Inside insane life of mystery Melbourne millionaire
Christopher Shao, 26, made a big scene pulling up to buy a Gold Coast mega mansion in his Maserati. This is the insane life he leads.
Before Christopher Shao had secured the keys to one of the most luxurious and unique homes on the Gold Coast, the Melbourne businessman had parked his Maserati in the driveway.
Shao, 26, who purchased the iconic Burleigh Waters mansion known as Ruin X for more than $2.7 million over the weekend, wanted to make an entrance.
It was a flashy display of wealth from the young millionaire but it left many asking: “Who is he?”
A visit to Mr Shao’s private Instagram account reveals plenty. There, he is pictured with Rolex watches — one for every day of the week.
He drives a Ferrari and has other luxury vehicles parked in an underground car park. One is a 4WD Mercedes and the other is a Lamborghini. In another photo he is sending a text message from inside a Bentley.
Shao is pictured with a private helicopter that landed on a white sandy beach and at a flashy resort on Hayman Island.
In another photograph he is pictured with one of basketball’s all-time greats, the late Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant.
Elsewhere he shares his personalised ticket to one of the most exclusive fashion events on the planet at the Grand Palais on the Champs-Élysées is Paris.
It is a lifestyle few Australians could dream about but little else is known about the 26-year-old who is understood to be involved in streetwear apparel brand Catalyst And.
The Gold Coast sellers, Matt Jamieson and Emma Sweeny, weren’t giving too much away, either.
Speaking after the sale, Ms Sweeny said they were pleased to be able to hand the home over to Mr Shao.
“Matty and myself are so humbly grateful for it to go to Chris,” Ms Sweeny said.
“He’s a young entrepreneur himself, he suits the style, it’s completely his zone and we are just so happy that it’s gone to someone who will love RUIN X as much as we have.
“It couldn’t have gone to a better person.”
Shao had registered as a potential buyer and placed a representative in the crowd who made the second bid.
The assumption was that the mystery bidder must be elsewhere and unable to attend the auction, hence the representative.
But when bids stalled and it looked like the dream home had a new owner, the doors were flung open wide and in marched Mr Shao.
The Melbourne businessman had been in the Gold Coast the whole time.
Selling agent Eoghan Murphy told news.com.au Mr Shao made quite an entrance by pulling up in a Maserati and parking it in the driveway of his soon-to-be new home.
Mr Murphy admitted it was a “surprise”.
After a 40-minute consultation behind closed doors, the vendors came to an agreement with Mr Shao and ended the auction.
Speaking to reporters on the scene, Mr Shao said he spotted the property online and decided he wanted it badly.
“It’s one-of-a-kind, there’s nothing like it in Australia,” he told realestate.com.au.
It’s not Mr Shao‘s first time making a splash in the Australian property market.
He reportedly bought a luxury penthouse in the prestigious Melbourne suburb of Toorak for close to $15 million.
That was a record at the time.
His newest property at Burleigh Waters is very different.
The fully-rendered mansion is was named the most viewed listing on realestate.com.au last month.