On the QT: Racing driver, rich-lister Tony Quinn to sell Sanctuary Cove’s most expensive mansion

Racing driver and rich-lister Tony Quinn’s luxurious Gold Coast mansion is up for sale - and could come with another record-breaking price tag. Read more in On the QT

TONY Quinn, a fellow who easily could be called the Mighty Quinn because of his business acumen, appears set to no longer call the Gold Coast home.

The 67-year-old Scotsman has put Sanctuary Cove’s most expensive mansion on the market and already is basing himself in Brisbane.

Tony, best known for his successes with VIP Petfoods and Darrell Lea chocolates, is a physically “dented” racing driver who owns four motor-racing circuits – three in New Zealand and Queensland Raceway near Ipswich.

He heads across the Tasman this week to one of those Kiwi tracks, at Taupo in the middle of the North Island, where the latest V8 Supercars round takes place at the weekend.

The trip comes on the back of another business win being tucked under the Quinn leather belt.

He’s sold a jerky business at Casino in northern NSW to an American group but won’t reveal the price.

“It’s millions and millions,” he says.

“The taxman got millions and millions too.”

Tony Quinn sprays champagne on the podium after winning the Targa Great Barrier Reef with co driver Brian Foster in the 2018 Nissan GT-R R35. PICTURE: BRENDAN RADKE

The sale almost certainly will be a subject in Tony’s second book, due out before Christmas.

The entrepreneur and wife Christina split in 2016 and she bought a $10.9m riverfront home at Sanctuary Cove.

Move ahead to 2021 and Tony, who had made a few dollars on Gold Coast beachfront and riverfront pads, rewrote the record books at the Cove.

He paid $17.7m for a mansion fronting the Coomera River - one with five bedrooms, 11 bathrooms, a dine-in wine cellar and a pillarless basement with parking for 20 cars.

That price never has looked like being surpassed in the near 40-year-old golf resort’s existence.

Matt Gates, the Ray White Sanctuary Cove director who handled that deal, has been enlisted to sell the home, which this time around is wearing a $19.7m ticket.

In the meantime, Tony’s living in rented accommodation in Brisbane.

His Gold Coast exposure is far from over – he owns a Game Over family fun centre at Helensvale, several in New Zealand, and is developing one in Brisbane.

Tony Quinn's Aston Martin Vulcan, a car limited to 24 in the world, parked at Game Over Gold Coast, Helensvale. Picture: Jerad Williams

That said, life hasn’t been all fun for Tony in the wake a frightening crash while racing a Porsche in the Carrera Cup series in Townsville in 2022.

He hit a wall at 157km/h and spent weeks in hospital with injuries that are believed to have included broken ribs, a fractured pelvis, and broken ankles.

The canny lad hadn’t lost his sense of humour when he was released from hospital.

“Been thinking, once I recover I should stick to toilet cleaning,” he was quoted as saying in later 2022.

The sense of humour extends to his new book, which he says will look at business and his ‘keeping it simple’ philosophy, along with how families evolve.

His earlier book was called Zero to 60 and won applause for his ability to not mince his words - even using a few expletives.

Tongue-in-cheek Tony describes his new book as being of the same thickness as the first, using the same type, but only half the width.

He has yet to decide on a name but tells friends it will be called: “She Took The Other Half.”

Meanwhile, Tony hasn’t lost his penchant for property.

He owns, among other holdings, industrial land in Auckland and a swag of land in Cromwell, where he built his Highlands Motorsport Park raceway.

SERIOUS ‘NIBBLER’ AFTER TEDDER AVE AUCTION

JAMES Symond, former CEO of Aussie Home Loans, could be close to finding a buyer for a major plateful of titles in Main Beach’s cafe and noshery strip, Tedder Ave.

James, who worked for uncle and Aussie founder John Symond for 30 years, last month auctioned eight of the 10 titles in Main Beach Plaza which he assembled in 2018 and 2020.

There was plenty of interest and a bidding contest produced a top bid of $7.9m but it wasn’t enough to bring the hammer down.

James, who owns two apartments at Main Beach, wants $8.1m and apparently there’s a serious ‘nibbler’ on the line.

GOLF CHAMP’S GOLD COAST HOME SNAPPED UP

STEFFEN Holzt, a former PNG resident whose career is based around telecommunications and satellites, has zeroed in on the Sanctuary Cove home that golf champion Adam Scott used as a Gold Coast base.

Steffen, a principal of Pactel International, and wife Christine are the couple who have paid $5.35m for the 34-year-old home, which sits in golf-flavoured address Muirfield Place.

The house sits on 2519 sqm of land, has five bedrooms and five bathrooms, and has a putting green as one of its trimmings.

The renovated abode is perfect for anyone wanting to celebrate a buy – it has a rooftop terrace with a spa.

NO PAYOFF FOR SOVEREIGN ISLANDS GAMBLE

PAUL England, who owns a national spa business, and wife Kim appear to have been overoptimistic in their bubbling price expectations for their Sovereign Islands home, Baltimore.

The couple bought the three-level giant for $11 million in 2022 and several months later, after adding a casino and other upgrades, put it on the market seeking offers of more than $20m.

The roulette wheel hasn’t spun their way, with a sale finally cemented at a figure substantially less -- $14.25m.

The new owner gets a home with seven bedrooms, a 12-person lift, and basement parking for 15 vehicles.