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Read MoreLuxury propertySalesAFR WeekendLatest In ResidentialFetching latest articles Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time Sitting before rows of past Vaucluse Public School students former teacher Michael Anthony Lunn traded a classroom for a courtroom as he was convicted of years of predatory child sexual abuse The judgment on Wednesday afternoon was decades in the making for the group of students who a judge found had given honest and reliable evidence about what happened to them when they were aged between four and eight arrives at court on Wednesday for the judge’s verdicts.Credit: Sitthixay Ditthavong today brings a measure of accountability,” one victim said He said being “child of the week” in Lunn’s eastern suburbs classroom “had a dark side to it” and “we may never know the hidden cost of his abuse” faced a judge-alone trial in the NSW District Court accused of more than a dozen charges relating to eight boys and girls in the 1980s The Crown alleged Lunn used his popularity in the school community to prey on children during classroom activities as they sat on his lap or stood near him during show-and-tell and while marking their work But Lunn’s lawyers argued he was a victim of “rumours and scuttlebutt” and contaminated student recollections Michael Anthony Lunn (right) has been found guilty of abusing multiple students The court heard Lunn had faced trial in the 1980s over similar allegations which ended in not guilty and directed verdicts Complainants from those previous cases were among at least 30 people who packed the courtroom for Judge Paul McGuire’s verdicts They embraced and cried as the judge found Lunn guilty of three counts of sexual assault of a child and 10 counts of indecent assault “We especially acknowledge those who came forward in 1985,” the victim said “Today’s judgment is a vindication of their courage.” The judge described the offending as deliberate and unlawful with unequivocal sexual connotations In a police interview after his arrest in 2022 but it “wasn’t sexual” and there were “no sneaky little things” Lunn said there may have been times when he stuck his hand in a child’s pants He said children were “attracted” to him but denied he was sexually attracted to children Lunn’s barrister Pierre de Dassel had submitted his client should be accepted as “entirely truthful” But the judge found Lunn’s account to be “unsatisfactory and unconvincing” “I generally find his account to be unbelievable,” McGuire said Crown prosecutor Sara Gul had argued Lunn cultivated and projected an almost cult-like image in the school but alleged it was a “facade of opportunistic McGuire noted one complainant recalled Lunn as a “playful teacher” who made everybody laugh described the accused as being ‘like the Pied Piper’,” the judge said The allegations against Lunn included acts of digital penetration kissing and on one occasion putting his penis against a boy’s mouth One man said Lunn repeatedly tried to push his pyjama pants down under a sleeping bag at a school camp One woman said she now considered Lunn’s touching as more insidious than a smack on her bottom “If the accused had engaged in some legitimate form of corporal punishment there was no need for his hand to go under her school dress,” the judge said McGuire variously described the complainants as intelligent The judge did not accept they had fabricated their evidence due to a financial motive or collective vengeance against Lunn One complainant was candid about his desire to receive victims’ compensation but said he came forward “to right a wrong because of what had occurred to him” and “to put a monster behind bars” Another complainant disagreed that she was financially motivated and said: “I am here for me.” A number of the complainants came forward after Lunn’s 2022 arrest following a police media release and coverage by the Herald Lunn was convicted of the 13 offences which carry maximum penalties of up to 10 years behind bars Prosecutors applied for Lunn to be detained and is due to face a sentence hearing on June 20 Get alerts on significant breaking news as it happens. Sign up for our Breaking News Alert today brings a measure of accountability,\\u201D one victim said He said being \\u201Cchild of the week\\u201D in Lunn\\u2019s eastern suburbs classroom \\u201Chad a dark side to it\\u201D and \\u201Cwe may never know the hidden cost of his abuse\\u201D But Lunn\\u2019s lawyers argued he was a victim of \\u201Crumours and scuttlebutt\\u201D and contaminated student recollections who packed the courtroom for Judge Paul McGuire\\u2019s verdicts \\u201CWe especially acknowledge those who came forward in 1985,\\u201D the victim said \\u201CToday\\u2019s judgment is a vindication of their courage.\\u201D but it \\u201Cwasn\\u2019t sexual\\u201D and there were \\u201Cno sneaky little things\\u201D Lunn said there may have been times when he stuck his hand in a child\\u2019s pants Lunn\\u2019s barrister Pierre de Dassel had submitted his client should be accepted as \\u201Centirely truthful\\u201D But the judge found Lunn\\u2019s account to be \\u201Cunsatisfactory and unconvincing\\u201D \\u201CI generally find his account to be unbelievable,\\u201D McGuire said but alleged it was a \\u201Cfacade of opportunistic McGuire noted one complainant recalled Lunn as a \\u201Cplayful teacher\\u201D who made everybody laugh described the accused as being \\u2018like the Pied Piper\\u2019,\\u201D the judge said kissing and on one occasion putting his penis against a boy\\u2019s mouth One woman said she now considered Lunn\\u2019s touching as more insidious than a smack on her bottom \\u201CIf the accused had engaged in some legitimate form of corporal punishment there was no need for his hand to go under her school dress,\\u201D the judge said One complainant was candid about his desire to receive victims\\u2019 compensation but said he came forward \\u201Cto right a wrong because of what had occurred to him\\u201D and \\u201Cto put a monster behind bars\\u201D Another complainant disagreed that she was financially motivated and said: \\u201CI am here for me.\\u201D A number of the complainants came forward after Lunn\\u2019s 2022 arrest following a police media release and coverage by the Herald Get alerts on significant breaking news as it happens have listed their long-time family home in Vaucluse with a price guide of $23 million The couple have rebuilt the house from the ground up since they purchased the dual-access block with harbour views in 1997 for $2,515,000 They commissioned a beautiful design by Argentinian Diego Balagna four-bathroom home that won the Master Builders Excellence Award at the time son of late grazier and Olympian Bruce Haslingden was based in the US for years where he was Rupert Murdoch’s Fox Networks president before he resigned in 2012 and took up the job of overseeing Nine (publisher of this masthead) the following year until 2016 The Cooma-born 64-year-old now heads up RACAT Group production and digital company that runs Junkee game developer and publisher Runaway Play and Northern Pictures behind TV shows such as Love on the Spectrum Alexa was notable in her own right before marrying David as the daughter of Hugh Cullman who was the president of American multinational tobacco company Philip Morris who spent decades selling Marlboros to the world Alexa’s family background no doubt warranted her wedding to David announced in the pages of The New York Times in 1991 The New York City-born 66-year-old was until last year the chairwoman of Lou’s Place at the Marmalade Foundation a drop in refuge serving women across Greater Sydney She is still a director at the foundation as well as a director at RACAT Group Low-key McDonald’s moguls list their exquisite $30m Central Coast home Retail mogul splashes $12 million to buy his neighbour’s house While the pair are downsizing from one of the largest land holdings in the blue-chip neighbourhood they still own a waterfront house across the road which they purchased from Carlene Blumberg This is the Haslingdens’ second crack at selling the home, after it was first listed last year with hopes of $25 million. It is being sold through Alison Coopes in an expression of interest campaign. Further down the road, in Vaucluse, specialist plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr Bish Soliman and his wife Toni are offloading their four-bedroom, four-bathroom house with uninterrupted views of Sydney Harbour after just four months of owning it. The pair purchased the home sold by Peter Ludwig and Debbie Ludwig, fashion designer of Knitting de Paris, for $16.5 million in August last year. The Solimans had plans to build a family compound after snapping up the neighbouring home three months later for circa $22 million, local sources say. But Soliman, who was part of a team of top doctors at Westmead who helped a shark attack victim regain the use of their right hand, and Toni seem to have had a change of heart and are keen to call the neighbouring property, which is yet to settle, home. The home has a price guide of $16.5 million and is being sold through David Malouf of Highland, who declined to comment. It is scheduled to go under the hammer on March 27. In Balgowlah Heights, Stephen Dunne, former chief executive of AMP Capital, and his wife Sally Treeby, former chairperson of humanitarian organisation for girls Plan International Australia, have listed their beautiful Balgowlah Heights home with a guide of $7.9 million. The couple, who also run family-owned cattle stud Myanga Angus, have called the northern beaches property home since 1999, when they paid $1,315,000. In that time they have rebuilt a five-bedroom, three-bathroom modern sanctuary on the 879-square-metre block, which has been redesigned by Caroline Pidcock with stunning views from North Harbour to Manly Cove and over Manly Village out to the ocean. The home is within minutes of Forty Baskets Beach and Tania Park. The pair have a keen interest in philanthropy and environmentalism, with Dunne holding numerous board and chair positions, including director of Greening Australia as well as a director and chair of the Investor Group on Climate Change, the leading network for institutional investors’ response to climate risk. He is also a board director and chair of the Investment Committee at CBUS. Treeby was also a former director of Sydney Community Foundation. The home is being sold through Kingsley Looker of Clarke & Humel Property. It is going to auction on March 1. The information on this website is intended to be of a general nature only and doesn't consider your objectives, financial situation or needs. where we are privileged to live and operate Vaucluse has a $9m guide for a February 20 auction have listed their Vaucluse home as the Sydney prestige market roars back to life The six-bedroom home at 3 Billong Ave has a $9m guide for a February 20 auction via Ray White Double Bay principal Elliott Placks and his colleague who created his firm Scent Central in 2016 having previously manufactured and promoted toilet paper made from bamboo bought the home for $1.85m in 2004 but they did a major extension and reno in 2023 Placks says his listings are up on the same time last year and he’s getting good interest but we’re coming up strong for 2025,” he said Ray Martin’s $8m home sale bonanza Damien Scarf manufactured toilet paper made of bamboo bought the home for $1.85m in 2004 but they did a massive extension and reno in 2023 “We’re getting offers already on houses at their guide level and we’re continuing to see strong momentum in the market.” Maclay Longhurst of Sotheby’s says he’s also seeing good numbers at open homes “We’re seeing some really good confidence ahead of interest rate cuts,” he said “A lot of buyers want to dive in now before the market takes off.” Records show it was bought by Ahmad Dandan The other (larger) penthouse recently sold for $7,375,000 to Bellevue Hill downsizers MORE: Best suburbs to buy in, in 2025 Surry Hills has a price guide of $5.5m for a February 20 auction The Sydney Sotheby’s principal Michael Pallier is expecting international buyers to capitalise on the weak Australian dollar it’s very good for overseas buyers looking at Australian property and of course the Hong Kong dollar and the Chinese currency is linked to the US dollar,” Pallier said He says he already has local interest in a Spanish Mission-style mansion on almost 1100 sqm owned by prominent lawyer John Landerer and his wife Michelle at 40 Coolong Rd, Vaucluse which comes with DA approved plans for a new trophy home and has a $23m price guide “It’s a prized street and the price isn’t stratospheric,” he said MORE: ‘Game changer’: Buyers flock to surprise suburbs The couple bought it for $18m from Charles Fairfax Pillinger principal Brad Pillinger is also optimistic Pillinger sold last year’s most expensive house, Elaine, for $130m last October in conjunction with Ken Jacobs of Forbes Global Properties on behalf of the billionaire Atlassian co-founder The property is yet to settle and neither will comment on the purchaser MORE: ‘Brainless’ way 23yo added $500k to home value third parties have written and supplied the content and we are not responsible for it completeness or reliability of the information nor do we accept any liability or responsibility arising in any way from omissions or errors contained in the content We do not recommend sponsored lenders or loan products and we cannot introduce you to sponsored lenders We strongly recommend that you obtain independent advice before you act on the content realestate.com.au is owned and operated by ASX-listed REA Group Ltd (REA:ASX) © REA Group Ltd. By accessing or using our platform, you agree to our Terms of Use. Maclay Longhurst of prestige agent Sotheby’s is well-versed in handling pricey sales in Sydney’s eastern suburbs and spruiking the potential of a renovator’s delight in a great location it turns out he practises what he preaches having paid about $27 million for a house on one of Vaucluse’s best streets Read MoreLuxury propertySalesLatest In ResidentialFetching latest articles A teacher at Vaucluse Public School in Sydney’s eastern suburbs had been charged with sexually abusing students was splashed on the front page of the Wentworth Courier in March 1985 Michael Anthony Lunn outside court during his judge-alone trial.Credit: James Brickwood Three trials in successive years ultimately resulted in not guilty and directed verdicts the newspaper article was tendered to Downing Centre District Court as Lunn faces a judge-alone trial accused of abusing eight other boys and girls in the 1980s when they were aged five to eight The 71-year-old has pleaded not guilty to four counts of sexual assault of a child and 11 counts of indecent assault of a child including two considered alternative charges The mother of one of the present complainants told the court that within a week of the newspaper article her son said words to the effect of “that’s what Mr Lunn did to me” She said police had asked to interview her son one evening but “I didn’t make arrangements for that to occur” “There’s nothing that I can say that’s going to justify why I didn’t,” the mother said adding that not reporting the matter was one of the “biggest regrets” of her life “I think I was naive; I didn’t fully understand what had happened to [my son] and the repercussions of that on his life,” the woman said “I felt that we could protect him within our own family.” She said there was “talk in the playground” among parents and teachers and “a lot of tension at school” has alleged Lunn put his hands down his pants and “molested” him on the school grounds The man was asked about “bad memories” of Lunn and recalled his teacher once putting a bedsheet on the ground and playing Lionel Richie’s Dancing on the Ceiling In response to Lunn’s barrister Pierre de Dassel suggesting the song was released after the alleged abuse the man said he thought Lunn “obtained it before it got released He disagreed that he was making the accusations against Lunn so he could get compensation for the matter The Crown alleges Lunn had a sexual interest in children and a tendency to indecently touch or commit sexual acts towards students at the school “Much of the classroom offending allegedly occurred when the accused had the student sitting on his lap,” Crown prosecutor Sara Gul said in her opening address Michael Anthony Lunn has pleaded not guilty to charges against eight students.Credit: James Brickwood She alleged this included while reading at his desk or during show-and-tell as he sat at the back of the room said he felt “really embarrassed and ashamed” and “pretty scared” after he claimed Lunn kissed him on the lips That man alleged on an overnight school camp “Mr Lunn pushed my pants down with his right hand” while reading or telling a story as the children went to sleep and he … pushed down my pants again,” he said he denied making the events up and said he had had no contact with anyone from his class in the decades since leaving the school A third complainant said Lunn had been a playful teacher who “made everybody laugh” and he remembered seeing him walking around the school with “lots of kids around him … like a Pied Piper” He alleged Lunn put his hands down his school shorts as he sat on his lap which he believes was after he was appointed “child of the week” The complainant said he had been “scared” and “froze” He could not recall telling anybody about it between when it happened “But my mother later told me that I told her,” he said “I thought that Mr Lunn had been charged and dealt with previously … I can recall everybody talking about it.” Another complainant alleged Lunn would put her between his legs as he marked her work and run his hands over her body underneath her uniform She said she was “terrified and confused” and had an “impending sense of doom” when called to his desk The woman said she told her mother but was briefly sent back to school This led to a difficult and tense relationship between them in the decades that followed Prosecutors allege Lunn also digitally penetrated some students for reasons including potential prejudice from evidence about his previous trials The prosecutor said Lunn started working at the Department of Education in 1979 She said the initial allegations “triggered” Lunn to leave the Vaucluse school in 1985 but he “ultimately resumed his employment” with the department as a teacher elsewhere around 1989 until he medically retired in 1999 Gul claimed that Lunn filled out a worker’s compensation medical certificate in October 1998 citing the date of his injury as 1985 and the cause as being “more than a decade of false accusations” Lunn was arrested over the present allegations in August 2022 although some complainants came forward after that The prosecutor said Lunn told police he had been a “hands-on teacher” and his “acts have been interpreted incorrectly” Lunn’s trial continues before Judge Paul McGuire Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter A teacher at Vaucluse Public School in Sydney\\u2019s eastern suburbs had been charged with sexually abusing students her son said words to the effect of \\u201Cthat\\u2019s what Mr Lunn did to me\\u201D but \\u201CI didn\\u2019t make arrangements for that to occur\\u201D \\u201CThere\\u2019s nothing that I can say that\\u2019s going to justify why I didn\\u2019t,\\u201D the mother said adding that not reporting the matter was one of the \\u201Cbiggest regrets\\u201D of her life \\u201CI think I was naive; I didn\\u2019t fully understand what had happened to [my son] and the repercussions of that on his life,\\u201D the woman said \\u201CI felt that we could protect him within our own family.\\u201D She said there was \\u201Ctalk in the playground\\u201D among parents and teachers and \\u201Ca lot of tension at school\\u201D has alleged Lunn put his hands down his pants and \\u201Cmolested\\u201D him on the school grounds The man was asked about \\u201Cbad memories\\u201D of Lunn and recalled his teacher once putting a bedsheet on the ground and playing Lionel Richie\\u2019s Dancing on the Ceiling In response to Lunn\\u2019s barrister Pierre de Dassel suggesting the song was released after the alleged abuse the man said he thought Lunn \\u201Cobtained it before it got released \\u201CMuch of the classroom offending allegedly occurred when the accused had the student sitting on his lap,\\u201D Crown prosecutor Sara Gul said in her opening address said he felt \\u201Creally embarrassed and ashamed\\u201D and \\u201Cpretty scared\\u201D after he claimed Lunn kissed him on the lips \\u201CMr Lunn pushed my pants down with his right hand\\u201D while reading or telling a story as the children went to sleep and he \\u2026 pushed down my pants again,\\u201D he said A third complainant said Lunn had been a playful teacher who \\u201Cmade everybody laugh\\u201D and he remembered seeing him walking around the school with \\u201Clots of kids around him \\u2026 like a Pied Piper\\u201D which he believes was after he was appointed \\u201Cchild of the week\\u201D \\u201CI think that\\u2019s how I got on his lap The complainant said he had been \\u201Cscared\\u201D and \\u201Cfroze\\u201D \\u201CBut my mother later told me that I told her,\\u201D he said \\u201CI thought that Mr Lunn had been charged and dealt with previously \\u2026 I can recall everybody talking about it.\\u201D She said she was \\u201Cterrified and confused\\u201D and had an \\u201Cimpending sense of doom\\u201D when called to his desk Lunn\\u2019s case is being decided by a judge She said the initial allegations \\u201Ctriggered\\u201D Lunn to leave the Vaucluse school in 1985 but he \\u201Cultimately resumed his employment\\u201D with the department as a teacher elsewhere around 1989 until he medically retired in 1999 Gul claimed that Lunn filled out a worker\\u2019s compensation medical certificate in October 1998 citing the date of his injury as 1985 and the cause as being \\u201Cmore than a decade of false accusations\\u201D The prosecutor said Lunn told police he had been a \\u201Chands-on teacher\\u201D and his \\u201Cacts have been interpreted incorrectly\\u201D Lunn\\u2019s trial continues before Judge Paul McGuire Start the day with a summary of the day\\u2019s most important and interesting stories Sandy Bay is known for its pristine beach, yacht clubs and River Derwent views. Beyond its charm and good looks, the neighbourhood’s five-minute drive to the CBD offers locals a level of convenience the mainland’s prestige market could only dream of. Similarly to Toorak in Melbourne or Vaucluse in Sydney, Sandy Bay is well-established as Hobart’s most prestigious suburb. Its median house price is $1,200,226, according to the Domain House Price Report for December 2024. This price point is considerably lower than that of Vaucluse ($7.445 million) or Toorak ($4.2 million), and makes a compelling case for those looking to enter a prestige market for less. Further north on the mainland, Brisbane’s most affluent suburb, New Farm, has a median house price of $2.8 million – more than double that of Sandy Bay.  they can buy something [within Sandy Bay’s median house price] and they can buy a shack or a boat for the weekend,” he says “That’s the sort of pitch that I like to put to people: Sell up in one of the bigger markets and put some cash in your pocket as well after doing all that Where you can buy close to Sorrento but for a median house price $1 million lower French villa hidden in the Macedon Ranges on the market Historic waterfront Williamstown estate Mandalay for sale after 80 years considering Tasmania’s top-tier property market has a median $445,218 lower than that of Sydney’s overall house market The most desired pocket of Sandy Bay is below Churchill Avenue, where larger period homes stand tall, says agent Georgie Rayner of The Agency Hobart. “I often get asked for properties that are in between Lambert Avenue and Fisher Avenue, and below Churchill Avenue,” she says. “This pocket of Sandy Bay is certainly considered very desirable; it has the older, larger homes with garden space, off-street car parking, the ceiling height, the size of the rooms.” 1 Bath3 ParkingView listing The suburb is also known for its diverse mix of modern homes, and most houses in the area are known for their stellar views. “A huge attraction of Sandy Bay is its views, so pretty much every home, obviously with exceptions, has a view,” Rayner says. “The further up the hill you go, the more magical the views get. “You can see the finish of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race. You can see the cruise ships that come in. You can see the night lights on the Tasman Bridge.” The area’s vibrant lifestyle and easy access to the CBD are also winners for house hunters. Some locals no longer start their car engines because they’re so close to everything – they walk. 4 Baths2 ParkingView listing “Some people in Sandy Bay don’t even need a car,” says agent Ant Manton of LJ Hooker Pinnacle Property. “If you’re in the right location you can literally walk to everything. “You’ve got great restaurants, you’ve got shopping, you’ve got supermarkets and transport, and it’s a very easy commute to the city.” While it is typically a tightly held neighbourhood, both Rayner and Manton have seen more for-sale signs popping up in the area. The average days on market in the ABS SA4 Hobart region have increased from 65 to 82 days in the past year, according to Domain data. 2 Baths4 ParkingView listing These slowing market conditions might just be the nudge that potential buyers need to make a move, Rayner says. “If you are in the market, and if you feel an attraction to a property, may I really strongly encourage you to start a conversation with your agent,” she says. “I’m finding a lot of vendors are quite comfortable with a longer settlement. It’s a good time to buy.” The mystery buyer of a $52 million Vaucluse waterfront property has turned out to be a low-profile businesswoman Zhang Wen who has taken the keys to the six-bedroom home of late mining boss Paul Lincoln-Smith and his widow beverage and medicine giant Goubuli Group and daughter of the company’s chairman Sydney’s trophy home revival is continuing with the sale of freight boss Arthur Tzaneros’s Vaucluse mansion after 21 months on the market The five-bedroom, six-bathroom residence on a massive 2266sqm block at 26-27 Olola Ave — with pool championship-sized tennis court and harbour views to the Manly headlands — was most recently listed with Highland Double Bay Malouf director David Malouf in conjunction with Michael Pallier of Sotheby’s But the listing has disappeared off all property portals Thursday morning the agents wouldn’t comment but other sources have confirmed it’s been sold to an unknown buyer The stunning property was launched to the market in June 2023 with what proved over-ambitious hopes of $50m-$55m with different agents Roosters star snaps up North Bondi investment pad The five-bedroom mansion on a massive 2266sqm block comes with a pool and championship-sized tennis court but two years later snapped up an award-winning Bellevue Hill mansion owned by flowers wholesaler Leo Lynch which they bought via Raine and Horne Double Bay’s Alex Lyons and Pillinger’s Brad Pillinger The sale continues a string of trophy home sales in Sydney’s east recently with many of them having been on the market for months or even a year These included a Watsons Bay waterfront occupied just twice a year that sold for more than $35m on March 7 Watsons Bay residence — owned by Gee Soon Low of the billionaire Malaysian family behind well-known developer Low Yat Group — was first listed with a guide of $50m last April MORE: $234k a year: The tradie ‘to blame’ for housing crisis The sales agents had been Steven Zoellner of Laing + Simmons Double Bay and Pallier of Sotheby’s a Rose Bay harbourside mansion sold for about $55m after the vendor slashed the price by $20m The Bruce Stafford-designed six-bedroom residence at 12 Dumaresq Rd owned by recycled shopping bag businessman Frank Qiang Geng and Juanjuan Zhao had been listed last June with $75m hopes last June other trophy homes have sold before they’ve officially hit the market A Bellevue Hill mansion owned by award-winning film producer Warwick Ross sold for close to the $50m guide nine days ago via McGrath Double Bay’s Luke Hogan and William Manning They’d planned a massive $66k international campaign but sold within days of the Wentworth Courier breaking the news of the planned listing MORE: Hidden public school premium costing parents $3m a stone’s throw from the beach in Sydney’s exclusive Vaucluse sits a wood-clad home with edgy views over the harbour Shiplap House is the brainchild of Chenchow Little Architects Each new house has its own voice and beautifully captures the essence of its location Chenchow Little Architects opted for an unusual treatment of the windows and smaller apertures to one side have operable timber shutters.Credit: Peter Bennetts Only a narrow laneway accesses the property “One of our starting points was the heritage timber Victorian cottages that surround us as much as the view of Sydney Harbour,” says architect Tony Chenchow who worked closely with his life and business partner While there wasn’t an opportunity to create one heroic picture window to the harbour the battleaxe block of about 500 square metres did allow for a diamond-shaped home with multiple windows that offer unimpeded sight lines through the surrounding timber dwellings Each space benefits from a different orientation and aspect Reflecting the surrounding timber cottages Chenchow Little Architects opted for shiplap timber cladding with large picture windows edged in steel and slightly angled “Even though the angle is approximately 5 degrees rather than your own reflection,” says Chenchow the external cladding also features a pointed edge across all three floors of the house “We didn’t want to mimic the past but respond to the context while also creating a contemporary home for a couple with three young children,” adds Chenchow designed by landscape architect Sue Barnsley It’s only when passing the threshold that one’s eyes really go into overdrive with a curvaceous concrete staircase linking the home’s three levels As with a number of the architects’ designs there is a distinctive thread of less is more Apart from the timber floors in the bedrooms on the middle level other floors are made of polished concrete and slightly angled concrete walls extend from the floor minimising overlooking of any neighbouring properties there’s a sense of transparency but also loose delineation – an outdoor courtyard pierces the core of the house “Our clients previously lived in an open-plan house and they were tiring of it but also to have spaces that could be separate,” says Chenchow who included a rumpus room at ground level The external cladding also features a pointed edge across all three floors of the house.Credit: Peter Bennetts Given the location and the fairly challenging weather conditions on the headland Chenchow opted for an unusual treatment of the windows with the large thermal glass windows being fixed and smaller apertures placed to one side with operable timber shutters allowing for ventilation when required “We saw these large windows like significant works of art framing each specific view not dissimilar to a photograph,” says Chenchow And rather than overstuff the interiors with Victorian furniture there are built-in leather lounges and oak veneer shelves to further declutter the spaces in this 250-square-metre home Instead of including additional shelves for areas such as the children’s bedrooms the 40-centimetre-wide sills double as display ledges for toys and books completely different to Chenchow Little’s other designs While some have compared this home to modernist houses found in the Hollywood Hills such as those by the eminent architect John Lautner making itself heard but not screaming for attention The Market Recap newsletter is a wrap of the day’s trading. Get it each weekday afternoon. On a landlocked site, a stone\\u2019s throw from the beach in Sydney\\u2019s exclusive Vaucluse, sits a wood-clad home with edgy views over the harbour. Shiplap House is the brainchild of Chenchow Little Architects, an architecture practice that rarely, if at all, repeats a design. Each new house has its own voice and beautifully captures the essence of its location. In the case of Shiplap, the design responds to past and present. The home\\u2019s plot, sliced off an adjoining house, is essentially landlocked. Only a narrow laneway accesses the property. \\u201COne of our starting points was the heritage timber Victorian cottages that surround us, as much as the view of Sydney Harbour,\\u201D says architect Tony Chenchow, who worked closely with his life and business partner, architect Stephanie Little. While there wasn\\u2019t an opportunity to create one heroic picture window to the harbour, the battleaxe block of about 500 square metres did allow for a diamond-shaped home, with multiple windows that offer unimpeded sight lines through the surrounding timber dwellings. As a result, there are few, if any, right-angled lines in the home. Each space benefits from a different orientation and aspect. Reflecting the surrounding timber cottages, Chenchow Little Architects opted for shiplap timber cladding with large picture windows edged in steel and slightly angled. \\u201CEven though the angle is approximately 5 degrees, you see some of Sydney\\u2019s landmarks, such as the Harbour Bridge, rather than your own reflection,\\u201D says Chenchow. As with Victorian timber fences, the external cladding also features a pointed edge across all three floors of the house. \\u201CWe didn\\u2019t want to mimic the past but respond to the context while also creating a contemporary home for a couple with three young children,\\u201D adds Chenchow, pointing out the vertical timber battens, with their filagree edges, as a contrast to the Victorian cottages, which have a horizontal arrangement. Accessed via a native garden, designed by landscape architect Sue Barnsley, the front door, with its protective steel awning, is not much more than a slot in the wall. It\\u2019s only when passing the threshold that one\\u2019s eyes really go into overdrive, with a curvaceous concrete staircase linking the home\\u2019s three levels. As with a number of the architects\\u2019 designs, there is a distinctive thread of less is more. Apart from the timber floors in the bedrooms on the middle level, other floors are made of polished concrete, and slightly angled concrete walls extend from the floor, minimising overlooking of any neighbouring properties. In the kitchen, dining and living areas, on the top level, there\\u2019s a sense of transparency but also loose delineation \\u2013 an outdoor courtyard pierces the core of the house, as does the staircase. \\u201COur clients previously lived in an open-plan house and they were tiring of it, keen to see their children, but also to have spaces that could be separate,\\u201D says Chenchow, who included a rumpus room at ground level. Given the location and the fairly challenging weather conditions on the headland, Chenchow opted for an unusual treatment of the windows, with the large thermal glass windows being fixed and smaller apertures placed to one side, with operable timber shutters allowing for ventilation when required. \\u201CWe saw these large windows like significant works of art, framing each specific view not dissimilar to a photograph,\\u201D says Chenchow. And rather than overstuff the interiors with Victorian furniture, there are built-in leather lounges and oak veneer shelves to further declutter the spaces in this 250-square-metre home. Instead of including additional shelves for areas such as the children\\u2019s bedrooms, the 40-centimetre-wide sills double as display ledges for toys and books. Shiplap House is certainly out of the box, completely different to Chenchow Little\\u2019s other designs. While some have compared this home to modernist houses found in the Hollywood Hills, such as those by the eminent architect John Lautner, this one has its own voice, making itself heard but not screaming for attention. The Market Recap newsletter is a wrap of the day\\u2019s trading. . Prominent Sydney lawyer John Landerer and his wife Michelle have listed their Vaucluse home complete with a hard-won development application for a new trophy home after a slew of high-profile neighbours objected to their initial plans for the site on prized Coolong Road in Sydney’s eastern suburbs This Coolong Road home was last sold by the Fairfax family for $18 million in 2022 The co-owner of Lowes Menwear has listed his Vaucluse home for forthcoming auction with an $18m guide following an upgrade to a Rose Bay mansion that cost nearly $40m The five-bedroom, five-bathroom residence on a 930 sqm block at 15 Serpentine Parade with indoor swimming pool and championship size tennis court Jeffrey Mueller co-owns the iconic Lowes brand with his sister The Muellers are moving to an “architectural masterpiece” designed by Studio Johnston at 1 Rawson Rd Rose Bay which sold last July via Biller Property’s Paul Biller and Ben Torban Media boss lists near Delta Goodrem It features a range of entertainment areas The Wentworth Courier broke the news of their $38.5m purchase last October noting at the time that it was likely that their current residence would appear with the Biller Property team soon It’s certainly got everything a family could ever desire the private north-facing backyard and the tennis court MORE: Nude model’s $12m problem The master suite features a granite spa bath There are a range of formal and informal living and dining areas The master suite looks particularly enticing with its granite spa; there’s a commercial grade lift that glides between all four levels; plus a gym and sauna The Serpentine Parade home is just one of a range of quality listings by Biller Property this February, with an eight-bedroom residence with iconic views at 770 New South Head, Rose Bay on offer for the first time in a century also with an $18m guide MORE: Secret Aussie homes owned by Hollywood stars In Sydney’s eastern suburbs yet another hefty trophy deal has taken place with logistics boss Arthur Tzaneros and wife Maude selling their Vaucluse home for about $45 million The property found a buyer after almost two years on the market and a $10 million price cut It is the latest in a string of pricey sales having been inked across Sydney’s blue-chip east over the past five weeks The flurry of top-end activity bucks the subdued markets trend that traditionally prevails during the countdown to a federal election The Vaucluse home of Mark Chikarovski is up for auction with a $14 million guide Never has a Sydney house with such current notoriety hit the auction market It is the Vaucluse home of Mark Chikarovski who awaits sentencing for his admitted role in a dark web drug supply operation The Dalley Avenue house has been listed for October 30 auction with a $14m guide through Ray White’s Elliott Placks who was the East Invest and Associates managing director had bought the six-bedroom house in February last year for $11.5m with his wife Hannah (who is not accused of wrongdoing) through Sotheby’s “Sitting atop the highly prestigious hills of beautiful Vaucluse boasting fantastic top-level views right out to the Harbour Bridge this exceptional property offers a lifestyle of unmatched grandeur and effortless comfort,” the lsiting says MORE: Home trick nets dad extra $426k a year Marketed as having a multi-generational floor plan it had been offloaded by Maravillosa Properties Pty Ltd which had paid $13.1m in September 2022 The glamorous beauty entrepreneur Linda Rogan fighting midweek Federal Court bankruptcy proceedings claimed that it was the tech billionaire Richard White who had bought the house through the shelf company for her to reside in But she claims she was locked out after their sexual relationship was discovered by White’s girlfriend Zena ­Nasser Chikarovski, the son of former Liberal leader Kerry Chikarovski, plead guilty to commercial drug supply and dealing with the proceeds of crime at a court hearing in June MORE: Prices cut by a third: NSW’s most discounted homes The home had previously been at the centre of a love triangle dispute between beauty entrepreneur Linda Rogan tech billionaire Richard White and White’s girlfriend Zena ­Nasser The home offers beautiful views of the harbour Agreed facts tendered to court revealed Strike Force CESTA was established by NSW Police to investigate the online darknet vendor handle ‘AusCokeKing’ The handle was operating on various darknet markets and since at least February 2023 meth and prescription drugs via the darknet marketplace – Abacus Market and he would use the Australian Postal system to distribute Orders were transacted with the exchange of cryptocurrencies MORE: ‘Danger’ suburbs where homeowners are losing money Natural lighting throughout the home is a highlight of the grand design Chikarovski is hoping to make several million dollars in profit on his purchase cost was authorised to make a series of controlled purchases of illegal drugs with ‘AusCokeKing’ from February 6 until May 16 last year and included 18 total transactions Chikarovski would usually drive in a Porsche Cayenne and drop the drugs off in a package at various express post boxes throughout Sydney’s eastern suburbs Some of the packages included a sticker thanking the buyer and asking them to leave “5 star feedback” Chikarovski was found in the master bedroom of his Meriton Apartment in Bondi Junction with police seizing various drugs and “61 items of interest” Police also managed to access his laptop and found numerous tabs open which were logged into the username ‘AusCokeKing’ Vaucluse sold for more than $50m last week Last week was a big week for trophy home sales and two of the biggest were by Highland Double Bay Malouf director David Malouf One was worth more than $50m for the Fitzwilliam Rd, Vaucluse waterfront home of Dawn Lincoln-Smith which last traded for £19,500 in 1958 when bought by Lincoln-Smith and her late husband Paul Lincoln-Smith the former chairman of Magnum Gold and Magnum Resources Done in conjunction with the Sotheby’s director That transaction was reported on over the weekend, but one that slipped completely under the radar was the circa $22m sale of a knockdown rebuild home at 3 Gilliver Ave, Vaucluse ahead of this Thursday’s scheduled auction It came with DA approved plans for a new home by Stafford Architects Mould palace sells $230k over reserve MORE: Crazy low price Australia’s most expensive street The 1980s home last traded for $6.5m in 2006 but sources says the deal was done on Friday night and the price went well over the $20m guide to the circa $22m range The mega price for the rundown five-bedroom property on the 707sqm block which has gun barrel views over Sydney Harbour is particularly strong given that a far superior home nearby sold for not much more last week The grand designer home at 10 Queens Ave, Vaucluse described as “reminiscent of a Hollywood Hills mansion” also had panoramic views of the harbour and it went for $26m via Alexander Phillips of PPD That’s still considerably more than the guide $20m+ guide when it was first listed in 2020 Vaucluse sold on Friday night for circa $22m It came with DA approved plans for a new home on the 707sqm block to capitalise on the iconic view The stunning residence is owned by the chief executive of Australian Natural Therapeutics Group designed by acclaimed architects X.Pace Design Group four bathrooms and a five-car garage and was on a larger 810sqm block than the Gilliver Ave property Also last week, EverBlu Capita founder Adam Blumenthal and his wife Annabelle Shamir sold their Bellevue Hill trophy home to Monaco-based expats in a late-night deal for about $43m The six-bedroom, five-bedroom mansion at 96 Victoria Rd was listed just three weeks ago in an expressions of interest campaign with a $45m guide via Ray White Double Bay’s Ashley Bierman and Elliott Placks with Pillinger’s Brad Pillinger Vaucluse is a grand designer home described as “reminiscent of a Hollywood Hills mansion” Independent sources say it’s now sold for about $43m with buyer’s agent Simon Cohen representing the purchasers He wasn’t available to comment on their identity but the sources advise they’re entrepreneurs Olivia Skuza and Heath Wells who will return to Australia in the New Year The couple are co-CEOs of e-commerce platform NuORDER And the Wentworth Courier also broke the news of a a Bellevue Hill designer home owned by a Westfield heir selling for about $24m — $6m less than the price guide of six months ago The incredible property at 22 Cranbrook Rd was listed with Ashley Bierman of Ray White Double Bay in conjunction with Michael Pallier of Sotheby’s And word on the street is that the deal was done at close to $24m It’s the iconic harbour view that makes 3 Gilliver Ave If quintessential Sydney Harbour views are top of the buying hit list then Gilliver Ave in Vaucluse should be high on the agenda Not only does the popular street have a magical vantage point for postcard vistas it sits just off Vaucluse Rd with an easy walk to both Kambala and Kincoppal schools While the gun barrel views of the landmark bridge are a major drawcard for potential purchasers of the five-bedroom home at number 3 its the approved DA for an even grander property that adds additional wow factor The Royals’ $150m+ Sydney home Resort-inspired features at the property include a wellness space with a pool spa and sauna … these may need a tweak or two Plans drawn up by Stafford Architects would see a new floor plan feature approximately 940sq m of internal living space on the 757sq m site you’ll end up with a $45m house,” said Highland Double Bay director David Malouf of Highland Double Bay Malouf who shares the listing with his colleague Harry Schier goes to auction on November 14 with a $20m guide The approved plans promise to redefine luxury design and will continue to focus on the world class backdrop from almost every room MORE: Aussie suburbs set to boom in 2025 The approved new floor plan offers 940sq m of internal living space … alternatively you could simply give the current home a makeover it’s so unique and really is an incredible opportunity,” says Malouf “Otherwise you could simply keep it as it is and update the existing floor plan which is a great family layout.” The family-friendly floor plan is fully functional as is incorporating four levels of living from a grand games room on the basement level up to an enviable roof top terrace that captures the best vantage point for all the harbour has to offer the formal and casual entertaining zones flow out to courtyards or the front veranda for all year round gatherings all five bedrooms have built-ins and big windows with either balcony access or a bridge and water outlook MORE: NRL TV star’s $1.4m baby buy The bones are good … check out the size of the kitchen In the palatial main there is a bath ensuite and a walk-in wardrobe Additional resort-inspired features at the property include a wellness space with a pool a games room or home cinema with powder room plus a large rumpus on the rooftop with a five star party panorama There is also the convenience of a private lift to all levels a four-car garage plus driveway spot The home sits between Queens Beach and Vaucluse House within close proximity to Nielsen Park as well as sought after schools “This is an exceptionally rare opportunity on a due-north parcel with gun barrel views over Sydney Harbour that offers a canvas for your dreams with DA approval,” says Malouf MORE: Inside the NRL’s slickest homes The Wentworth Road Federation-era mansion is owned by Mei Peng Mr Zhang owns mining exploration company Australian Hualong which is developing an iron ore project on Tasmania’s west coast relaunch and a 30 per cent drop in asking price was all it took to get the sold sticker up on the contemporary Vaucluse mansion owned by the co-founder and chairman of private credit fund manager AltX The Wentworth Road six-bedder first hit the market with another agency late last year but after successive price drops and a rest from the market a deal has finally been inked for the eastern Sydney abode Sydney is home to some of Australia’s (and even the world’s) most expensive properties Its notoriously robust real estate market has remained impressively resilient with property values defying predictions and steadily rising over the past 18 months Sydney has led the current property upturn - prices started to rise in January 2023 at a time when supply was thin and buyer demand increased This underpinned a price growth spurt across more than 90% of Sydney suburbs The influx of new listings this year has been matched by robust demand growth momentum has slowed since the beginning of 2024 the various sectors of the Sydney property markets will be fragmented Sydney auction clearance rates have been strong all year showing significant depth in the market and suggesting sale prices will continue to keep rising this year there are still some sought-after areas where demand is as high as ever and the prices are still sky-high and are likely to continue to remain so in 2024 some of the city’s suburbs are so tightly held that an available property for sale comes around once in a blue moon with homeowners holding onto their houses for as long as 20 years And areas in lifestyle or coastal suburbs are still in particularly strong demand as homebuyers wait to secure their dream property Here is a list of the top 10 Sydney streets with jaw-dropping properties and eye-watering property prices that some of Australia’s wealthiest people call home If you’re wondering where the city's richest people are residing here are the 10 richest streets in Sydney based on the highest house sale prices for the 2023/24 financial year Point Piper’s Wolseley Road has long been considered Sydney’s most expensive street and with 308 units the street came in first place once again with a record-breaking $80-85 million sale of Rockleigh a classic cottage on a 1284 sqm block taking up 120-122 Wolseley Road The sale is particularly impressive given it was bought by the family for just $325,000 in 1978 Billyard Avenue in Elizabeth Bay was home to the second-highest reported sale in the last financial year - again at around $80 million The street is a small cul-de-sac with so few houses that PropTrack has no median house price available - but the median apartment price over the past year was $985,000 The remainder of the list of the most expensive streets is all located in the well-known and high-priced suburbs of Vaucluse to be 6.1% higher over the past year and sit 4.8% higher than the peak recorded during the pandemic Sydney house prices are likely to deliver another solid year in 2024 increasing by 7-9% This will be underpinned by strong overseas migration a lack of supply of quality dwellings and very little new construction causing a significant undersupply of properties these are just averages and some locations will outperform others considerably particularly Sydney's middle ring gentrifying suburbs Sydney rents are likely to remain robust in 2024 due to a shortage of rental houses and apartments there will continue to be a flight to quality and the various sectors of the Sydney real estate market will be segmented There is a clear flight to quality with A-grade homes and investment-grade properties still in short supply for the prevailing strong demand but B-grade properties are taking longer to sell and informed buyers are avoiding C-grade properties At Metropole Sydney, we’re finding that both home buyers and strategic investors are looking to take advantage of the window of opportunity currently available to them while homebuyers are still actively looking to upgrade you're probably wondering what's the right thing to do at present You can trust the team at Metropole to provide you with direction Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced investor, at times like we are currently experiencing you need an advisor who takes a holistic approach to your wealth creation and that’s exactly what you get from the multi-award-winning team at Metropole protect and pass on their wealth through a range of services including: Lower Rates Drive Home Prices Higher Over April | Latest Housing Market Stats Dr Everything you need to know about the state of Australia’s property markets in 20 charts – April 2025 Brisbane Property Market Forecast [2025] – What’s Ahead & Where to Invest Melbourne property market forecast for 2025 | Is it a good time to invest in Melbourne and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Commercial Property — A Property Investor’s Guide 9 Steps to Getting Started in Property Investment House prices vs Inflation in Australia 2024 How to get into property development in Australia Top 15 Tax Deductions for Investment Properties in Australia Set on a generous garden block, the Vaucluse bungalow has seen some wear-and-tear over its lifetime, but presents ample opportunities for would-be buyers with a visionary eye and about $5.5 million to spend.  Established gardens in the front and back of the cottage offer respite from the hustle and bustle, with dense shrubbery and tall trees ensuring privacy from surrounding neighbours.  It’s the first time this house will change hands in over a century. For the past hundred years, the home has been “lovingly” passed down between generations of a single family, the listing says. With a $5.5 million price tag, the property represents a bargain for buyers in a suburb where the median four-bedroom home would set you back a cool $8,062,500. And according to the listing, there may be the chance to turn this quaint cottage into something more lucrative, with the listing noting there is “the potential for multi house development (subject to council approvals).”  Given the property’s idyllic location just minutes from the beach, the listing suggests that “a second storey addition would capture superb ocean views” of Sydney’s iconic harbour.  Vaucluse unit with 48 stairs and different wallpaper in every room? That’ll be $2.915 million Never struggle for New Year's Eve plans again with this Vaucluse property for sale This $1.5 million fixer-upper is 'not for the fainthearted' Shannan Whitney, co-director of BresicWhitney, is the agent in charge of the listing.  It is a far cry from the $2.85 million the Muellers paid for the prestigious address in 1993. The palatial home is set on 930 square metres and is the only house on the street with a tennis court and indoor swimming pool, according to selling agent Paul Biller of Biller Property. The Muellers have already made a move to Rose Bay after they paid $38.5 million for a contemporary house with no mortgage last year. Not a bad upgrade for a discount retail brand owner. Jeffery and his sister Linda Penn, who still own Lowes, have done well for themselves after their humble beginnings. They are the children of the late entrepreneur Hans Mueller, a refugee from Europe with an inspiring rags-to-riches story. He arrived in Australia in the wake of World War II with no money and few prospects. He opened his first menswear store in 1948 and in 1981 he bought the retail chain Lowes. By the time Mueller died in 2018, Lowes had 200 stores nationwide. Also in Vaucluse, the buyer of a $52 million home that sold in October has emerged on title records as Zhang Wen, a director of China’s food, beverage and medicine giant Goubuli Group, which has co-operating agreements with Blooms Health Products and the Gloria Jeans franchise. Trevor Matthews, the former AMP director who recently stepped down as chair of the State Insurance Regulatory Authority, and his wife Michele have listed their lush Palm Beach weekender with a guide of $28 million. What cost-of-living crisis? Ex-Woolworths exec sells Mosman home for $19m ‘Really unknown’: Sydney suburbs that home owners never want to leave Secret suburb with cheap beachfront property sees prices rise by 191 per cent over five years The Swell has had a complete redesign since the Matthews purchased the almost 1000-square-metre block on the northern beaches, one of only five properties on the street with dual access, for $5 million in 2014. The couple have added two luxury homes at either end of the dress-circle block with panoramic views of the beach. The six-bedroom, six-bathroom property has automated blinds, curtains and lighting as well as underfloor heating throughout. The property has a gas-heated wet-edge pool. It is being sold through Peter Robinson of LJ Hooker Palm Beach. Meanwhile, The Matthews’ Mosman home Yoorma is still on the market. Walsh Bay Partners chairman Arun Abey has emerged as the buyer of a Kirribilli apartment with knockout views of Sydney Harbour in the tightly held Greencliffe complex. The four-bedroom, three-bathroom property sold above the $10.5 million guide, sources close to the deal say. Selling agent Richard Shalhoub of McGrath Millers Point declined to comment. A former director of The Smith Family, Abey was awarded a Queen’s Birthday Honour in 2019 for his significant contribution to the financial planning sector, and to the community. Born to parents of Indian origin in Sri Lanka, Abey bought the deceased estate of the late Dr Siri Kannangara, a distinguished figure in sports medicine and a cherished member of the Football Australia family. He paid $3.2 million in 1999 for the harbour unit. Dr Kannangara joined the medical staff of the Australian national youth teams two years after emigrating from Sri Lanka in 1977. He went on to serve as the physician and consultant for the Australian Olympics teams at the Barcelona, Atlanta and Sydney Games. Property developer Chris Rose, of First Quadrant Properties, and his dietitian wife Laekin are hoping to fetch $25 million for their sensational refurbishment of their circa 1915 Edwardian manor in Mosman. The pair have spent between $7 million and $8 million on bringing the home into the 21st century with high-end finishes in every corner of the 1431-square-metre property. They have not only breathed new life into the facade, but they have also extended the five-bedroom, four-bathroom house from the back. They also added a two-storey guest house with a commercial gym behind a new pool, all replacing what once was a tennis court. It’s an impressive turnaround for the Roses, who purchased the home in 2019 for $7 million. The keen boating family has upgraded to a waterfront property. Closer to the water in Mosman, developer Abadeen has snapped up a block of four apartments a stone’s throw from Balmoral Beach. Abadeen executive chairman and founder Justin Brown, a Balmoral resident, inked the deal before Christmas Day within the price guide of $18.5 million to $20 million, according to selling agent Brendan Warner of Raine & Horne Mosman. Abadeen’s latest purchase will be the site of luxury apartments with house-like proportions. It will mark the fourth development for the company within 12 months. The block of four was sold by a syndicate of investors who had done little to the units other than maintain them since they purchased the block. The four homes were rented out for between $1000 and $1600 a week since 2015. 2024 - 4:51AMThe price is something all but the most privileged could even consider Vaucluse has sold for $26m after being rented for $7000 a week It's on one of the nation's most expensive streets with the median house price for the area a hefty $7.9m Of course a big reason for that eyewatering price tag are the panoramic views of what's probably the world's most famous harbour The property is a hefty 810sqm and the agent describes it as "reminiscent of a Hollywood hills mansion." It has a lengthy 26m of all-important waterside frontage. the home has space for five (likely very expensive) cars which the agent dubs "a contemporary masterpiece" Of course an infinity-edge pool is a must have when it comes to the most upmarket of real estate you have the choice of Queen Beach seconds away or walk to Milk Beach at the end of the road There are multiple entertaining areas outside so if you get bored of looking at one view you can just shift over to see something else Most of the bedrooms have harbour views so you can open your eyes and remind yourself of just how well you are doing There's also a self-contained studio for people you want to keep close Forget Netflix and chill on your regular sofa this house has a home theatre so you can catch up on The Block in comfort likely unbothered by the latest interest rate news and the agent notes there's plenty of space for parking "This is a home designed with entertaining in mind," they say All of the bedrooms have ensuites which are better than what you'd likely find in a five star hotel The kitchen is custom made by pricey brand Verenna Poliform though we're guessing the owners will probably leave the cooking to someone else There's also the millionaire's must have - a butler's pantry The glass walls create what every multi -million-dollar home needs- indoor/outdoor areas As well as the boaters on the harbour you can likely watch the regular people ride by on public ferries Another shot of the two-level mansion's outdoor space The cubic house looks spectacular all lit up in the evening  Sarah is a Nine.com.au Senior Journalist in Sydney Sarah has worked as a journalist for newspapers the UK and the Middle East covering everything from crime to showbiz She was named UK Lung Cancer Journalist of the Year and was nominated for a European Health Journalism Award for leading a stop smoking campaign for Glasgow’s Evening Times She was also part of the 9News.com.au team that won a Kennedy Award in 2020 and 2021 for outstanding online news breaking for coverage of the NSW floods and bushfire crisis She covers news for nine.com.au and also writes for 9Travel Contact Sarah on sswain@nine.com.au The price is something all but the most privileged could even consider Credit: Quinn Rooney/Getty ImagesThe Sydney Rooster charged with a serious driving offence - that carries a possible jail sentence - allegedly caused a car crash that resulted in a pedestrian’s foot being badly injured who did not appear in Downing Centre Local Court on Friday for the first mention of the case is accused of edging an Audi he was driving out a driveway without giving way which was hit by another car causing his car to hit the pedestrian “Officers attached to Eastern Suburbs Police Area Command arrived and found an Audi sedan Toyota SUV and Mazda SUV had collided after the driver of the Audi allegedly failed to give way,” police said Get the first look at the digital newspaper curated daily stories and breaking headlines delivered to your inbox Get the NewsletterBy continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.The alleged victim was taken to hospital for treatment of the serious injury who is set to partner in the halves with Sam Walker for the Rooters next year has been charged with negligent driving occasioning grievous bodily harm The charge carries a maximum nine-month jail term and an automatic driving disqualification period of three years The NRL was only informed of the matter on Thursday when news broke of the bombshell charge The NRL’s integrity unit is aware of the charge On Friday no plea was entered on Smith’s behalf and the matter was adjourned until next month Sydney was knocked out in the preliminary final by the premiership-winning Panthers. Already backed to start in the halves following Keary’s decision to retire from the NRL this year, Smith’s value then rose when Walker ruptured his ACL in August. He is therefore expected to start the year alongside Chad Townsend in the halves, with Walker not likely to return until months into the season. Smith, who resides on the Central Coast, played 15 matches in his rookie season for the powerhouse Bondi-based club and is a big part of the club’s plans 2025 title tilt. Latest EditionEdition Edition 5 May 20255 May 2025All-powerful Anthony Albanese says give me some R.E.S.P.E.C.T The home of radio shock jock Kyle Sandilands was surrounded by police and a K9 unit in the early hours of Tuesday morning following reports of a break and enter.  The Vaucluse mansion of Kyle Sandilands was swarmed by "about 30 police officers" and a dog squad in the early hours of Tuesday morning following reports of a nearby break-in.  shared that he was woken by security at about 2:30 am with "intruder alerts on the perimeter of the home." and two-year-old son Otto in the affluent Sydney suburb soon realised the "intruders" were actually police searching for robbers after several break-in reports "Apparently people were breaking into the houses on my side of the street only and I mean there's some big end-of-town people on my street," Sandilands told listeners on The Kyle and Jackie O Show on Tuesday "I'm the brokest b***h on my street," Sandilands joked before revealing it was "the guy who owns DoorDash or one of those things" whose house had been targeted the police were jumping over the fences with dogs," Sandilands described "There's about 30 cops in my street – it’s pandemonium." NSW Police confirmed they were called to Coolong Road "Officers attached to Eastern Suburbs Police Area Command attended and were told two men had been seen walking around the property," police said and two children who were home at the time were not injured in the incident." Sandilands and Henderson only just returned to Australia over the weekend after spending a week broadcasting their KIISFM program live from Los Angeles and Las Vegas holding a 13.7 per cent share of the audience ahead of 2GB’s Ben Fordham on 12.2 per cent beaten by NOVA Entertainment and SmoothFM 91.5 Add videos to your saved list and come back to them any time Justin Hemmes has allegedly been targeted by a man claiming to be a bikie who said the hospitality billionaire owed him money An 'agitated' Brendan Sean Cliff allegedly tried to get into Mr Hemmes' $100million mansion, known as The Hermitage, in Vaucluse, in Sydney's eastern suburbs Cliff allegedly claimed to be a member of the Comanchero motorcyle gang made a gun shape with his hand and demanded a meeting with the Merivale boss The police took out apprehended violence orders (AVO) against Cliff, 48, to protect Mr Hemmes, 52, one of his staff and a neighbour, the Sunday Telegraph reported Cliff was charged with stalking or intimidating Mr Hemmes' neighbour Sally Roth and the employee who was at his home at the time of the incident Daily Mail Australia does not suggest Mr Hemmes owes money or that he has any asssociation with bikies Police will allege a witness described Cliff as looking 'deranged' and that he was 'ranting' outside the heritage listed home Cliff allegedly asked to speak to 'Justin' and claimed to be part of the Comanchero He is accused of making the shape of a gun with his hand and pretending to fire it Police will allege Cliff approached Ms Roth who lives in the property next door to Mr Hemmes Cliff was charged with two counts of stalking or intimidating with intent to cause fear of physical harm to Ms Roth and another person The police took out three AVOs to protect Mr Hemmes He is barred from going within 500metres of Mr Hemmes' home or anywhere that he works or contacting him in any way Ms Roth is protected by similar conditions in AVOs taken out against Cliff which relate to them Mr Hemmes' business empire includes high profile hospitality venues such as the Establishment who was sent for a mental health assessment is unemployed and gets social welfare payments He was refused bail and has not entered a plea to the charges He is listed to face the Downing Centre Local Court on November 13 Daily Mail Australia has contacted Mr Hemmes seeking comment Major terror attack 'was just HOURS away' before it was foiled by the special forces and police:.. 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This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Sydney's affluent Vaucluse has welcomed a new boutique apartment development Aspire Developments has completed its luxury project Yugen a collection of garden apartments and a three-bedroom full-floor penthouse Designed by Koichi Takada Architects "Yugen" is derived from a Japanese aesthetic concept often associated with “an emotional response that is so deep it cannot be expressed in mere words" encapsulating a sense of elegance and serenity The project includes lush landscaped spaces designed by Sydney-based landscape architects Wyer & Co. featuring prominent trees that offer residents a sense of privacy Yugen Vaucluse is situated close to nature with access to coastal strolls along the Diamond Bay Cliffwalk The development is also conveniently located near cafes, restaurants, and a short drive from Bondi and Rose Bay We're on a mission to radically improve the quality of Urban communities being developed across Australia We aim to showcase every development in Australia to help you find the perfect new home Prominent Sydney lawyer John Landerer’s home renovations plans have certainly united neighbours surrounding the $18 million Vaucluse house he bought 18 months ago from Fairfax family heir Charles Fairfax a one-time confidant to the late Kerry Packer executor to Westfield co-founder John Saunders and lawyer for Chinese princeling Jiang Wei wants planning approval for $4.5 million worth of “alterations and additions” The application for what essentially amounts to a new dwelling with a pool seeks permission to exceed the usual the floor-space ratio and height limit on the 1081-square-metre block and also includes a “vertical glass feature” (otherwise known as a large window) overlooking the neighbours’ backyards was rejected by Woollahra Council last year after 26 objections from the likes of NRL legend Anthony Minichiello socialite Angelique Andrews and real estate guns Alexander Phillips and Jason Pantzer Even Woollahra councillor Merrill Witt weighed in about the extent of development of the site the proposed height and the removal of trees but is still drawing a chorus of objections from locals hoping to persuade Woollahra Council to withdraw its recommendation for approval of the new DA when it goes before the Local Planning Panel on Thursday Landerer is no stranger to large-scale home renovations indoor and outdoor pools and a separate function centre It was sold in 2022 for $62.75 million to Helen Huang wife of China’s billionaire car dealer Yi Huang the ABC’s Four Corners revealed alleged foreign interference in Australia by agents of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government the man our own Anthony Albanese called “the boss” While a government spokesperson expressed deep concern about the ABC’s claims the show wasn’t well-received by Labor backbencher and chair of the Parliamentary Friends of India group Andrew Charlton spirited away from his $16 million Bellevue Hill mansion to run for the South Asian migrant-heavy seat of Parramatta in the last election Labor MP Andrew Charlton is unhappy at the ABC’s report on Narendra Modi.Credit: John Shakespeare “We need to see balanced media coverage of the Australia-India relationship,” Charlton said in a media release on Tuesday The MP didn’t explain what exactly he found imbalanced about the ABC’s reporting Although he did use the press release to plug his own recent book on the subject handily attaching a pic of the cover to his press release As if the owner of a $40 million property portfolio needs to worry about book sales While the Rhodes Scholar is usually the smartest guy in the room Charlton’s latest tome reads like the kind of effort you write to justify getting parachuted into a seat that covers the heartland of Sydney’s Indian diaspora – ahead of three candidates with South Asian ancestry illiberalism and the normalisation of anti-Muslim rhetoric barely get a mention Case in point – during the country’s recent election where Modi triumphed despite unexpectedly losing his parliamentary majority the PM labelled India’s 200 million strong Muslim minority as “infiltrators” who “have too many children” the ABC journalist behind the Four Corners episode was effectively pushed out of India for reporting critically on the Modi government He did make an Instagram reel congratulating Modi on his re-election and praising his “strong leadership” though And when Australia’s public broadcaster revealed alleged espionage by agents of a friendly foreign power Peter Dutton’s plans to build seven nuclear reactors in Australia will cost taxpayers north of $60 billion The opposition leader revealed the sites for the reactors on Wednesday and admitted that by publicly funding his thought-bubble policy the Coalition had abandoned economic liberalism for the very visible hand of big government Two opinion pieces written by the Minerals Council of Australia boss Tania Constable show how confusing this ideological about-face is proving to be for an organisation that’s no friend to Labor governments published on Wednesday morning in The Australian Constable’s message was that government should get out of the way and let big business build those reactors “Let the market and its participants work out what is the best avenue for bolstering our energy system reducing emissions and putting downward pressure on energy prices,” she wrote But Dutton’s announcement indicated that the market and only Big Government could do what was needed In a subsequent opinion piece in The Daily Telegraph cobbled together hours after the opposition leader faced the media Constable made no mention of the market deciding simply urging the Albanese government to lift the ban on nuclear energy Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Prominent Sydney lawyer John Landerer\\u2019s home renovations plans have certainly united neighbours surrounding the $18 million Vaucluse house he bought 18 months ago from Fairfax family heir Charles Fairfax. Landerer, a one-time confidant to the late Kerry Packer, executor to Westfield co-founder John Saunders and lawyer for Chinese princeling Jiang Wei, wants planning approval for $4.5 million worth of \\u201Calterations and additions\\u201D. The application for what essentially amounts to a new dwelling with a pool seeks permission to exceed the usual the floor-space ratio and height limit on the 1081-square-metre block, and also includes a \\u201Cvertical glass feature\\u201D (otherwise known as a large window) overlooking the neighbours\\u2019 backyards. The application, designed by architect Domenic Alvaro, was rejected by Woollahra Council last year after 26 objections from the likes of NRL legend Anthony Minichiello, international lawyer Alison Pert, wife of former competition tsar Rod Sims, Daniel Chersky of investment house Alceon, socialite Angelique Andrews and real estate guns Alexander Phillips and Jason Pantzer. Even Woollahra councillor Merrill Witt weighed in about the extent of development of the site, the distance of set-backs, the proposed height and the removal of trees. The DA was amended this year, but is still drawing a chorus of objections from locals hoping to persuade Woollahra Council to withdraw its recommendation for approval of the new DA when it goes before the Local Planning Panel on Thursday. Landerer is no stranger to large-scale home renovations. His former home up the hill, known as Ganeden, included seven bedrooms, 13 bathrooms, garaging space for 20 cars, three kitchens, two internal lifts, home cinema, gymnasium, indoor and outdoor pools and a separate function centre. It was sold in 2022 for $62.75 million to Helen Huang, wife of China\\u2019s billionaire car dealer Yi Huang. On Monday, the ABC\\u2019s Four Corners revealed alleged foreign interference in Australia by agents of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi\\u2019s government, the man our own Anthony Albanese called \\u201Cthe boss\\u201D. While a government spokesperson expressed deep concern about the ABC\\u2019s claims, the show wasn\\u2019t well-received by Labor backbencher and chair of the Parliamentary Friends of India group Andrew Charlton, spirited away from his $16 million Bellevue Hill mansion to run for the South Asian migrant-heavy seat of Parramatta in the last election. \\u201CWe need to see balanced media coverage of the Australia-India relationship,\\u201D Charlton said in a media release on Tuesday. The MP didn\\u2019t explain what exactly he found imbalanced about the ABC\\u2019s reporting, nor return our calls. Although he did use the press release to plug his own recent book on the subject, Australia\\u2019s Pivot to India, handily attaching a pic of the cover to his press release. As if the owner of a $40 million property portfolio needs to worry about book sales! While the Rhodes Scholar is usually the smartest guy in the room, Charlton\\u2019s latest tome reads like the kind of effort you write to justify getting parachuted into a seat that covers the heartland of Sydney\\u2019s Indian diaspora \\u2013 ahead of three candidates with South Asian ancestry. Modi\\u2019s Hindu nationalist ideology, illiberalism and the normalisation of anti-Muslim rhetoric barely get a mention. Case in point \\u2013 during the country\\u2019s recent election, where Modi triumphed despite unexpectedly losing his parliamentary majority, the PM labelled India\\u2019s 200 million strong Muslim minority as \\u201Cinfiltrators\\u201D who \\u201Chave too many children\\u201D. Charlton had nothing to say on this, or about how Avani Dias, the ABC journalist behind the Four Corners episode, was effectively pushed out of India for reporting critically on the Modi government. He did make an Instagram reel congratulating Modi on his re-election and praising his \\u201Cstrong leadership\\u201D though. And when Australia\\u2019s public broadcaster revealed alleged espionage by agents of a friendly foreign power, the member for Parramatta picked a side, and it wasn\\u2019t the ABC\\u2019s. If the CSIRO\\u2019s analysis is correct, Peter Dutton\\u2019s plans to build seven nuclear reactors in Australia will cost taxpayers north of $60 billion. Adam Smith would be spewing! The opposition leader revealed the sites for the reactors on Wednesday, and admitted that by publicly funding his thought-bubble policy, the Coalition had abandoned economic liberalism for the very visible hand of big government. Two opinion pieces written by the Minerals Council of Australia boss Tania Constable, unsurprisingly a nuclear fan, show how confusing this ideological about-face is proving to be for an organisation that\\u2019s no friend to Labor governments. In her first op-ed, published on Wednesday morning in The Australian, Constable\\u2019s message was that government should get out of the way and let big business build those reactors. \\u201CLet the market and its participants work out what is the best avenue for bolstering our energy system, reducing emissions and putting downward pressure on energy prices,\\u201D she wrote. But Dutton\\u2019s announcement indicated that the market, left to its own devices, would be doing no such thing, and only Big Government could do what was needed. In a subsequent opinion piece in The Daily Telegraph, cobbled together hours after the opposition leader faced the media, Constable made no mention of the market deciding, simply urging the Albanese government to lift the ban on nuclear energy. It\\u2019s OK Tania, we\\u2019re confused too. Start the day with a summary of the day\\u2019s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. . AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) We’re sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. We’re working to restore it. Please try again later. Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Cricketer Steve Smith has sold his Vaucluse mansion for $12.38 million, almost double what he paid for the property little more than two years ago. The Kings Road house went under the hammer on Thursday evening, with competition from two buyers pushing the price well above the $6.6 million that Smith and partner Dani Willis bought the block for in 2020. The four-bedroom, three-bathroom residence was recently redesigned. The pair has transformed the home in the short time frame, turning it into a far more luxurious residence by McKim Design. Four parties registered to bid on the four-bedroom, three-bathroom house, and bidding opened with an offer of $11.5 million. Auctioneer Damien Cooley, of Cooley Auctions, then asked for minimum bids of $250,000, before adjusting that to $100,000 increases when the crowd held back. Bidding rose in $100,000 jumps to $12 million, with a family from the north shore and another from the eastern suburbs competing for the keys. “I can’t sell it at this number,” Cooley told the crowd when bidding stalled at the $12 million mark. From there the offers climbed in $50,000 jumps to $12.35 million. A final $30,000 raise, after Cooley again knocked back smaller increases, took the bidding to the $12.38 million sale price. The property sold through Raine & Horne Double Bay’s Albert Sassoon and Frank Colacicco, of Bentley Estate Agents. Sassoon did not take the property to market with a price guide, but said before the auction that buyer feedback had been at $12 million. Steve Smith is not just a top batsman, but a keen renovator.Credit: Getty Colacicco said it was a great result and the vendors were happy with the sale. He said there had been strong interest throughout the campaign, with about 180 groups inspecting the home. Cooley added: “I think it’s a great result in the current market. It is a beautiful home, beautifully built, and it was a good result to have four registered bidders.” Marketing for the house described it as a “showpiece of timeless style and impressive dimensions” set “against a sweeping Sydney Harbour backdrop” and “brilliantly functional and luxurious”. There is a marble kitchen with butler’s pantry, an entertaining terrace overlooking a heated swimming pool, a home theatre, wine storage room with a wet bar, marble bathrooms, a double garage and high-end finishes that include heated floors, remote control functionality and external cameras. The Kings Road house last traded in 2020 for $6.6 million. Vaucluse’s median house price climbed 42.8 per cent over the year to March, reaching a median house price of $8,175,000, Domain data shows. Smith, billed as the world’s best batsman and one of Cricket Australia’s top five earners, has maintained a side-hustle in renovating property for almost a decade. In 2015, he bought a rundown house in Balmain East for $2 million that he rebuilt into what recent marketing described as “cutting-edge glamour”. It is leased for $2200 a week. A three-bedroom house in Balmain was also added in 2016 for $1.41 million in a company name in which Smith has a controlling interest. It was also renovated throughout and was leased a few years ago for $1600 a week. \\u201CI can\\u2019t sell it at this number,\\u201D Cooley told the crowd when bidding stalled at the $12 million mark. The property sold through Raine & Horne Double Bay\\u2019s Albert Sassoon and Frank Colacicco, of Bentley Estate Agents. Cooley added: \\u201CI think it\\u2019s a great result in the current market. It is a beautiful home, beautifully built, and it was a good result to have four registered bidders.\\u201D Marketing for the house described it as a \\u201Cshowpiece of timeless style and impressive dimensions\\u201D set \\u201Cagainst a sweeping Sydney Harbour backdrop\\u201D and \\u201Cbrilliantly functional and luxurious\\u201D. There is a marble kitchen with butler\\u2019s pantry, an entertaining terrace overlooking a heated swimming pool, a home theatre, wine storage room with a wet bar, marble bathrooms, a double garage and high-end finishes that include heated floors, remote control functionality and external cameras. Vaucluse\\u2019s median house price climbed 42.8 per cent over the year to March, reaching a median house price of $8,175,000, Domain data shows. Smith, billed as the world\\u2019s best batsman and one of Cricket Australia\\u2019s top five earners, has maintained a side-hustle in renovating property for almost a decade. In 2015, he bought a rundown house in Balmain East for $2 million that he rebuilt into what recent marketing described as \\u201Ccutting-edge glamour\\u201D. It is leased for $2200 a week. Prominent corporate lawyer John Landerer and his wife, Michelle, have staked a place in Sydney’s trophy-home record books after their Vaucluse mansion sold for more than $62 million making it the sixth most expensive house in the country The exact sale price will be left to settlement. But sources confirmed the property sold in recent days for more than the $60 million asking price and after almost three years on the market As the co-conspirators in one of the largest tax frauds in Australian history prepare to be sentenced in the Supreme Court on Tuesday across town high-end shoppers will have the chance to buy a Vaucluse house that was one of the frozen assets in the case Adam Cranston and Jason Onley were found guilty in March for their parts in the $105 million Plutus Payroll scam the proceeds of which were splashed on luxury cars and properties in the Hunter Region and Sutherland Shire The Vaucluse house purchased in late 2016 by Rachel Keary is being sold by the bank.Credit: Domain The scam was unravelled during Operation Elbrus in 2017 coincidentally just a few months after one of Cranston and Onley’s former business associates from another venture purchased the Vaucluse residence on prized Fitzwilliam Road for $8.75 million Freeze orders were lodged on the title in 2017 in the immediate aftermath of the Cranston investigation no enforcement action has been taken since There is no suggestion the house purchase is connected in any way to Cranston and Onley’s crimes and agents familiar with the upcoming sales campaign say it is being sold mortgagee-in-possession Sotheby’s Michael Pallier declined to comment on the planned marketing campaign but records show the three-level house set on 977 square metres has five bedrooms There is no price guide ahead of the start of the campaign but a notable comparison is the $15.8 million sale up the road by PR queen Roxy Jacenko albeit for a recently renovated house with harbour views Patrick Willmott and Dev Menon.Credit: Brook Mitchell Records show that among Keary and Onley’s shared corporate interests is their Ikeep Services business which previously ran an online bookkeeping and payroll management company from Bondi Junction The business was not involved in the notorious Plutus fraud Ikeep Services was previously co-owned by Cranston’s private equity company whose registered address on corporate records is Keary’s former Vaucluse house she sold in 2016 Cranston and three others – Lauren Cranston Patrick Willmott and Dev Menon – were found guilty earlier this year of conspiring to dishonestly cause a loss to the Commonwealth and plotting to deal with more than $1 million believing it to be the proceeds of crime Keary was in no way involved in their crimes The Vaucluse house is set on 977 square metres with five bedrooms a swimming pool and an internal lift.Credit: Domain The scam involved a tiered network of companies to skim PAYG withholding tax and GST from legitimate clients of the Plutus Payroll from 2014 to 2017 and failed to return to the Australian Tax Office $105 million In an interview in June from Silverwater prison submitted to the court, Cranston claimed Plutus “was to be a legitimate start-up company in 2014” “There were times I would feel really good play with a race car or buy things,” he said constantly worrying about getting caught.” allegedly generated significant funds from the scheme Cranston’s sister Lauren Cranston has already been jailed for a maximum of eight years Cranston and Onley’s fates will be determined on Tuesday by Justice Anthony Payne Their charges carry maximum penalties of 10 and 25 years’ imprisonment Adam Cranston and Jason Onley were for their parts in the $105 million Plutus Payroll scam coincidentally just a few months after one of Cranston and Onley\\u2019s former business associates from another venture There is no suggestion the house purchase is connected in any way to Cranston and Onley\\u2019s crimes Sotheby\\u2019s Michael Pallier declined to comment on the planned marketing campaign Records show that among Keary and Onley\\u2019s shared corporate interests is their Ikeep Services business Ikeep Services was previously co-owned by Cranston\\u2019s private equity company whose registered address on corporate records is Keary\\u2019s former Vaucluse house she sold in 2016 Cranston and three others \\u2013 Lauren Cranston Patrick Willmott and Dev Menon \\u2013 were found guilty earlier this year of conspiring to dishonestly cause a loss to the Commonwealth and plotting to deal with more than $1 million believing it to be the proceeds of crime In an interview in June from Silverwater prison submitted to the court \\u201Cwas to be a legitimate start-up company in 2014\\u201D but by 2016 \\u201Cit was all too late\\u201D \\u201CThere were times I would feel really good play with a race car or buy things,\\u201D he said constantly worrying about getting caught.\\u201D Cranston\\u2019s sister Lauren Cranston has already been jailed for a maximum of eight years Cranston and Onley\\u2019s fates will be determined on Tuesday by Justice Anthony Payne Their charges carry maximum penalties of 10 and 25 years\\u2019 imprisonment built in the mid-1960s to an adventurous design by the late Don Gazzard is seeking to flip the former Anglican church in Vaucluse Built in the mid-1960s to an adventurous design by Don Gazzard having been been listed through Ray White TRG with $10m hopes when offered by local brothers John and Phillip Townsend The property, at 32B Fitzwilliam Rd, Vaucluse now comes with approved residential conversion plans and new listing agents in Alan Fettes and Elliott Placks from Ray White Double Bay with $11m hopes MORE: Mortgage-free island escape comes with golf cart, $500k The brothers had paid $5.8m in late 2018 for the whitewashed brick church but it was decommissioned after weekly attendances dropped to just 13 The church features loft interiors with ceiling heights up to 12m The 1975 sqm Fitzwilliam Rd holding was sold by the church for $5.6m in 2017 to funeral parlour operator David Walker The property has been listed with $10m hopes The ecclesiastical example of the 1960s Sydney School style of architecture was once described by Gazzard MORE: Free home for sale in Sydney’s west George Michael’s $15m Sydney hideaway for sale ‘Sydney’s smallest house’ sells for record-breaking price Two of Sydney’s biggest property sales of last year are directly linked – a recent same-day settlement has revealed it was a $108.5 million double deal Property investor and lawyer Rebecca Lacey and her businessman and developer husband Simon Ehrlich have emerged as the buyers of Vaucluse’s landmark peninsula home Sydney’s most expensive homes don’t come cheap given a $60 million bottom line just to make the top 10 list so it is somewhat refreshing to see local fashion designer-made-good Nicky Zimmermann join the ranks of our top trophy home buyers The Vaucluse waterfront residence of agribusinessman and investment banker Garrick Hawkins and his wife Evelyn was previously for sale for $60 million until it was quietly withdrawn from property websites earlier this year was originally listed for $60 million before it sold.Credit: Domain The Coolong Road property never traded at the time but a title search this week revealed it exchanged on October 31 and interests lodged by HWL Ebsworth Lawyers reveal the buyer as Zimmermann and her husband Chris Olliver the chief executive of the Zimmermann global fashion empire but Hawkins was understood to have maintained $60 million hopes through the agent selling it who sources say had frequented the property in recent months with buyer’s agent Simon Cohen The fashion designer’s purchase underscores the success of her eponymous label since she started out selling her designs at a stall at Paddington Markets in 1991, and co-founded the fashion label soon after with her North Bondi-based big sister Simone Nicky Zimmermann (right) and her sister Simone founded the label in 1991.Credit: Antoine Doyen As many Australian labels were being hit by the retail recession in 2019 and pandemic constraints of more recent years Zimmermann has proved to be one of the industry’s success stories with dozens of stores worldwide and the Milan-based investment fund Style Capital acquiring 70 per cent of the label in 2020 for an estimated $446 million Zimmermann’s new house is a three-storey residence on almost 1700 square metres of waterfront The floor plan includes formal and informal living and dining rooms The harbourfront pool is adjoined by a boat shed Hawkins was managing partner at stockbroker Bain & Co in 1987 when he bought the property from the estate of the late industrialist Sir James Kirby for $3.55 million promptly lodging a DA to demolish the house to make way for his own architect Andre Porebski-designed residence Garrick and Evelyn Hawkins commissioned the designer house in 1987.Credit: Domain The Zimmermann-Olliver family are already Vaucluse locals Their current home on Hopetoun Avenue is a four-bedroom house with a swimming pool they bought in 2014 for $4.2 million Their soon-to-be new address on Coolong Road is billed one of Sydney’s best streets despite lacking the views to the Harbour Bridge that lure buyers to nearby Carrara Road and Point Piper’s Wolseley Road Her new neighbours are a roll call of identities from the rich list and financial circles the Transfield family’s Marco Belgiorno-Zegna developer Phillip Wolanski and currency trader Ivan Ritossa next door Coolong Road’s waterfront homes are owned by the likes of Ivan Ritossa Sydney\\u2019s most expensive homes don\\u2019t come cheap who sources say had frequented the property in recent months with buyer\\u2019s agent Simon Cohen The fashion designer\\u2019s purchase underscores the success of her eponymous label since she started out selling her designs at a stall at Paddington Markets in 1991 and co-founded the fashion label soon after with her Zimmermann has proved to be one of the industry\\u2019s success stories with dozens of stores worldwide and the Milan-based investment fund Style Capital acquiring 70 per cent of the label in 2020 for an estimated $446 million Zimmermann\\u2019s new house is a three-storey residence on almost 1700 square metres of waterfront Their soon-to-be new address on Coolong Road is billed one of Sydney\\u2019s best streets despite lacking the views to the Harbour Bridge that lure buyers to nearby Carrara Road and Point Piper\\u2019s Wolseley Road the Transfield family\\u2019s Marco Belgiorno-Zegna It is expected to be the third-highest house sale in Sydney this year topped by the sold his Vaucluse mansion for in February and the in Darling Point by medical entrepreneur Dr Glenn Haifer Vaucluse — even the pool — has an iconic view Standing with veteran agent Bill Malouf at this incredible mansion with a $41m+ price guide the wow factor was immediately evident — even in the pouring rain No matter which room you’re in — plus the huge full-width terrace and the pool, too — the five-bedroom residence at 13 Queens Ave, Vaucluse has a panoramic outlook taking in the harbour “The view is unbelievable — a 30m frontage to the harbour no other house has it!” the Highland Double Bay Malouf director exclaims Built in 2000 after a four-year build and owned by Hong Kong telco tycoon Canning Fok and his wife steel and glass structure on an 885 sqm block has a whopping 600sqm of floor space Former Sydney Swans’ skipper lists in Paddo Bondi Beach bargains The home has a huge rooftop terrace and a 30m frontage to the harbour including new tiles on the terraces and new roofing Apart from the view — ever-present even from the inbuilt-desks of each of the children’s bedrooms (what an inspiration) — other attractions include a home theatre Residents can travel between the home’s three floors and triple lock-up garage in their own private lift Thanks to the many skylights and the floor-to-ceiling glass doors The luxuries also include heated marble and stone floors and an integrated sound system too: in a secluded setting in a cul-de-sac with direct street access to Hermitage Reserve Vaucluse home on Wentworth Rd sells Says Malouf: “It’s the perfect intersection between seclusion and connectivity offering ultimate privacy while remaining immersed in Vaucluse’s most pristine natural amenity.” He says comparable sales include the waterfront mansion Villa Florida at 12 Tivoli Ave, Rose Bay bought by insurance broker Jim Angelis for $45m last September and corporate lawyer John Landerer and his wife Michelle’s $62m sale on the Vaucluse hillside at 38A Wentworth Rd in February The house was built in 2000 but has been updated since A four-level five-bedroom home on a much smaller 373sqm block at 3A Queens Ave — owned by Julina Lim co-director of Oceania Property Group — is rumoured to have just sold for about $27m “While there’s talks of the market cooling at the moment we’re seeing demand for the top-tier prestige market continue to remain fierce,” said Malouf where properties aren’t susceptible to fluctuating trends and the rise and fall of interest rates aren’t a deterrent for buyers in this bracket — we’re seeing prestige product sky rocket.” When Horace Edward Pearce Bracey spent the equivalent of $4220 on two parcels of Vaucluse land just before World War II he could never have guessed it would one day be worth in the vicinity of $50m The landmark waterfront property at 83 Fitzwilliam Rd has just been listed with Michael Pallier of Sydney Sotheby’s Realty — the first time in its 83-year history “This is just the most incredible property “I’ve been doing this for 25 years and I’ve never seen a property like this one “I fell in love with it immediately — it’s really a dream home,” he said Inside $30m Sydney hideaway of Chris Hemsworth Penthouse makes $4.3m over two years A unique residence on 1271 sqm with few comparable sales Pallier said he would let the market do the talking when it came to price because as you travel through the harbour it’s a home that has always stood out,” he said “There are a lot of people who’ve been waiting a long time for it to be listed “We’ve started an expressions of interest campaign with a guide of around $50m and we’ll just see where the market is at.” Pt Seymour — which is being marketed without any internal photographs — once belonged to Sydney Ferries Ltd Horace purchased one non-waterfront plot in December 1939 for 1300 pounds and later paid 810 pounds for land to the north east where an old concrete ferry wharf sat turning the acquisition into the prized harbourfront block it is today The unique residence is on a 1271 sqm waterfront block Original plans also show the high water mark which is indented into the northern tip of the land was sold to Horace by the Maritime Services Board in 1942 for a nominal 1 pound ($2) fee Although the 2110 pound total translates to $4220 in today’s money the real value would have been a $195,000 fortune The site was home to a local convenience store with much of the current home still bearing the hallmarks off the two-storey shop and residence which features a curved-frontage facing west is believed to have been built in about 1910 and remains today politician and author Williams Charles Wentworth sold the property to Sydney Ferries in September 1920 Horace named the property Pt Seymour using his father’s third Christian name but the Geographical Names Board of NSW waited until 1976 to officially title the point and publish it in the Government Gazette A lot of people have been waiting for this home to come onto the market Despite the long standing Vaucluse connection the Bracey family name is remembered in the Blue Mountains where Horace’s father owned and ran a retail store After five generations and 121 years in business Bracey’s at Lithgow became a Harvey Norman store in 2007 Horace engaged an old school friend turned local architect and Parsley Bay resident George Thomas to reimagine the waterfront shop George developed the premises by building around the existing structure with the original curved western front inspiring the curves to the north and northeast balcony extensions as well as the spiral stairwell Parsley Bay resident George Thomas reimagined the waterfront shop The extraordinary waterfront residence was Margaret Bracey’s home until she died last year at the age of 96 a small summer house and a fish pond on the wharf The extraordinary waterfront residence remained his home until he died in 1948 when it then passed on to his brother Eric Oswald Bracey who had stayed in Lithgow to run the family retail business holidayed at Pt Seymour and made a permanent move to the Sydney home by 1952 his son John Eric Bracey inherited the property which was leased until 1975 Upon his retirement John moved to Vaucluse with his wife Margaret and although he died in 2008 she called Pt Seymour home until she passed away last year MORE: Epic mansion easing Ash Barty into retirement Alan Jones to sell magnificent country estate Retail legend lists home next to Jen Hawkins’ $30m pad Prominent corporate lawyer John Landerer and his wife Michelle have staked a place in Sydney’s trophy-home record books after their Vaucluse mansion sold for more than $62 million The exact sale price will be left to settlement, but sources confirm the property sold in recent days for more than the $60 million asking price and after almost three years on the market 13-bathroom mansion is set on the Vaucluse hillside the sale ranks among Sydney’s top 6 house sales and becomes the second most expensive non-waterfront house in the country The most expensive non-waterfront house sale is next door to the Landerer home and is known as La Mer, which was built on a consolidation of three houses by James Packer and sold for $70 million in 2015 to Chinese-Australian businessman Chau Chak Wing is also built on a consolidated site from three houses set between Wentworth Road and Vaucluse Road and designed by architect Stephen Gergely with interiors by the late Frank Grill La Mer is the most expensive non-waterfront house in the country a one-time Kerry Packer confidant whose client list reads like a who’s who of corporate Australia sources say the buyer hails from China and has been circling the property for more than a year The Landerers were offered $62 million for their home in 2016 but the deal did not exchange The Landerers bought the first of three properties on which Ganeden is built in 1988 paying $5.2 million for the home of David and Agnes Ross adding two houses next door in the mid-1990s A vast internal floor plan almost matches the total 2400 square metre land size and is more akin to a mini-resort than a house a separate function centre and gardens by landscape designer Paul Bangay three years before the property was formally offered to the market Mr Landerer was offered $62 million for the property but was sold by an agent who was not advertising it Australia’s most expensive house sale is the $100 million Point Piper estate Fairwater, sold in 2018 by the Fairfax family to Atlassian co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes. Prominent corporate lawyer John Landerer has sold his Vaucluse home Ganeden The second most expensive house long owned by co-founders of Katies women’s clothing retail chain Joe Brender and his wife Gerda and the family of his late business partner Sam Moss It was bought by gold mining businessman John Li who is yet to settle on the purchase but is in control of a recently formed corporate entity Point Piper is also home to the $71 million waterfront estate Elaine sold to the other Atlassian co-founder Scott Farquhar in 2017 The Vaucluse waterfront residence Phoenix Acres also sold in 2017 when hotel tycoon Dr Jerry Schwartz bought it from Singaporean tycoon Chio Kiat Ow Sydney’s trophy-home market has had a late start to the year Prestige agents claim to have no shortage of buyers in the $40 million-plus range the most expensive house currently advertised for sale is the Southern Shire residence known as Nautilus which is on offer for more than $50 million This story has been updated to include the sale of Phoenix Acres Prominent corporate lawyer John Landerer and his wife Michelle have staked a place in Sydney\\u2019s trophy-home record books after their Vaucluse mansion sold for more than $62 million The exact sale price will be left to settlement but sources confirm the property sold in recent days for more than the $60 million asking price and the sale ranks among Sydney\\u2019s top 6 house sales and becomes the second most expensive non-waterfront house in the country The most expensive non-waterfront house sale is next door to the Landerer home and is known as La Mer which was built on a consolidation of three houses by James Packer and a one-time Kerry Packer confidant whose client list reads like a who\\u2019s who of corporate Australia Australia\\u2019s most expensive house sale is the $100 million Point Piper estate Fairwater long owned by co-founders of Katies women\\u2019s clothing retail chain Joe Brender and his wife Gerda Sydney\\u2019s trophy-home market has had a late start to the year This story has been updated to include the sale of Phoenix Acres.