Spanish Mission Grandeur on Hamilton Hill

A prominent Brisbane publican is calling last drinks on his long-held Hamilton Hill residence.

James Power, of The Norman Hotel in Woolloongabba, owns the sprawling estate at 33 Markwell Street.

After nearly 13 years, the towering residence is due to welcome its next custodians. Now empty nesters, Power and his wife, Jennifer, are moving on from their substantial six to seven-bedroom pile on 1376sqm.

While the pub baron might be downsizing, Power is reportedly upsizing his hospitality portfolio as he prepares to open The Norman Northside at Enoggera.

“We did a lot of entertaining at Markwell St,” Power said.

“The guest wing means it’s really set up for it, but we are basically empty nesters now, and it’s time for another family to enjoy it.”

The c.1930s Spanish Mission residence last changed hands in 2013 when the Powers bought it for $5.05 million. Fast-forward to 2026, and the period property is on the market via an expressions-of-interest campaign with Matt Lancashire of Ray White Collective Luxury. In keeping with Queensland legislation, no price guide can be published.

Lancashire said Hamilton is widely regarded as one of the capital’s premier suburbs, often ranked among the most expensive addresses in the city.

“Known for its elevated position, river views, and luxury homes, Hamilton is a top choice for affluent buyers,” he said.

High on Hamilton Hill, the historic house has sweeping views across the Brisbane River, Gateway Bridge and out to Moreton Bay.

Designed for the avid entertainer, the Brisbane house has a stately entry foyer and gallery, multiple formal and casual living zones with period fireplaces and French doors to several terraces, courtyards and balconies.

The interiors blend original character with sympathetic updates undertaken during a significant renovation in the early 2000s. There are high coffered 3.1m ceilings, wrought iron balustrades, arched openings, stucco finishes, Mediterranean-inspired terracotta tones, imported doors, and statement chandeliers. Modern touches include the kitchen with Miele appliances, a wine cellar, private gym, and steam room.

Outdoors, the resort-style pool is framed by a covered patio and pool house with a wellness centre, as well as established gardens producing citrus, herbs and chillies.

The ground floor is home to two bedrooms, a study and a bathroom, while upstairs the footprint features four bedrooms and a palatial main suite with a private balcony, a dressing room, and a marble ensuite featuring a double shower and a spa bath.

Down on the lower floor, an expansive rumpus room is the ideal teenager hangout, sitting next to the pool patio, plus an adjoining office or guest bedroom.

Extra bonuses of the Brisbane compound include a six-car garage, ducted air-conditioning, and a dumbwaiter servicing all three levels.

The famed shopping and dining precinct at Racecourse Rd and Portside Wharf is close by, as well as the riverfront and parklands. Ascot State School, St Rita’s and St Margaret’s are within easy reach.

The Hamilton home at 33 Markwell St, Hamilton, QLD, is offered via an expressions of interest campaign, closing on May 8 at 5 pm.

Rolex has reached into one of the most fascinating corners of its archive for a watch that expands the brand’s contemporary Perpetual collection.

The new Perpetual Padellone takes its name from reference 8171, the complete-calendar Rolex known to collectors by the Italian nickname “Padellone”. The historical model is celebrated for its unusual combination of calendar information, moonphase display and elegant proportions—qualities that distinguished it from the sports watches now most closely associated with the marque.

The modern interpretation displays the date, day, month and moonphase alongside the time. Rolex describes the mechanism as an instantaneous complete annual calendar, meaning its indications are designed to change in a coordinated fashion while requiring correction only for the calendar’s exception periods, subject to the operating instructions.

Its importance lies not simply in adding another complication. Rolex’s current identity is built on refinement through repetition: familiar cases, bracelets and functions improved across generations. A Padellone-inspired calendar broadens that vocabulary and gives collectors a dressier, more poetic counterpoint to the brand’s professional models.

The challenge will be expectation. Any watch invoking reference 8171 arrives under the weight of auction history and collector mythology. The strongest modern revivals acknowledge that past without reproducing it mechanically. Rolex’s official description points to that balance, positioning the watch as a continuation of the earlier model’s spirit rather than a replica.

Australian price, allocation and delivery will be crucial. Demand for significant new Rolex references typically exceeds immediate supply, and availability can vary between authorised dealers. Prospective buyers should treat overseas pricing or secondary-market premiums cautiously until local retail information is confirmed.

For now, the Perpetual Padellone stands as one of Rolex’s most intellectually interesting recent releases: a technically ambitious watch that reminds collectors the company’s history extends well beyond the dive watch and chronograph.

Fact box

Model: Rolex Perpetual Padellone

Functions: hours, minutes, seconds, date, day, month and moonphase

Complication: instantaneous complete annual calendar

Historical inspiration: Rolex reference 8171, nicknamed Padellone

Spanish Mission Grandeur on Hamilton Hill

A landmark Hamilton Hill residence owned by a prominent Brisbane publican is hitting the market after nearly 13 years, offering sweeping river views, grand entertaining spaces, and timeless Spanish Mission elegance.

The Perpetual Padellone draws its name from the coveted reference 8171 while introducing an instantaneous complete annual calendar to Rolex’s modern Perpetual collection.

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