Brisbane’s most expensive house is back on the market for $18m
A little-known Chinese businessman, a mining magnate and a style guru are among the money bags with keys to the best addresses in Brisbane. TAKE A TOUR OF THE CITY’S MOST LUXURIOUS MANSIONS
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Ever walked around town and wondered who owns that big house on the hill?
The Courier-Mail has uncovered the cashed-up residents of the city’s most expensive mansions. From spectacular riverfront views, tennis courts, five car garages and indoor swimming pools, these homes are the last word in luxurious digs.
The keys to these properties, which range from century-old houses to modern river front apartments, have owners from all industries and professions but the thing they all have in common is expensive taste.
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1 Leopard St Kangaroo Point (Zijian Zheng)
LOW profile Chinese businessman Zijian Zheng is the owner of Brisbane‘s most expensive house. Mr Zheng and co-owner Huihui Zhai bought the spectacular riverfront property off City Motor Auction Group boss Angelos Russo and his wife Sandra for $18.48 million back in 2016.
But Mr Zheng put the property, which features three levels of luxury living, a clifftop pool and spa and soundproof cinema, back on the market more than a year ago.
It was reported in February that the property had been sold to a local buyer for close to $18 million. But according to publicly available records, the home was still on the market as of August 10 with the sale being handled by Place Estate Agents at New Farm.
Little is know of the business interests of 30-year-old Mr Zheng who was born in Kangyi in China’s eastern Shandong province. He is listed as a shareholder in a private company called Leopard One Capital. Mr Zheng was unavailable for comment on how the sale process was progressing. Place New Farm managing director Judy Goodger declined to comment.
26 Aaron Avenue, Hawthorne (Gina Rinehart)
Located in one of Brisbane’s millionaire enclaves, this riverfront mansion was purchased by mining magnate Gina Rinehart for $18.5 million in October 2017.
The daughter of the legendary prospector Lang Hancock, Mr Rinehart spent her childhood in the Pilbara region in northwest Australia, where she lived with her parents on large sheep and cattle properties. Since becoming executive chairman of the Hancock Prospecting Group in 1992, Australia’s richest woman has successfully diversified it from prospecting to include investments in iron ore, coal, beef, dairy and property.
Key assets include the mega Roy Hill project, four major iron ore mines at Hope Downs with joint-venture partner Rio Tinto, and the considerable expansion of Hancock’s agricultural business, now the second largest producer of cattle in Australia.
250/1 Newstead Terrace, Newstead (Howard Stack)
This palatial inner-city apartment was sold to local lawyer and company director Howard Stack for $14.2 million in 2008.
Mr Stack has served on the boards of Bow Energy, Flight Centre, and Australian National Industries. He also is a trustee on the board of Brisbane Grammar School and was a partner of leading national law firm Allen, Allen and Hemsley until 2001. He also acted as a corporate adviser to one of Australia’s largest electricity generators until 2011.
39 Eldernell Tce, Hamilton (John George)
The 151-year old stone mansion, previously known as Eldernell, is owned by John George, who used to be known as Australia’s “salad king.”
The mansion, which was home to Anglican archbishops for decades, was purchased by Mr George and his wife Susan for $11.2 million in 2007, which at the time made it Brisbane’s most expensive house.
Mr George and his family developed the salad and fresh food company Mrs Crocket’s into Australia’s largest chilled food producer before selling to a private equity firm.
They have since used the millions of dollars from that deal to make the George Group one of the country’s most dynamic property investment, development and management companies.
33B Harbour Rd, Hamilton (Naiqi Duan)
Known as Balaam, the property was originally built for prominent Brisbane property developer Don O’Rourke. It sold for $11.8 million in 2015 to Naiqi Duan, whose is vice-chairman of Shenzhen-based Tempus Global Business Service Holding.
27 Sutherland Ave, Ascot (Glenn Rutherford)
Formerly the home of pizza king Don Meij of Domino’s fame, the mansion in Brisbane’s dress circle suburb was purchased by Swissport executive vice president Glenn Rutherford in 2018 for $11 million. Rutherford is the former chief executive of Aerocare, a company he first joined as a baggage handler. After rising to the top job, he successfully grew the business from 35 employees to 3500 employees at 32 airports, making it the leading aviation services provider in Australia and New Zealand before selling the business to Swissport International.
128 Crosby Rd, Ascot (James and Kathryn Campbell)
With sweeping views of the city, this modern home in Brisbane’s bluest of blue suburbs was purchased by James and Kathryn Campbell for $8.8 million in September 2017.
33A Harbour Rd, Hamilton (Lorna Jane Clarkson)
Fitness style queen Lorna Jane Clarkson picked up this five bedroom, four bathroom riverside property in 2010 for $10.3 million.
Clarkson opened her first Lorna Jane retail store in Brisbane in 1990 with her husband Bill. There are now more than 200 Lorna Jane stores across Australia and the United States, as well as stockists in Europe, the UK, Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
1 King Arthur Tce, Tennyson (Rory Murphy)
Fit for royalty this four bedroom, four bathroom and five parking space home was purchased by Canstruct International chief executive Rory Murphy in 2019 for a cool $17.6 million. Canstruct is a leading construction and civil engineering company founded half a century ago by Mr Murphy’s father Robin.
The company has worked on infrastructural projects in remote communities including the Oro Province of Papua New Guinea. The company has expanded its operations from a family-based business to now more than 500 staff and contractors. Mr Murphy’s brothers Daniel and Adrian also hold senior positions in the business.
102 Virginia Ave, Hawthorne (John and Wendy Thorsen)
The five-bedroom riverfront mansion is home to rich-listers John and Wendy Thorsen who purchased it for $8.6 million in 2016.
Mr Thorsen retired from the resource sector more than a decade ago following the sale of Foxleigh Mine to Anglo-American in 2007. The couple was a quarter stakeholder in the mine, which changed hands for over $712 million.
These days the focus is on investment, with a penchant for bank stocks, and their passion for targeted charitable causes including the Wesley Research Institute, where the Women’s Health Laboratory is named after them. Keen travellers, the Thorsens also enjoy boating.
106-110 Virginia Ave, Hawthorne (Anthony Yap)
With an expansive tennis court and swimming pool, the home was purchased by Good Price Pharmacy Warehouse founder Anthony Yap for $11.13 million in 2018. Mr Yap’s business career began with the purchase of his first pharmacy in Brisbane’s northern suburbs in 2001 at the age of 23.
By 2003, he created the Good Price Pharmacy Warehouse brand, a big box concept based on a larger product range and an everyday low price strategy. Yap then expanded his network of stores throughout Australia, across six states and began franchising the business model in 2009. Today the group operates out of 42 locations, employs over 700 staff.