Hawthorn house of Jim Cairns sold for $6.1m

Rosebery, the 1880s Hawthorn house that once belonged to politician Jim Cairns and his wife, has been sold again.

The Buttulas’ Trinity Beach Palace.

Rosebery, the 1880s Hawthorn house remembered as the long-time home to former deputy prime minister Jim Cairns and his wife, Gwen, has been sold again. This time to townhouse developers for $6.1 million. With impressive rose bushes on its front turning circle, the four-bedroom house, set on a 1658sq m Wattle Road holding, was owned by the Cairns couple between 1956 and 1981, when sold for $225,000. The Victorian-era home was the bustling campaign headquarters throughout the Labor left-winger’s career, which included key roles in Whitlam governments. Gwen died in 2000 and Jim in 2003.

Palatial luxury at Trinity Beach

Otto Buttula, one of the pioneers of boutique fund management, and wife Virginia have listed their Trinity Beach Palace in North Queensland. The couple bought the private beachfront estate in 2008, a year after Otto sold his co-founded online share brokerage, IWL to Commonwealth Bank. Set on a vast 7585sq m of beachfront land, the former world-class holiday destination turned private residence has two outdoor bars which look out over the Coral Sea. The five-bedroom, six-bathroom home, which is around 1000sq m, has a safari-themed den, gym, sauna, and golf practice range. It has been listed through Queensland Sotheby’s agents Paul Arthur and Simon Cowan with $10 million-plus hopes.

Ronnie Burns on the move

Tasmania’s Appin Hall, a respite centre for children, has been listed for sale by former Australian pop singer Ronnie Burns and wife Maggie. They are planning to move the Errima-based charity to Victoria after the decision was made for a 60m NBN tower to be built nearby. “In the not-too-distant future the foundation will be working in reverse, flying Tassie families and youth camps to Victoria for holidays,” he said. Ronnie and Maggie paid $155,000 for the property in 1998 and have invited families from the mainland for respite and time out from the pressures of children with illness. Set on 13.3 hectares, the French provincial style, self-sustainable village has been listed through Jo Eady at One Agency Launceston.

New chapter for Somers estate

Steeped in book publishing history, the Lane family’s Somers beachfront estate on the Mornington Peninsula has been sold. Around $3.3 million was secured through Jellis Craig agent Iain Carmichael in conjunction with Kay & Burton, who had passed in at auction after a $3.4m vendor bid. The seven-bedroom home was listed by Elizabeth Lane, research author and daughter of Penguin Books co-founder Richard Lane. Originally bought by the Lanes in the early 1980s, the family commissioned Young Lehmann & Co architects to design their early 1990s house amid the sand dunes. Ms Lane has maintained thousands of Penguin books and intends to give them to the University of Melbourne library.