St Aubyn’s, the Woollahra home of artist Elizabeth Wadsworth, has finally been sold. It has been on and off the market since 2013, initially listed at $10 million.

The prominent Queen St sandstone home, one of the suburb’s finest, was built in 1850. Set on a 442sqm, the three-bedroom house is built around a private courtyard. 

Wadsworth, a former interior designer, paid $940,000 in 1994, and then sympathetically doubled its size, excavating the downstairs and adding courtyards to bring in sunlight. 

It was all done in time to host the party after her 1997 wedding to sports management boss Robert Joske. The parties continued including Steve Waugh’s retirement celebration.

Wadsworth, who is represented in private and public galleries around the world, had it listed through Pauline Goodyer in conjunction with Randall Kemp of Ray White. Their most recent conservative price guidance was $8.5 million to $9.3 million. 

Sydney art patrons Gene and Brian Sherman sold their nearby Queen St home midweek, too. 

The 1880s residence Corinth fetched around $16 million through Ben Collier at The Agency.

This article was first published in the Sunday Telegraph. 

Offers close tomorrow (Tuesday June 19) for the Hawthorn home of the former Australia Post boss Ahmed Fahour.

Invergowrie has $40 million to $44 million hopes.

The marketing campaign copped a neighbouring rival listing when Avon Court (pictured above) was listed recently off market with $45 million to $50 million price hopes. 

The Hawthorn trophy home, Invergowrie was bought by Fahour bought off-market with wife Dionnie in 2013 for $22 million, when he was Australia’s highest-paid public servant.

The Victorian record likely remains unchallenged as it sits at around $52.5 million for the Stonington mansion in Malvern.

Its June 19 expressions of interest public marketing has surprised industry players since most record setters sell off-market or at private boardroom auctions.

Its marketing was launched on the listing agent's instragram, but there have been no internal photos made available.

Domain spruiked its internal access, but readers were only offered written impressions, not pictorial.

Fahour, now executive chairman of packaging group Pro-Pac, had renovated the historic home that sits on a 1.11 hecatre block, having lodged $4.5 million renovation plans.

Its features a five-bedroom main home, plus a three-bedroom brick house, a bluestone two-bedroom cottage and an old bluestone hall that can be used as a garage, gym or studio.

He reinstated a tennis court.

The property, once known as Burwood, features a working bell tower and a billiards room.

Fahour is downsizing after recently buying a $16 million mansion in Kinkora Road, Hawthorn. 

Nicholas Condon, former managing director of advertising agency DDB, and his interior designer wife Kate Beadle have snappily sold their Portsea property.

They had initial $3.65 million expectations for the Duffy Street beach home built in 2016, after the couple paid $1,105,000 two years earlier.

Blending classic beach house with 21st century refinement, the quintessential Morninington Peninsula holiday home has four bedrooms, three bathrooms and a swimming pool.

Kay & Burton agent Liz Jensen handled the marketing. The three interested buyers, with two on speaker phones in the late post-auction afternoon negotiations, saw it sell at $3.5 million plus.

Condon stepped downs ad DDB's managing director in 2013 to partner with Kate to develop property.

Last year they transformed an Armadale home which sold for $900,000 over reserve.

The five bedroom house sold for $5,925,000, three years after the couple paid $2,022,000 for what was then a Federation-era period home.

 This article was first published in the Weekend Australian.

The three level penthouse atop the Harry Seidler-designed The Cove in The Rocks has been listed for sale.

The Cove was one of the legendary architect's last Sydney residential projects.

The 2004-built skyhome, one of the largest penthouses in Sydney, has been owned by Europe-based businessman Graham Hellier, who paid $10 million in 2006 when it was sold by receivers after creditors foreclosed on the mortgage fraudster Kovelan Bangaru.

The apartment had been stripped back by aggrieved tradies who'd not been paid.

Hellier spent around $3 million refurbishing the space which comprising 485 sqm internal area and 180 sqm of terraces. 

Commanding a $7,500 a week rental in recent years, the 43rd floor glass wrapped lounge and dining zones offer 270 degrees views of the Sydney harbour backdrop. There's an imposing staircase up to four  bedrooms and a rooftop terrace with a spa pool.

McGrath Edgecliff agent Craig Donohue has the listing which has $30,000 quarterly strata levies.

Last year Magellan Asset Management executive chairman, Brett Cairns paid $7.5 million for the three bedroom sub-penthouse on the 41st floor.

This article was first published in the Weekend Australian. 

Olinda's Moorabinda, just outside of the Yarra Valley, has been listed for sale.

It was built by Melbourne architect Robin Boyd in 1962 for Joyce Bankin who owned the Coonara Springs restaurant next door.

The current owner Sally Whitford has owned Moorabinda, with her husband, Adam, who run the restaurant, since 2009.

They bought the house at 127 Olinda-Monbulk Road for $1,222,000, living there with their four children until a year ago.

For the past year they have rented it out as short-stay accommodation

It has been listed through Corinne Sukroo from Bell Real Estate Olinda who is seeking between $2,370,000 to $2,607,000.

The home of acclaimed Australian sculptor David Ball, is up for auction.

The property is on the edge of Mittagong's Lake Alexandra.

Ball, the current winner of Bondi's Sculpture by the Sea, has added sculptural touches to the lakeside property.

It is listed through Di Jones agent Daniel Garnett.

There have been renovations to the home, plus a newly designed and built steel arbour.

The property at 60 Alfred Street will be auctioned on June 30.

It has a price guide of $990,000.

Designer and sculptor Paul Begg has listed his long-held Wentworth Falls home he created.

He turned what was once an ordinary bungalow into a grand design of hardwood, timber, concrete and glass with sustainability in mind.

Having paid $180,000 for the cottage nearly 20 years ago, Begg's initial requirement was a north facing backyard.

He had custom steel windows and doors inserted to connect to the outdoors.

The level three zoned garden features mature apple, lemon, quince, olive and fig trees, as well as three bricked garden beds for veggies and herbs.

Wollami Pine flanks the driveway with a pink rhododendron, mature dogwoods, maples and cabbage palms.

The unique homestead has two separate living arrangements.

The front of the house, with a simple closing of a door, creates a separate two bedroom, self-contained cottage with its own living area, kitchen and bathroom.

Purcell Property agents Brenden Purcell and Daniel Jennings are marketing the property, which has been a star performer on AirBnb, with a $950,000 to $980,000 price guide. 

When he returns from the World Cup in Russia, veteran Socceroo Tim Cahill may be landing at a different airport.

The Sydney-born midfielder looks to be jacking in his life in Melbourne with a move back to New York on the horizon.

He'll no doubt be wanting to spend more time on his hobby farm in Byron Bay that he acquired late last year.

He was forced to leave Melbourne City in search of game time before the World Cup, which he found back in England where he made his name as one of Australia's greatest ever footballers.

He's listed the Lower Plenty home he bought in late 2016 having signed for Melbourne City when returning from China. 

It's been renovated under his interior designer wife Rebekah.

Cahill is looking to take advantage of Melbourne's strong property market in the last 18 months.

Having paid $2,775,000 18 months ago, he's now seeking offers between $3.5 million and $3.85 million through Morrison Kleeman agents Rocco Montanaro and Malcolm Perkins who sold him the home.

There's a nod to Cahill's ownership in the marketing.

The renovated living room with flat screen TV has the Russia 2018 World Cup on the screen (below).

The home has six bedrooms, five bathrooms, a state of the art theatre room and a swimming pool on its 4,180 sqm parcel

Cahill is in Russia hoping to become just the fifth player to score at four different World Cups.

He is Australia's highest ever goal scorer and helped the Socceroo's through qualifying with crucial goals against Syria.

Dean Shannon, the former Ladbrokes Australia CEO, has had an affiliation with horses, and not just through his work.

The keen horse enthusiast and wife Kelly, who shares his love of horses, recently sold an equestrian properties in the Gold Coast hinterland, and is now seeking to sell another in the Sunshine Coast hinterland.

The 42 hectare Sunshine Coast property in Maleny is one of Australia's most impressive equestrian facilities, located an hour from the Doomben race track.

When Shannon paid $7 million for the property in 2009, he changed the name from Tengarra Park to Montana Park. 

The stable complex is the focal point.

It features 10 double-sized broodmare boxes, two stallion boxes, wash bays, a vet room, horse scales, tack room, rug room and feed room.

The stable complex had been the showpiece of the previous owners, show jumping couple David and Pam Courtice, who developed the property from a run-down dairy farm with 100-year-old fencing, pig pens and barbed wire. 

The Courtices’ two-year transformation attracted intense local sticky-beaking as mud turned into green paddocks, and impressive timber fencing was erected to define the perimeter of the picture postcard property.

There's now 45 post and rail paddocks and two Olympic size dressage arenas.

Not just a luxury property for horses, the main regular old human residence spans a vast 1,800 sqm and has five bedrooms, eight bathrooms, a steam room, massage room and dressing rooms.

The entertaining spaces have views of the Glass House Mountains.

Ray White Buderim agents Lew Pottinger and Nathan Nicholl are marketing the equine complex for a July 29 auction.

Shannon's $7 million purchase in 2009 has been unrivalled in Maleny, the small locality 40 kilometres south-west of the Sunshine Coast.

Before the sale in 2006 to the Courtice's, the dairy property had been in the Evans family for nine decades.

It was sold by Ray and Robyn Evans.

Ray's father Evan Evans had taken over the farm in 1942. 

Regular rainfall together with an irrigation licence from a permanent creek and eight mega litre dam make Montana Park virtually drought proof.

The late Ainsley Gotto’s stylish Edgecliff apartment, which has views of Sydney Harbour, has now been listed for July 10 auction following the recent sale of its furnishings and artworks.

The former public servant who passed away in February is best remembered when serving as prime minister John Gorton’s principal private secretary in the late 1960s.

Georgia Cleary, of BradfieldCleary, has the listing of the Mount Stewart complex apartment, after instructions from the estate’s executors, retired politician Helen Coonan and solicitor Nicholas Eddy.

There is $1.5 million price guidance. 

Spanning 155 square metres, it comes with three bedrooms and two bathrooms at 1/363 Edgecliff Road.

Gotto, who had the personal motto prudens simplicitus (prudent simplicity), purchased the apartment in November 2007 for $1.2 million.

Auctioneers Lawsons are sold the contents of her Edgecliff Road apartment.

There were portraits of Gotto among the 262 lots on offer, including an elegant June Mendoza painting (above) which fetched $15,000.

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The Triangl swimwear founder Craig Ellis and his wife Erin Deering have reportedly paid $5 million for Bondi Beach apartment.

It was a two-bedroom apartment in Pacific Terraces apartments on Notts Avenue sold at $50,000 per sqm.

Ellis, a former Bulldogs AFL footballer, was spotted by the Wentworth Courier inspecting 11/2 Notts Avenue before it sold before its scheduled McGrath auction.

He has since been pinpointed as the buyer who fended off other interest from four expats and two locals in the final mix.

Virginia Burmeister, the new girlfriend of Channel 9 personality Richard ‘Dickie’ Wilkins, is severing old ties.

She’s listed her former Manly home, which she once shared with her estranged husband, investment banker Mark Burmeister, for June 30 auction. 

There’s a caveat on the Manly property, lodged by Mark’s lawyers Gilbert + Tobin, shortly after Virginia, 50, and Wilkins confirmed their relationship.

The $2.65 million purchase in 2014 was bought solely in Virginia’s name, however the caveat suggests Mark applied funds towards the purchase.

It also read that it had been the intention that the legal title would be held in a trust in the names of both as joint tenants.

The caveat concludes by saying it is unconscionable (in accordance with equitable principle) for the registered proprietor to maintain an interest in the land to the exclusion of the caveator.

It is being marketed as an upper and lower duplex by Michael Clarke at Clarke & Humel Property, who has a June 30 auction with $4.3 million hopes.

The residence sits in a renovated Federation duplex known as Felton, just 200m from the beach. 

Virginia and Wilkins confirmed their relationship in October last year and have made regular appearances on Sydney’s social scene.

A newly built Portsea home, cantilevered on something like a lawned sand dune, has been sold.

It was listed with $3.5 million to $3.75 million hopes. 

It was sold by Simonds Group director Rhett Simonds.

The glass house, mostly concealed from view, was crafted with simple clean lines to create a seemingly endless home.

It sits on land that was part of the subdivision of Tintagel Farm which dated back to the 1800s.

Designed by FGR Architects Melbourne, it is described as Portsea's own modern marvel by Kay & Burton Portsea listing agents Liz Jensen and Lorna Duffy.

Close to the Back Beach with sweeping coastal views, the single level plan has five bedrooms and two bathrooms.

The sleek open plan living and kitchen areas open to a gas heated pool.

The vacant 3,460 square metre Wildcoast Road parcel sold for $1,125,000 in 2015.

The Cole family have sold their Woollahra home pre-auction.

It was listed following the recent death of Ann Cole, the widow of Graham Cole, the 1983 founder of the Cole Classic.

There's an image of the big race competitors in the kitchen at the Moncur Street home that was scheduled to go to June 23 PPD auction with $3.7 million hopes.

Aged 71, Graham Cole died soon after his regular morning dip at Bondi in December 1999.

The Woollahra home was bought in 1996 for $780,000 after the couple sold their Vaucluse home that was designed by the noted architect Professor Leslie Wilkinson. 

Jeanette Ann passed away peacefully at home in January this year aged 84 years. They had three boys, Walter, Christopher and Nicholas.

There's just the two bedroom at the home which has a Georgian-style facade. There's a walled garden and self-contained studio.

Sydney Swans veteran defender Heath Grundy and wife Elise Hill sold their Maroubra home pre-auction for an undisclosed price.

The couple, who had their second child in February, are set to upgrade for more space.

The 31 year old defender had renovated the home extensively since paying $860,000 in 2011.

It has two bedrooms and one bathroom.

NG Farah Coogee agents Cameron Airlie and Mark Feerick had a $1.6 million guide.

Grundy owns the adjoining home as an investment.

The 2005 rookie draft selection has recently hit the 250 milestone.

Fellow South Australian Michael O’Loughlin mentored Grundy in his early years at the Swans.

The long-held Wahroonga home of the late Australian journalist Francis James has been listed for sale for the first time in six decades by his 100 year old widow, Joyce.

James, a journalist, was most well known for being imprisoned in China accused of being a spy in 1969.

He spent four years in the prison before being expelled from the country after his old Canberra Grammar school friend, then Prime Minister Gough Whitlam, lobbied for his release.

The Billyard Avenue house dates back to the 1910s.

James paid £5,950 in 1956 when he was the editor at The Anglican, a publication of the Church of England, working there alongside his wife. 

James was born in 1918 in Queenstown, Tasmania, the son of an Anglican minister.

It was briefly listed for $659,000 in 1994, shortly after James' death, by his wife who has only recently moved into aged care.

Set in 2320 sqm park like grounds, the five bedroom home is an original farmhouse built in the arts and craft style, with slate roof and wide return verandah.

It has been listed as a heritage item under the local council since 2015.

Alterations and additions are permissible outback, as the heritage listing relates to the facade.

Luschwitz Real Estate Pymble agent John Luschwitz says it is ready to renovation following its July 21 auction. 

In 1960 the ailing Anglican Press was caught in a controversial takeover battle between the Packer family's Consolidated Press and Rupert Murdoch's Cumberland Newspapers, which culminated in front page reports of a brawl in which the Packer's forces attempted to occupy the building to secure the all important printing presses.

At James's funeral, Sir Marcus Loane, the former Archbishop of Sydney, described Francis James as a born entertainer, and a real mischief-maker who revelled in controversy.

This article was first published in the Saturday Daily Telegraph.

Brisbane entrepreneur Michael Dempsey has expanded his holdings at Mermaid Beach on the Gold Coast.

Dempsey, who founded and sold Ezidebit, an innovative payment method, paid $2,165,000 for a 1970s cottage on a 410 square metre corner block 40 metres from the beach.

The two-storey house with two bedrooms last traded for $1,315,000 in 2011.

Harcourts Coastal agent Katrina Walsh sold the Albatross Avenue dress circle property.

Dempsey sold Ezidebit to US-based Global Payments for over $300 million in 2014, and pocketed $150 million himself.

He owns $10 million plus adjoining holdings on nearby Surf Street.

The Stenmark modelling clan have snappily offloaded Cardross, their long-time Mosman home, well before its scheduled auction.

It was where Australia's hottest twin modelling exports, Zac and Jordan Stenmark grew up.

Matriarch, Susie Stenmark, a former model herself, and her husband, successful businessman Damien Stenmark accepted a bullish pre-auction offer.

It had ambitious $11 million price guidance having been bought in 1998 when the twins were six for $2.65 million.

The grand turn of the century family home has five bedrooms, five bathrooms and a pool.

The twins, who are currently off busy doing a modelling gig in California, left the nest in stages.

Zac was the first, buying a Manly apartment two years ago. 

Jordan followed but based himself at Bondi. 

They presumably will be back time to collect any residual childhood belongings, though perhaps not their Stamford University-based brother Louis.

Stylist Zoe, who lives in Paddington with her husband, former Sydney Swan Lewis Roberts-Thomson, is their sister.

The twins broke onto the modelling scene in 2011 when working in a cafe, a friend suggested they would make more money modelling.

The pair didn't realise what was to come, as they were immediately signed on by the Vivien agency at just 19 years of age and flown to Miami to shoot 60 pages for L'official Homme the following week.

This article was first published in the Daily Telegraph.

Olympic cities event specialists Damian and Sue Rowe are selling Amaroo at Franklin.

It is their award-winning home in Tasmania. Knight Frank Hobart agent Pam Corkhill has the listing.

The couple moved to the Franklin acreage in the Huon Valley from their London apartment which came with a view of the Tower Bridge.

Sue called it an 'e-change', citing how easily things can be done remotely.

Having worked on summer and winter Olympic Games since 2000, Damian and Sue have lived for two years at a time in nine different cities around the world.

The 4.5 hectare estate won a HIA Award in 2015.

Overlooking the Huon River, the home, architecturally-designed home has three bedrooms and an infinity edge swimming pool.

There's an Italian slate feature wall and Escea gas fire in the living area.