Trophy Homes: Jessica Rudd upgrades in Brisbane

Entrepreneur Jessica Rudd and her husband, fund manager Albert Tse, have upgraded their Brisbane home.

The house nicknamed the Opera House in Melbourne.

Entrepreneur Jessica Rudd and her husband, fund manager Albert Tse, have upgraded their Brisbane home. They’ve spent $2.18m on a family home in Chelmer, not far from Jessica’s father, former prime minister Kevin Rudd, who secured an $8m CBD penthouse with wife Theresa Rein last year. The young couple have bought a renovated 1920s Queenslander with all the traditional features, from original VJ walls to breezeways and ornate ceilings. The five-bedder offers a home office, rumpus room and living and dining spaces opening to a courtyard with custom fireplace. There’s gardens, saltwater pool and even a concrete 12m cricket pitch. The purchase through Place New Farm agent Ann-Karyn Fraser prompted the listing of the couple’s former Fairfield home, which is under offer. The five-bedroom home with Colonial facade has been restored since the couple’s $1.07m purchase in 2014. Rudd is the Australian ambassador for Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba after setting up Jessica’s Suitcase, a company which sells mother and baby supplies to China.

Opera House goes for $4m song

The so-called Opera House in Melbourne has been sold by the McGuinness family. Caine Real Estate agents Paul Caine and Kate Trickey sold the home for $4.15m, it having last traded for $190,000 in 1983. The tri-level home was built in 1868 by architect George Badger, who was a designer of grandstands at Victorian racecourses. The bluestone and brick house, previously known as Powlett House and Kamarooka, was nicknamed the Opera House given its curved balcony is in the form of an opera balcony box.

Toorak proves hot property

Veteran Melbourne caterer Peter Rowland and wife Susan have sold their Toorak mansion, listed last month with $10m hopes through Marshall White Armidale agent Justin Long. The elegant Parisian-style home complete with banquet hall has been their home for three decades since they bought for $1.175m in 1991. The sale possibly topped the $100m tally in Toorak trophy home sales so far this year. Another quick Toorak sale saw ANZ chief financial officer Nick Freeman sell his home opposite Toorak House that had $6m hopes through Abercromby’s. There’s still no settlement on the Toorak house of his ex-boss Mike Smith, which sold earlier this year on its second marketing campaign.

Knox offloads Noosa Heads pad

Garvan Institute chief operating officer Philip Knox and wife Marianne have sold Lagoona House, their Noosa Heads holiday home. The Sydney couple spent $1.1m on the property before commissioning acclaimed architect Chris Clout to redesign the home. Dowling & Neylan Real Estate agent Dan Neylan secured a record price for a home off the water on Noosa Sound. The couple call Point Piper home, having spent $8.835m on a garden apartment in 2014.

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