EXCLUSIVE
Australia’s most expensive house, Point Piper estate Fairwater, sold to techie Mike Cannon-Brookes
LUCY MACKENSEP 27, 2018
Tech billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes and his wife Annie have bought Australia’s most expensive house, Fairwater, ending more than a century of Fairfax family ownership.
“We are delighted with the purchase of Fairwater for our young family and look forward to continuing the legacy of this beautiful Sydney home,” Cannon-Brookes said in an exclusive statement to Domain on Thursday morning.
“We love the idea of raising our four young children in this historic property, filling the house and gardens with love and laughter through the years.”
The Point Piper estate Fairwater is being sold by Ken Jacobs amid expectations it could be Australia’s first sale of $100 million.
It took a little more than two weeks for the 1.12 hectare estate to exchange, and sources say it is expected to transact at close to $100 million given how quickly it sold.
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New Fairwater owners Mike and Annie Cannon-Brookes
The largest privately-held property on Sydney Harbour, and one of the most significant heritage houses in the country, was sold by the executors of the estate of the late Lady (Mary) Fairfax, who died a year ago, aged 95.
Lady Fairfax with her trusted confidante and long time private secretary Lee Thomas at Fairwater for Lady Fairfax’s 90th birthday party. Photo: Supplied
For 20 years Fairwater was not expected to be sold after a report cited plans by Lady Fairfax to bequeath it to the people of NSW, but that report was never confirmed and the executors listed it with Ken Jacobs, of Christie’s International, earlier this month.
Mr Jacobs was unavailable for comment at the time of publication, but multiple sources said the property exchanged on Wednesday night.
The sale smashes the $71 million record set last year by the Fairfax family’s Elaine estate next door sold by Jacobs to tech billionaire Scott Farquhar, co-founder of the software giant Atlassian.
Lady (Mary) Fairfax’s Point Piper estate Fairwater sits on about 8000 square metres.
Fairwater and Elaine have stood as monuments to the world’s longest-running media dynasty for more than a century since they were purchased by brothers Sir James Oswald Fairfax and Geoffrey Evans Fairfax, grandsons of The Sydney Morning Herald co-founder John Fairfax.
The deal effectively passes the neighbouring trophy estates on 1.82 hectares to the 38-year-old tech billionaires and co-founders of Australia’s biggest tech success story, Atlassian.
Atlassian was founded in 2002 using $10,000 in credit card debt and the co-founders debuted on the BRW Young Rich List in 2007. Following Atlassian’s float on the Nasdaq exchange in 2015 and its surge in value Cannon-Brookes and Farquhar are now ranked in the top 10 richest people in Australia.
Fairwater, designed by architect John Horbury Hunt, pictured in 1920. Photo: Fairfax Media
Elaine was the longest held by the Fairfax family, purchased in 1891 by Geoffrey Fairfax for £2100 and Fairwater last traded in 1901 for £5350 when purchased by Sir James.
Fairwater, described in heritage records as “medieval and Queen Anne inspired”, was built in 1881 for stockbroker Francis Edward Joseph and designed by leading architect of the day John Horbury Hunt.
After Sir James died in 1928 it was left to his widow Lady (Mabel) Fairfax, who in turn left it to her son Sir Warwick Fairfax after she died in 1965.
The sale of Fairwater coincides with a return to Sydney by its most likely buyer Mike Cannon-Brookes. Photo: Shaughn and John
Sir James commissioned additions in the Arts and Crafts style in 1910 by Manson and Pickering architects.
Sir James died in 1928 and his widow Lady (Mabel) Fairfax followed in 1965, leaving the family home to their son Sir Warwick Fairfax.
Sir Warwick was knighted in 1967 and moved to Fairwater with his third wife Lady Fairfax the following year.
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评论
澳洲没有房地产， 大胸呢？ 上
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我足口号响起来：
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房价要涨 涨 涨 涨 涨 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。
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房地产就像哈姆雷特
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他算白手起家?
他爹是IBM 和 Citibank 的高管
家住Bellevue Hill 附近 （据说）
上的是cranbrook school
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也没有说卖了多少钱啊
评论
应该算的。
毕竟创业的时候，宁可信用卡透支缴高利息，都没有找爸妈要钱。
当然了，因为家境好，破产了有家里支援，不至于流落街头，所以敢于承担更大风险。
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两个合伙人当邻居了，还是澳洲最贵的两户人家。
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不是华人，不科学！
评论
大炮不简单！
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哎呦喂，房价不是要腰斩了嘛？上一帮地摊经济学家最近唾沫横飞，小号漫天的宣传，没起到什么作用吗？
外国人智商还是不行，还是一小撮喊房价要腰斩的租房一族智商高，服
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这是一个励志的故事 试想当初他们两个象上的大字辈
吃着炸菜送饭 每天担心无了份工 那有他们今天的成功
人应看得远 投资自己 才有机会 象大字辈一样 只看到蝇绳小利
如何有胆识和创造力
评论
的确腰斩了。
原价两亿，打对折后一亿。
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他来抄底了。 估计认为房地产快到拐点了？不过人家也赔得起。
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信用卡可以透支1w的牛人
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没有雄厚的家庭基础背书，哪个敢信用卡透支一万，等于找死
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土豪
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咋听着像是：我透支了1万刀，历经艰辛-----------------------------------------------------------------------后来我爸给了我9千9百9十9万刀，然后我就买了这套1亿刀的房子
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这是有感情因素的购买，以前上的学校就在马路对面
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通过这个新闻才知道原来Atlassian这么有钱…
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这个不要比了，人家老爹指点江山，订单就过来了。没背景老老实实上班，至少有饭吃
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Nasdaq上市，发行的时候$20-30，现在股价$90多了
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孤陋寡闻了啊！以前还以为是米国公司…
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