SURGEON GIVES 160-YEAR-OLD PADDINGTON QUEENSLANDER A $5.8M FACELIFT

After a popular Brisbane plastic surgeon scored an NBL star’s period Paddington home in 2022, he performed a major facelift on the 160-year old Queenslander.

Now that the mansion has had its makeover, the luxury five-bedroom property is back on the market with a March 14 auction date.

The quintessential Queenslander at 49 Reading St was to be a fixer-upper project for Brisbane Bullets player, Aron Baynes and his wife, Rachel.

The couple had bought the 1634 sq m property – also known as The Governess – in 2021 for $4.5 million, with plans to undertake the renovation themselves.

Award-winning builders Graya were engaged to restore the estate to its former glory, but the game changed for the Baynes, who sold it in 2022. Canadian-born Dr Justin Perron spent $5.8 million for the landmark residence, which came complete with a DA for Graya to give it their Midas touch.

That sale was negotiated with Josh Brown and Matt Lancashire of Ray White New Farm, who are again trusted with the marketing campaign. Because it is being sold under the hammer in Queensland, state legislation prohibits agents from providing a public price guide.

Currently, the house price record for Paddington is $11.8 million, set early last year for a fully renovated pre-war five-bedroom house on Garfield Dr The Governess is expected to smash through that price barrier.

“Given its size, its heritage and the extraordinary inclusions with a five-car garage, internal lift and impeccable renovation, I do believe it represents really good value. There’s just nothing like it in Brisbane,” Brown says.

The property, which spans four blocks on the corner of Fernberg Rd and Reading St, dates back to the 1860s and is known locally as the older “sibling” of Government House, given that it was designed by the same architect, Benjamin Backhouse and sits just across the road from the grander heritage estate.

Now with its new look, The Governess is considered one of Paddington’s most significantly transformed homes; one that oozes with the charm of yesteryear, but the sophistication of today.

Blending old and new, the reimagined residence balances past and present over three spacious levels, separated by a statement spiral staircase.

Several period elements have been retained, including the iconic balustrades and wide wraparound verandas, while there is also a long list of modern conveniences, from a state-of-the-art kitchen to full home automation.

Inspired by nature, the interiors reflect the neighbourhood’s surrounding colour palette, with rich green marble accents and warm walnut-toned cabinetry. High 3.1m ceilings and floor-to-ceiling glass have also been used to frame the city and treetop views.

The gatehouse and veranda arches mirror the curves of the entrance hall, which, in turn, connects the original footprint to the contemporary addition and open plan family area.

In the gourmet kitchen, there are Miele appliances, a vast 4.5m island workbench beneath a skylight, and a large, hidden butler’s pantry. This space flows out to the alfresco dining space, barbecue terrace, pool and fenced lawn.

The main living level also houses three bedrooms, a study, a powder room and a family-friendly laundry.

Up via a private internal lift, the accommodation level is home to a palatial primary suite with a sitting area, dressing room and a luxury ensuite with a fireplace. Besides the main bedroom, a smaller bedroom with an ensuite could make an ideal nursery.

On the lower ground floor, there is even more space for entertaining on a grand scale, including a wine cellar, wet bar, tasting room, and gym.

The Governess has a long story to tell, with a range of added extras, including home automation via Electronic Living, a five-car garage, mudroom, communications room, panic room, air conditioning, and security.

It is about 550m to Paddington precinct, 900m to Rosalie Village shopping and 3.5km to Brisbane’s CBD.

The Governess at 49 Reading St, Paddington will go to auction on March 14 at The Calile Hotel from 9 am with Josh Brown and Matt Lancashire of Ray White New Farm.

There is a fundamental advantage in being able to walk through a newly built penthouse before deciding to buy it.

The purchaser can see how northern light moves through the living room, judge whether the terrace is large enough for entertaining and understand the real relationship between the interiors and the view. The quality of the stone, joinery and finishes no longer needs to be imagined from a sample board.

That certainty forms an important part of the appeal at Park Residences in Cremorne, where Lower North Shore specialist Abadeen has released the completed whole-floor penthouse for sale by expressions of interest.

Occupying the building’s uppermost level, the residence spans 295sqm on title, including a 74sqm wraparound terrace. It has three bedrooms plus a study, 2.5 bathrooms and private lift access, with its principal rooms oriented north towards the leafy surrounds of Cremorne and Middle Harbour.

The scale is intended to feel closer to a freestanding home than a conventional apartment. It is also the crowning residence in a completed collection of just 11 homes, giving the building a degree of privacy increasingly difficult to find in larger residential developments.

A penthouse designed from the inside out

The penthouse is the product of a collaboration between Abadeen founder and executive chairman Justin Brown and designer and curator Jack Freeman, founder of FREEMAN & CO.

Their brief extended beyond specifying premium finishes. The intention was to create an established private residence — a home with warmth, art and individual pieces — rather than an immaculate but impersonal display apartment.

“The experience begins the moment the lift doors open,” Brown says.

“You’re welcomed into an elegant dining room before the home opens into an extraordinary living space framed by sun-drenched harbour views.”

Brown says that when someone walks through the front door, they pause.

“It’s not just the view, it’s the incredible sense of space, the warmth created by the northern sunlight that fills the interiors, and the way every room connects so effortlessly. It has all the proportions of a luxury home, while delivering the effortless lifestyle and personalised experience of living in a world-class six-star hotel, combined with the simplicity and convenience of apartment living.”

Freeman’s approach is based on the idea of collecting rather than decorating. Furniture, lighting and art are selected for their form, provenance and relationship to the architecture, producing an interior that appears to have developed over time.

At Park Residences, the curation includes furniture by Parisian design house Pierre Augustin Rose and the sculptural Ball and Shade pendant by London studio Square in Circle.

These international pieces sit within an architectural framework of oak flooring, marble surfaces, full-height glazing, integrated joinery and a feature fireplace.

The result is restrained but not anonymous. Curved and sculptural furniture softens the apartment’s clean architectural lines, while art and distinctive lighting introduce points of personality. Natural stone and timber give the rooms a tactile quality that is intended to age more gracefully than a heavily trend-driven palette.

Northern light as an architectural material

The penthouse’s north-facing orientation is central to the experience.

Floor-to-ceiling glazing brings daylight deep into the principal living spaces and frames a view across the surrounding treetops towards Middle Harbour. Instead of the harder glare and heat that can accompany a western outlook, the northern aspect provides more consistent light through the day.

That light also changes the character of the materials. Marble, timber, upholstery and metalwork become more expressive as shadows move across their surfaces.

The main living and entertaining spaces connect directly with the wraparound terrace, extending the usable footprint of the home and giving different parts of the interior access to the outlook.

At 74sqm, the terrace is conceived as a genuine outdoor living area rather than a narrow apartment balcony. It provides space for dining, informal seating and entertaining while preserving the elevated perspective over Cremorne’s greenery.

The fireplace gives the living room a counterpoint during cooler months, helping the large, glazed space retain warmth and intimacy after dark.

The appeal of a whole-floor residence

A penthouse occupying an entire level offers more than additional floor area.

It can provide separation from neighbouring apartments, greater control over orientation and windows on multiple sides of the building. Private lift access also creates a more deliberate sense of arrival and removes the usual transition through shared residential corridors.

At Park Residences, those attributes are combined with a boutique building of only 11 residences.

The comparatively small number of homes should appeal to buyers moving from substantial houses who want less maintenance without accepting the density or anonymity of a large apartment tower.

That downsizer market has become an important audience for luxury developments across Sydney’s established suburbs. Many buyers are not necessarily seeking smaller living spaces; they want to relinquish gardens, external maintenance and ageing houses while retaining room for family, guests, work and entertaining.

The Park Residences penthouse responds to that expectation with three bedrooms, a separate study, generous living areas and an outdoor space large enough to function as another room.

Cremorne beyond the harbour view

The penthouse is positioned at 2 Sutherland Street, opposite Cammeray Golf Club and close to Cammeray Croquet Club and Grand Slam Tennis Cammeray.

Neutral Bay Village, its cafés, restaurants and shops are approximately 650 metres away, according to Abadeen’s campaign material. The Oaks Hotel is also within walking distance, while the Sydney CBD remains readily accessible by road and public transport.

This combination of outlook and convenience is an important part of the proposition.

The residence is elevated above a green Middle Harbour landscape, but it is not isolated from everyday services. For an owner-occupier, the ability to walk to coffee, dining and shopping can matter as much as the panoramic view.

The advantage of buying completed

Off-the-plan purchasing necessarily involves interpretation. Buyers assess architectural drawings, renders, finish schedules and display suites before committing to a residence that may not be completed for several years.

A finished penthouse removes much of that abstraction.

Prospective buyers can test the privacy, sound, natural light, outlook and proportions themselves. They can also assess whether the interiors and furniture curation align with the way they want to live.

This is particularly relevant at the premium end of the market, where the emotional response to a residence can be as important as its specifications.

Park Residences is not selling the promise of what its penthouse may eventually become. The rooms, terrace, view and material detail are already there to be experienced.

The Penthouse at Park Residences is being offered for sale by expressions of interest through SRM Residential. Private inspections are available by appointment.

At a glance

Property: The Penthouse at Park Residences

Address: 2 Sutherland Street, Cremorne, NSW

Developer: Abadeen

Architecture: MHNDU

Interior curation: Jack Freeman and FREEMAN & CO

Building: Boutique collection of 11 completed residences

Title area: 295sqm

Terrace: 74sqm wraparound entertaining terrace

Accommodation: Three bedrooms plus study

Bathrooms: 2.5

Aspect: North-facing

Outlook: Across Cremorne’s leafy surrounds towards Middle Harbour

Access: Private lift entry

Selected design pieces: Pierre Augustin Rose furniture and the Ball and Shade pendant by Square in Circle

Sales method: Expressions of interest

Selling agency: SRM Residential

Project contact: 1800 700 880

SURGEON GIVES 160-YEAR-OLD PADDINGTON QUEENSLANDER A $5.8M FACELIFT

A 160-year-old Paddington Queenslander has been spectacularly reimagined and is now poised to test Brisbane’s house price ceiling.

The completed penthouse at Park Residences showcases a considered approach to luxury apartment living, combining northern light, curated interiors and the privacy of a whole-floor residence.