Crystal Choi Ka-Yee buys two mansions in two days, Heidi Brinsmead sells TSS home, Carrara Markets incubator and more
The daughter of a billionaire known as “King of Toys” bought two mansions in two days on the Gold Coast, a local photographer has offloaded a home in the exclusive TSS precinct and more local business snippets.
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THE daughter of a billionaire Hong Kong tycoon known as the “King of Toys” has spent $10.5 million in two days buying mansions on the Sovereign Islands.
Property records show on August 4, Crystal Choi Ka-Yee put a $5 million contract on a mansion with an “underground nightclub”, 10-car garage, nine-person lift, steam room and wine cellar at 4 King Charles Dr, which was advertised in May last year for $6.95 million.
Two days earlier Ms Choi had agreed to buy Hamptons-style mansion 9 Brittanic Cres for $5.5 million.
Property records show the Brittanic Cres house was placed under contract on August 2, five days before it was advertised for sale. The sale settled for $5.5 million on September 2.
The home, which has six bedrooms, 35.5m water frontage and a cinema, was last sold for $2.06 million in October 2015.
Ms Choi, daughter of Francis Choi Chee-ming, is chairwoman and executive director of Hong Kong-listed Town Health International Medical Group, which is incorporated in the Cayman Islands, has its registered office in Bermuda and its headquarters in Hong Kong.
The group reported revenue of HK$584 million ($AU110 million) in the six months to June 30, with net assets of HK$4.34 billion ($AU819 million).
Mr Choi, 74, is founder and chairman of Early Light International (Holdings) Ltd and one of Hong Kong’s richest people, with wealth estimated by Bloomberg as $7.1 billion.
As a 25-year-old toy salesman in the early 1970s, he struck up would become a highly lucrative partnership with Barbie toymaker Mattel, earning him the nickname “King of Toys”.
He is reportedly an avid watch collector who owns 30 luxury cars.
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WELL-known local photographer Heidi Brinsmead has offloaded an impressive family home in the heart of the exclusive TSS precinct at Southport.
Property records show the five-bedroom, four-bathroom home at 16 Durham St settled for $1.92 million on September 6 — $180,000 more than what she paid for it in 2016.
As well as running her photography business, Ms Brinsmead is the wife of Gold Coast property identity Paul Brinsmead, who with Peter Madrers ran development Resort Corp, which faltered in 2013 with debts of $300 million.
The men were then co-directors of another ill-fated company, Pearls Australasia, whose India-based directors have since been jailed over one of the world’s biggest alleged Ponzi schemes. Ms Brinsmead herself had a finger in the Pearls pie — she and Mr Madrers’ wife Sally were among the original shareholders of Pearls Australasia, which went on to buy the Sheraton Mirage resort on the Southport Spit for $62.5 million.
It was sold to The Star joint venture for $140 million in 2017.
There is no suggestion Mr and Ms Brinsmead nor Mr and Ms Madrers were involved in any wrongdoing.
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ANNOUNCING the launch of Carrara Markets’ foray into the Gold Coast night-life scene, general manager Denis Lee was quick to point out the site had been a successful local start-up hub before start-up hubs were cool.
“Carrara Markets is a bit of a silent business powerhouse,” Mr Lee said.
“It’s not widely known that it’s a bit of a business incubator — Culture Kings and Big Kevs both started out here.
“Cafes here turn over in two days what a cafe makes in seven days out in the real world.
“The cafes rarely change hands here and when they do it’s generally around the $250,000 mark.
“There are 300 stallholders here who trade two days a week and are able to pay their rent or mortgage and car leases and have a holiday every year.
“It’s a lifestyle choice.”
Carrara’s operators hope the new markets, to be held 5-9pm Friday and Saturday nights from next weekend, will bring in tourists as well as the locals.
“Our location is so central, we’re 25 minutes from anywhere on the Gold Coast and 4km from the main tourist accommodation strip of Southport to Burleigh,” Mr Lee said.
“From the tram line at Broadbeach North station there are five TransLink buses that come right to the front door of the markets.”
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ROBINA Town Centre has pledged to match community donations during the final week of its Collective Minds exhibition and auction, which is running in conjunction with mental health charity LIVIN.
Until Sunday this week, the centre said it would go dollar-for-dollar on all new auction bids to a total value of $10,000.
Marketing manager Ashlee Hume said staff had been humbled by the support of the community since Collective Minds launched on RUOK? Day.
“The last week of the exhibition also coincides with Queensland Mental Health Week, so we’re encouraging our community, individuals and businesses to dig deep and get behind this very important cause,” she said.
“By bidding on their favourite photograph from the exhibition, Gold Coasters not only have the opportunity to take home an amazing, custom framed piece of art that was carefully captured by an incredibly talented collection of local and interstate photographers, but also the knowledge that these photographs hold significant meaning and are helping to drive social change in our own community.”
All funds raised via the silent auction — running online at www.collectiveminds.com.au until 13th October — will go directly to LIVIN, allowing the charity to continue to expand their support network and support services via their LIVINWell mental health program.
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