The Sell: David Leckie’s widow Skye buys $2.9m townhouse for son Ben
The charity queen snapped up the inner city investment property on Liverpool St, which also boasts a backdrop of the William St skyline.
NSW
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Charity fundraising philanthropist Skye Leckie has bought a stylish $2.9 million Darlinghurst investment townhouse, which is likely to be a bolthole for one of her sons, Ben.
William Manning of McGrath secured the mid-week sale of the Liverpool St home, which has a William St skyline backdrop.
The recent design was by the Ettie Tom studio, led by Eliza Boers, with crisp interiors plus twin off street parking and bike storage.
Last year Leckie moved into the popular Potts Point complex Pomeroy, after buying from Lisa Keighery, widow of Marcs founder Mark Keighery, who was upsizing in the Macleay St apartment block.
The third-floor streetside apartment had a stylish makeover by interior designer Marco Meneguzzi.
The apartment, that has harbour and city skyline views, is a 149sqm space turned from three bedrooms to two during an earlier ownership.
Leckie sold her Woollahra home last May for $17 million to the Pagent family, with settlement occurring after the death in July of her husband David Leckie, the veteran television industry boss.
LIQUIDATORS SELL LUXURY HOME OF ALLEGED FRAUD PAPPAS
Liquidators have snappily sold Agave, the lavish Wagstaffe weekender of alleged fraudster Bill Papas, after offers closed mid-week.
The seven-bedroom Central Coast waterfront property was listed with $13.5 million hopes.
The deep waterfront property that had been rented out to holiday-makers at $5000 a night was owned by a company associated with the colourful soccer identity, who paid $9.5 million in July 2020. The Bulkara St property, set about 100km north of Sydney, last traded when bought from Stephen and Pam Leibowitz.
Central Coast Belle agent Cathy Baker hasn’t revealed the price, but with five offers its likely to exceed the guidance for the Hamptons-style mansion set on a 2188sqm holding.
The 2014 development application was given as costing over $1.8 million. There’s a walk-in cellar, as well as a gourmet kitchen with designer appliances and large butler’s pantry.
There’s also an outdoor entertaining area with barbecue, infinity pool and tropical gardens.
It won the Housing Industry Association’s House of the Year for 2018 after being built by local team Construct Central Coast to its JPR Architects design.
A second Bulkara St house connected to Papas is set to sell through liquidators McGrathNicol with $9 million hopes.
The home is located in the San Toy Estate, which was settled by the Radford family in 1938. The Sell recalls when former Wallaby and developer Alan Cardy sold the two waterfront building blocks for $1.7 million and $1.58 million in 2009.
It comes as Westpac secured permission to launch legal action in Greece to enforce freezing orders over the assets of alleged fraudster Papas. He reportedly owns the Xanthi soccer club, despite telling the Federal Court Justice Michael Lee last year he had sold his stake in the company that owns the club.
Papas currently resides in Greece with his girlfriend Louisa Agostino.
He departed Australia last June, just days before Westpac and two other lenders, Société Générale and Sumitomo, filed Federal Court civil action accusing him and his company Forum Finance of orchestrating a $400 million fraud. The majority of his Forum empire was placed into liquidation.
Seized assets include a $600,000 Porsche raced by Papas with moneys owed to Macquarie Group.
Late last year the Federal Court issued an arrest warrant for Papas over alleged breaches of its freezing orders.
Papas’ overseas assets reportedly include two seaside apartments in Thessaloniki, the port city on the Thermaic Gulf of the Aegean Sea.
The liquidators also sold a four-bedroom, Margaret St, Rozelle home owned by a trust that listed Papas as a beneficiary last year for around $4.4 million.
DOWNSIZING INTO A BYRON LIFESTYLE
Renowned aviator Gaby Kennard is selling her Byron Bay hinterland retreat, with a view to moving into the bustling town.
Kennard, the first Australian woman to fly the 54,000km around the globe solo — in 1989 — has had the Bangalow estate since 2016.
The mid-1980s-built Queenslander-style home has been listed by McGrath Byron agent Will Phillips with a $5 million guide for its March 10 auction.
The four-bedroom home, surrounded by lush tropical gardens, features a traditional Queensland wraparound veranda.
The 4.2ha estate includes a full-sized tennis court and a pool, as well as a self-contained one-bedroom cottage.
Kennard made the move up north after selling her Woolloomooloo Wharf apartment for $5.5 million to rag trader Wassim Gazal, after a fitout by SJB.
She’ll be downsizing into town, where in 2018 she paid $3,525,000 for a garden apartment in the development project of Jim Goldburg.
The three-bedroom unit comes with its own plunge pool.
Kennard, who was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australian in 2008 for her work in raising funds for the Royal Flying Doctor Service, has children and grandchildren in the Byron district.
HOUSING MP IN SOUTH COAST INVESTMENT
No questions were asked by the federal opposition spokesman for housing and homelessness Jason Clare about housing affordability as parliament resumed last week ahead of the election.
Just before the holiday break he and his wife Louise bought at Milton for $1.5 million, a far south coast retreat-cum-investment.
It has the appearance of an old farm cottage, but the three-bedroom, two-bathroom house surrounded by a white picket fence was built in 2003.
It was marketed as “the epitome of coastal and country design.”
Clare, the Labor member for Blaxland, resides in Padstow Heights, where he bought in 2011 for $1.35 million.
It had gone through a long price plateau, having previously sold at $1.34 million in boomtime 2004.
Clare discharged his mortgage in early 2020 on his house, but resumed a mortgage late last year with Westpac, while taking one on the holiday home.
Housing was mentioned nine times in the House of Representatives debate on Tuesday, 13 times on Wednesday and 19 times on Thursday, including speeches referencing affordability from the soon to depart Liberal backbenchers Andrew Laming and John Alexander. Meanwhile, Clare’s Milton $700-a-night rental is marketed as having “the best of everything for your stay — comfort and luxury — you will just need to bring along your beach towels.”
HEEDING A BALMAIN CALL
Fitzy and Wippa breakfast co-host Sarah McGilvray and her husband James Couche, vice-president of defence contractor Thales Australia, have sold their Turramurra home.
Their off-market sale over the summer break was after just 18 months of ownership, having moved to the upper north shore in early 2020 to be closer to family.
It likely saw a nice quick gain in price as realestate.com.au put the median house price at $3 million, up annually from $2.2 million.
They are apparently keen to move back to the Balmain peninsula, where the couple are known to enjoy local diner, The Fenwick.
Their five-bedroom, 1910 period property Eden was bought when they were able to take advantage of the brief fall in consumer confidence during the worst early fears of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Eastern Rd home had been on the market for nearly six months from 2019. It spans three levels on its 1069sqm holding, and features a striking French provincial kitchen.
Their former Llewellyn St, Balmain three-bedroom terrace, with high ornate ceilings, fireplaces and timber floors, initially became a $950-a-week rental in 2020. That home, on 135sqm, went on to sell in December 2020 for $1.95 million.
McGilvray was a program director at Nova 96.9 for five years before becoming co-host on the Fitzy & Wippa show.
She and Couche, who wed in 2019, were introduced by Wippa at the races.
The mother of two co-hosts Nova’s Not Another Parenting Podcast with Cathrine Mahoney this week, addressing her obsession with poos at open for inspections.
LECKIE SNAPS UP DARLO BOLTHOLE
SOUTHS SKIPPER OFFLOADS UNIT
Newly-appointed South Sydney NRL captain Cameron Murray has snappily sold his Randwick investment apartment ahead of next weekend’s scheduled auction.
McGrath agent Mark McPherson had given a $990,000 price guide for the two-bedroom, one -bathroom apartment at 3/47 Avoca Street, Randwick.
The semi-style apartment is on the top floor of a refurbished art deco 1930s block close to UNSW.
It is a tightly held block — Murray was the last buyer in the block of four set on its 409sqm holding.
It cost $890,000 in 2017 when Murray was 19 years old, having just played nine NRL matches in his debut season.
It was last available for rent at $495 a week in late 2020.
SKI LODGE LISTED
The Oatley wine family have their Perisher Creek ski lodge listed for sale. There’s a $2.95 million asking price through Michelle Steynes at Forbes Stynes Prestige Property.
There are architectural designs by Metier3 for a luxury ski-in ski-out replacement for Rope Tow Hut that dates back to the 1950s.
The proposed residence will be embedded in the earth, enabling skiing over part of the house. Metier3 is the Melbourne practice headed by keen skier Andrew Norbury.
The 4000sqm site holds leasehold permission for 22 commercial beds and an apartment for eight beds until 2058.
Forbes Stynes also is seeking a $3 million-plus buyer for the Kooloora ski lodge at Perisher.
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