
For Courtney and Sev, it was not simply about achieving the highest possible price. Knowing that a family would be making memories in the home they had worked so hard to create made the result even more meaningful.
FROM BEING QUESTIONED TO MAKING BLOCK HISTORY
The journey from choosing House 4 to lifting the winner’s crown had been anything but straightforward.
The pair took several financial risks throughout the season, pushed their renovation budgets and faced the same relentless demands that tested every team.
But they never abandoned the vision that had brought them to House 4 in the first place.
Now, the numbers speak for themselves.
Their $4.72 million sale was the highest of the 2026 season, their total prize package broke the show’s 22-season record, and their controversial property choice had delivered the result they had believed was possible all along.
For two friends who had been told they were making the wrong decision, the ending could hardly have been sweeter.
And perhaps Courtney and Sev’s most satisfying victory was not just the money, the prizes or the title.
It was finally being able to look back at the decision everyone questioned and say they had trusted their instincts all along.