The future of the Wellington property at 430 Hawkins Hill Rd, Brooklyn—formerly known as the luxury dog daycare business Woofington’s—remains uncertain after a deadline for offers passed on July 20 without a sale. According to OneRoof, an initial mortgagee auction held the previous week failed to attract any bids, leading the mortgagee to list the property on the open market.
Status of the Hawkins Hill Road Property
As of July 21, the property has not been sold. A spokesperson for the owner confirmed to 1News that the sale had not proceeded by the Monday deadline. Harcourts real estate agents Paul Yianakis and Holly Fordham both confirmed the property remains on the market. Yianakis stated that the mortgagee is currently “considering offers,” though he declined to provide further comment. The property carries a capital value of $3.68 million, with market estimates ranging between $3.01 million and $3.38 million, according to TradeMe listings.
Legal and Financial Challenges
The current listing follows a period of significant volatility for the owner, Travis McKay. In June, McKay told OneRoof that he did not intend for the property to be on the market, claiming that a “second-tier or third-tier” lender had bypassed standard procedures. McKay stated at the time that he had engaged lawyers to address the situation and attempted to list the property with a different company to “slow things down.” A spokesperson for McKay declined to provide an update on these legal efforts when asked by 1News. The property previously changed hands in October 2025 for $3.2 million.
History of the Brooklyn Castle
The site, often referred to as the Brooklyn Castle, was built by businessman Brian Willman in the late 1990s as a conference center. It gained notoriety as the home of Woofington’s, a luxury dog daycare that famously transported pets in a company Porsche. The facility’s reputation shifted following a 2019 police raid, which uncovered improvised explosive devices. The then-manager, Robert Bromley, was later charged and pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of possessing black powder in a pyrotechnic device.
The property’s history is further documented in the TVNZ production What the Hell Happened at Woofington’s?, which explores allegations of drug use and an armed robbery linked to a drug debt. In late June, police attended the property following the death of a woman, who authorities believe suffered a fatal overdose from drinking GHB, also known as fantasy or liquid ecstasy. Beyond its business use, the site has also operated as a short-term rental on Airbnb under the name “Wellington Castle Estate,” with nightly rates listed between $945 and $1495.
Potential Future Outcomes
With the deadline for offers passed and no sale finalized, the mortgagee retains the authority to continue reviewing submissions or potentially pursue alternative disposal methods. While the owner’s spokesperson has declined to comment on the next steps, the property remains under the control of the mortgagee’s process. Any future resolution will depend on the mortgagee’s willingness to accept existing offers or their decision to relist the property for another auction cycle.
Related reading