Daily Planet brothel in Horne St, Elsternwick, sells for $8.85 million

A NOTORIOUS brothel in Elsternwick, part of a 1239sq m “supersite”, has sold at auction for almost $9 million after fierce bidding.

The well-known Daily Planet facade.

A NOTORIOUS brothel in Elsternwick, part of a 1239sq m “supersite”, has sold at auction.

The Daily Planet site in Horne St sold just after noon for $8.85 million., after fierce bidding from several keen buyers.

The 18-room once-luxury brothel, at 7-12 Horne St, was opened in 1975 by John Trimble, nephew of crime boss Robert Trimbole.

Two other adjacent sites, 13 and 15 Horne St, sold for $1.905 million each.

The Daily Planet site and adjacent buildings will most likely be used for apartment development or retail shops.

Gross Waddell real estate agent Benjamin Klein said the site ticked all the right boxes for buyers.

“The whole site has tremendous opportunity for investors and developers,” Mr Klein said.

The once-luxury brothel was famous for its statues, plush furnishings and gaming rooms.

Despite its international notoriety, the Daily Planet was subject to police investigations for illegal operations and was once plunged into bankruptcy.

Hollywood sex worker Heidi Fleiss launched the Daily Planet as Australia’s first publicly-listed brothel.

Heidi Fleiss in front of the shares list board after The Daily Planet was listed in May 2003.

In 2003, Mr Trimble made history when his holding company Platinum Platinum became the first sex industry business to list on the Australia Stock Exchange

In July the brothel was slapped with a notice stating the property had been possessed by mortgagee Thirteenth Kaysan Pty Ltd.

In January the Herald Sun reported the brothel was facing court action after its operators were alleged to owe more than $100,000 to Melbourne accounting firm Bryant & Bryant.

Its landlord, strip club operator Planet Platinum, was ordered into liquidation in December and an application to have Daily Planet wound up was lodged in the Supreme Court.

A similar winding-up application was also filed for Planet Platinum director John Trimble’s company, Metropolis City Promotions.

John Trimble (left) with Daily Planet chief executive Andrew Harris in happier times.

The brothel site, plus the building next door along Elsternwick’s Horne St, will likely make way for apartment developments.

In 2005, council officers discovered Mr Trimble had knocked an illegal doorway into the neighbouring building, and set up beds for 20 extra sex workers without fulfilling safety requirements or planning approvals.