7 Most Expensive Australian Residential Properties
Prestige property continues to reach new heights.
3 min
The ascendance of prime residential property in Australia is reaching new heights, with new definitions of the term ‘trophy home’ being formed with every record-breaking sale. As new forms of luxury real estate and old-world mansions continue to draw intrigue from the international and local buyers alike, here we’ve compiled the most expensive residential sales in Australian history.
One Sydney Harbour, Sydney, $140 Million
A deal alleged to be worth more than $140 million is the country’s most expensive residence. The fee is said to have bought the top three floors of the in-construction Tower 1 development of One Sydney Harbour at Barangaroo South. The purchase of both the two-storey penthouse and the sub-penthouse below of the Renzo Piano-designed building was said to be by a local who is expected to make the penthouse their home when completed in late 2023.
Fairwater, Point Piper, $100 million
In 2018, Australian tech-billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes and his wife Annie bought what was at the time Australia’s most expensive house, Fairwater. The historic purchase ended more than a century of Fairfax family ownership. With the sale of the 1.12-hectare estate (the largest privately held property on Sydney Harbour), exchanging in just over two weeks for $100 million. The home was last traded in1901 for £5350 by Sir John Fairfax.
Edgewater, Point Piper $95 million
In 2020, the Wolseley Road property in Sydney’s blue-ribbon locale of Point Piper sold for $95 million, becoming the second most expensive house sale on record. The property, known as ‘Edgewater’ has a rare 40-metre harbour frontage, directly in front of the Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House.
Elaine, Point Piper, $71 million
Joining this list is fellow Atlassian co-founder and billionaire Scott Farquhar, with yet another Fairfax family estate, Elaine. The historic property, which boasts 6986sqm in Sydney’s most expensive enclave features seven bedrooms and five bathrooms on Seven Shillings Beach. Previously the home had been owned by the Fairfax family since 1891.
La Mer, Vaucluse, $70 million
James Packer’s off-market exchange for the vast, six-storey monolith in 2015 set an Australian house price record at the time. Set across 3345sqm, with views of Sydney Harbour, La Mer was sold to Dr Chau Chak Wing — owner of Chinese property development company Kingold Group — and features a glassed -in garden area, home gym, workout room, cinema with space or 20 people and a garage for 20 cars.
Phoenix Acres, Vaucluse, $65.25 million
The grand proportions of Phoenix Acres, Vaucluse is typified by its 81-metre-wide water frontage attached to a 3731sqm parcel with 6-bedroom, 6-bathrooms and a triple garage. Other luxurious amenities include the lavish master suite, tennis court, resort-style pools and grand dining room with harbour view terraces. The property was sold in 2017 to hotel mogul Dr Jerry Schwartz.
Ganeden, Vaucluse, $62 million
Rounding out the list is corporate lawyer John Landerer’s Vaucluse mansion, Ganedan, selling for more than $62 million in 2022. The exact figure on the sale will be left to settlement, with the home finally finding a new owner after three years on the market. The property, which is built on a consolidated site from three houses between Wentworth Road and Vaucluse Road also the second most expensive non-waterfront sale, following La Mer, further up this list.
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A heritage-listed Federation estate with tennis court, pool and studio, Marika offers timeless elegance and modern family living in the heart of Hunters Hill.
2 min
A grand old dame who has stood the test of time, Marika is a slice of Hunters Hill heritage transformed for modern-day living.
Meticulously renovated between 1981 and 1983, with several updates since, Marika made it onto the heritage register in 1999 just in time to signal a new millennium. Today, the modernised mansion is on the market with an auction price guide of $7.5 million, marketed through BresicWhitney’s Nicholas McEvoy.
“The home is a fantastic opportunity for a discerning buyer to get a grand family estate-style property, with a pool, tennis court and grounds, for a price that’s much more affordable than expected,” McEvoy says.
Sitting pretty on the corner of Augustine St and Ryde Rd, the stately Federation residence occupies a sprawling 2472sq m block, which was once part of a 30-acre land grant handed to Frederick Augustus Hayne in 1835. In 1902, he sold it to Dr Leopold Augustus Carter, a local dentist. Two years later, Marika, then known as “Ryde”, appeared in the famed Sands Directory – the social media of its era – a symbol of its architectural significance.
Surrounded by manicured gardens with sculpted hedges, a pool and full tennis court, Marika is a prime example of Federation style with contemporary elements.
Inside, the single-level five-bedroom home showcases intricate craftsmanship, from its decorative gables, period archways and bay windows to the coloured glass panels on multiple doors and windows. Elegant formal rooms have high ornate ceilings that are a preserved nod to Marika’s past, while the more modern spaces are relaxed family-friendly zones.
Thanks to a pavilion-style addition, the L-shaped layout measures 450sq m internally and wraps around a central courtyard that plays host to the alfresco dining terrace and pool, while a wide veranda frames the original front rooms of the house.
Primary living spaces, including the dining area with integrated bar, open to the great outdoors via stacker doors and the 21st century kitchen has a large island bench and a butler’s pantry with hidden access to the triple lock up garage. There is also a dedicated media room, a library or home office, plus a separate family room with a beautiful bay window.
All bedrooms feature built-ins while the main retreat, and a second bedroom, have shower ensuites. The shared bathroom houses convenient twin vanities and a freestanding bathtub.
Beyond the interiors, Marika delivers resort amenities with a full-sized, floodlit tennis court, the pool, barbecue terrace and a self-contained studio apartment with the added bonus of Harbour Bridge glimpses.
Added extras include a converted loft storage space, a large laundry with side yard access, ducted air conditioning, multiple fireplaces, solar panels with a battery backup and modern insulation.
Accessed via Augustine St, Marika is close to St Joseph’s College, Boronia Park shops, local ovals and city transport.
Marika at 59 Augustine St, Hunters Hill is set to go under the hammer on April 26, on site at 9am with a price guide of $7.5 million. The listing is with Nicholas McEvoy and Narelle Scott of BresicWhitney Hunters Hill.
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