Francesca Packer Barham splashes out

Francesca Packer Barham has been active on the property front, especially in the Melbourne market.

The view from the Cameron Vorias’s Brisbane home.

Francesca Packer Barham, fashion curator and daughter of Australia’s newest near-billionaire Gretel Packer, has been active on the property front, especially in the Melbourne market. She has recently secured a second South Yarra property. Packer Barham spent $1.41m on a quaint cottage with polished floorboards. It was her second purchase, having secured a rather pricey four-bedroom Fawkner Park house, for about $6m. Packer Barham is the eldest grandchild of the late media tycoon Kerry Packer and his widow Ros. After she split up with her Melbourne beau last year she paid $2.1m for an Elizabeth Bay apartment in Sydney.

New message: penthouse for sale

Zhenya Tsvetnenko, the Perth richlister who faces US charges that carry a 20-year jail term over an alleged text messaging consumer fraud, has his Perth penthouse listed at a discounted price. Tsvetnenko, a tech entrepreneur from Russia, denied the claims of US authorities over his involvement in the automated text messaging scheme. It’s suggested he and his co-conspirators used the money to fund “a lavish lifestyle of expensive vacations and gambling”. His opulent 313sq m split-level apartment with internal private lift overlooks the Indian Ocean at North Coogee. The leased investment property has low to mid $2m hopes with Mont Property agent Peter Zambotti, who initially listed it with high $2m expectations late last year. Tsvetnenko is set to make a loss on the apartment, which cost him $3.8m in 2007. The 36-year-old resigned as chairman from his digital currency business DigitalX last week. Tsvetnenko, who has a fashion designer wife, Lydia, and a three-year-old girl, Max Alice, had lived like a rich lister throwing money at fancy cars, private jets and extravagant parties. This week the former family home at Mount Pleasant was listed for sale.

View to a Brisbane sale

Atrum Coal director Cameron Vorias, who recently stared down a shareholder revolt, and wife Tracie have listed their contemporary Brisbane home. The Balmoral hillside home, a six-bedroom, six-bathroom entertainer with views of the Storey Bridge, cost $1.155m in 2009. It was initially priced at $3.595m in 2014. Now with Sarah and DamianHackett at Place Bulimba, it goes to auction on September 1.

Buyers lacking energy

Veteran energy guru Mario Traviati and wife Sandra have had no takers yet for their French chateau-style Brighton trophy home. It comes with $15.5m hopes. Some $2.9m was paid for the property in 2004. It is now a lavish five-bedroom residence with double-height foyer ceiling detailed with a wrought iron canopy. Set on a 1182sq m parcel, the award-winning indoor swimming pool comes with alfresco dining space with parterre gardens. There’s lift access to a basement with a home theatre and catering kitchen. The property is for sale through David Colbran of Melbourne Sotheby’s International Realty. For the past few years Traviati has been the head of business development at Great Bear Petroleum on the North Slope of Alaska.