If you’re looking for a quirky property story, you can’t go much farther than the Pentridge prison jail cell that just sold for $80k.  But don’t worry, this isn’t yet another example of the desperate measures the unhoused are taking to buy a home.

The cell in the gaol that once housed Ned Kelly and Chopper Read has been converted for use as a wine cellar.

Meanwhile a former ice cream cone warehouse in Sydney’s Newtown, now a co-living complex, has just been scooped up (sorry!) for more than $10 million.

And an underground motel, with several “undeveloped” rooms is available for just $1million. Now, is it Coober Pedy where you are not allowed to mine withing the town’s perimeters – but you are allowed to “extend” your underground home? Does that explain the “undeveloped” rooms?

You’ll find these stories and many others from Leftfield Communications  below.

Free Reads

Domain

Telco entrepreneur’s $29 million shopping spree on exclusive Noosa street
Australian telco tycoon Maxine Horne has snapped up her neighbour’s Sunshine Beach home in a bid to create a mega-compound. The high-profile entrepreneur and property investor paid $15.15 million for her neighbour’s house on Webb Road in Queensland, The Australian Financial Review reports.

Kyle Sandilands’ ‘secret’ Glenorie retreat fails to sell at auction after $800k price cut
Kyle Sandilands’ ‘secret’ retreat has failed to sell at auction, meaning the radio star might get his wish to keep the luxury property for his family. The former The Kyle and Jackie O Show co-host purchased the Georgian-inspired trophy home in the Sydney’s Hills District in 2022 on the sly, keeping the sale from his wife, Tegan.

Byron Bay mansion quietly discounted by $25 million
A five-level mansion on Byron Bay’s ultra-exclusive Marine Parade has had its asking price slashed. The waterfront home at Wategos Beach, which first hit the market with hopes of $75 million, is now inviting offers between $50 million and $60 million, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.

Westpac chief sells iconic Uncle Tobys estate for $10 million
Australian banking executive Nell Hutton and her husband, Hamish, have offloaded their Sydney trophy home after struggling for months to find a buyer. Originally built for Sir Clifford Love, one of the founders of Uncle Tobys, the grand Wollstonecraft residence on Sydney’s lower north shore has been on the market twice this year.

Commercial Real Estate

Newtown ice-cream cone factory turned co-living hotspot scoops $10.4m
An offshore investor has bought a 100-year-old former Newtown warehouse reborn as a fully leased co-living complex for $10.425 million, after the adaptive reuse project significantly boosted the value of the Inner West Sydney asset.

Historic 1850s flour mill transformed into luxury coastal escape listed for sale
Currently operating as Pago at Middleton, a luxury accommodation in the heart of the Fleurieu Peninsula, 29 Mill Terrace is being offered for sale via an expressions-of-interest campaign, tipped to attract significant investor attention within the hospitality and tourism sector.

Underground motel in outback Coober Pedy offered to market for $1m
One of Australia’s most quirky businesses, an underground motel in the heart of Coober Pedy – which could be renovated to include a spa or pool – has been listed for sale for $1 million.

How Vivid Sydney became a winter economic engine
Sydney’s winter economy used to have a predictable rhythm. Office workers disappeared after dark, hotel occupancy softened, and hospitality venues braced for quieter trading through the colder months.

ABC Online

Iconic North Sydney pool gets opening date after five years
North Sydney Olympic Pool will reopen to the public on August 7, Mayor Zoë Baker has announced. The harbourside pool closed in February 2021, and the project has cost the council $122 million.

Moss Vale locals oppose plans for gas-fired power plant to run data centres
Sydney company Cloud Carrier is hoping to build gas-fired power stations on the NSW Southern Highlands to run data centres. More than 200 residents recently turned out to protest against the proposal, warning it could set a precedent for how other data centres might be powered in the future.

Gippsland farmers push back against Samsung, ZEBRE battery storage on agricultural land
Three battery energy storage systems (BESS) are proposed for farmland in Baw Baw Shire in west Gippsland. The companies proposing the BESSs say the extra electricity will be needed when Victoria’s coal-fired power stations are shut down.

Sydneysiders asked to help rename Bays West precinct, newest waterfront suburb
The NSW government is asking Sydneysiders to help rename the new Bays West precinct. The area which takes in White Bay, Glebe Island, Rozelle Bay and Rozelle Parklands is earmarked for housing, green space, cultural venues and a working harbour.

Single mums are seeking each other out and turning to shared housing
For 18 months after her break-up, single mother Hayley Grimmond was finding it impossible to find a secure, long-term rental for her and her young daughter, Blair.

The long road to a bike-friendly Australia
At the rate Australian cities are building cycling networks, a cohesive system is probably decades away.

Bushfires could ‘exploit’ doormat for entry to your home, fire expert warns
A Tasmanian couple living in a bushfire-prone area has credited good design, roof sprinklers, and a well-maintained firebreak for saving their home in a recent blaze. A fire scientist says homes are as strong as their weakest link, and “nooks and crannies” — including the doormat — could be exploited during a bushfire.

Albany’s abandoned WWII fuel tanks get new life as global graffiti gallery
Massive fuel tanks from World War II in Albany are being brought to life by street artists. The graffiti is helping to raise public awareness about the site, which was long shrouded in secrecy.

Realestate.com.au

Jack Henderson buys $3.5m cattle farm after claiming negative gearing ‘doesn’t matter’
A landlord with a $60 million property portfolio has put his money where his mouth is by purchasing a $3.5 million farm, weeks after claiming changes to negative gearing “doesn’t matter.

New home completions plunge to 12-year low as Australia’s housing crisis deepens
Australia’s attempts to build it’s way out of the housing crisis have taken another step backwards, with home building completions sinking to levels similar to 30 years ago – when the country had 10 million fewer people.

The two-word tactic that took Ash Barty from a panic attack to World No 1
Tennis legend Ash Barty suffered a panic attack midway through the 2019 French Open before a simple two-word tactic led her to win the tournament, catapulting to World No. 1. The defining moment was revealed by her former mindset coach, Ben Crowe, who took the stage at the Australasian Real Estate Conference (AREC) to share the strategy with an industry battling its own high-stakes pressures.

Soaring rents and mortgage stress see professionals embrace the van life trend
Australians at the top of their field earning six figures are turning to van and caravan life amid the housing crisis – including Sydney lawyer Phoebe MacDougall, who says it’s the best decision she’s made.

Tax critic’s $11.5m Bondi home for sale
Square Peg Capital co-founder Paul Bassat, who has warned the capital gains tax changes in the federal budget could cause an exodus of talent from Australia, is selling the North Bondi bolthole he owns with his wife, Sharon.

St George Illawarra Dragons halfback Kyle Flanagan’s $4m home for sale
Having failed to sell at recent auction, the Burraneer home of NRL player Kyle Flanagan has been given price guidance of $3.9m by Ray White Sutherland Shire agent Tiffany Perez.

Doomsday: Over half of Aussies prepping homes for global chaos
Australians are turning their homes into modern-day bunkers as fears over global instability fuel a boom in veggie gardens, solar batteries, water tanks and self-sufficiency upgrades.

Yard war erupts after neighbour claims land as their own
A family who tried to transfer the ownership of their property after a relative died were shocked to discover a neighbour had stolen part of their yard. The boundary discrepancy came to light during an ownership transfer after the home was left to another family member following the original owner’s death.

The Block star’s huge $3.45m gamble
The Block’s interior design guru, and serial house flipper, Shelley Craft, and her cameraman-turned real estate agent husband Christian Sergiacomi, have found their next Byron Bay project.

Australia’s rental crisis: Inside the $1400 a week granny flat
One bedroom granny flats are being rented out for up to $1400 a week, or a mind-blowing $72,800 a year, in some of Australia’s ritziest suburbs – a sign that the rental market is completely cooked.

Half of Aussie parents fear their children will never afford a home
Half of Australia’s parents are worried their kids will not be able to afford to buy their own home amid a worsening housing affordability crisis. Despite becoming a major focus of political policies for the past few years, the only parts of the country where the majority of parents still believe their kids will be able to get a place of their own are Melbourne and Sydney.

Eddie McGuire eyes off James Packer’s $72m home
Eddie McGuire will be spending a little more time in Sydney, up from Melbourne, given his return to radio broadcasting has him co-presenting the weekly GOLD FM national Friday afternoon show along with Karl Stefanovic from June.

Bert Newton’s former Burwood home for sale after 20-year renovation
Blending period features with modern updates, this double-brick Edwardian in Burwood, owned by Bert Newton in the 1970s, has been a labour of love for over two decades.

Tree roots cause alarming spike in SA sewer blockages
Tree roots are largely to blame for a huge jump in sewer blockages across SA over the past year, with more resources being invested into maintaining hotspot areas in response to the spike.

‘I will not slow down’: 60-property investor buys hours after budget
An Aussie investor who bought his 62nd property just hours after the federal budget’s CGT crackdown – plans to keep buying when other owners panic-sell.

Lively, Reynolds in $2.94m dispute over their custom eco home
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds’ quest to build a custom eco-friendly estate on a sprawling 110-acre parcel in upstate New York has reportedly hit a significant hurdle — amid claims that the couple owes $2.1 million (AUD $2.94 million) in unpaid fees to contractors they hired to work on the enormous property.

Fashion designer Collette Dinnigan’s $5.5m Southern Highlands home for sale
Fashion designer turned interior designer Collette Dinnigan and her lifestyle estate agent husband, Bradley Cocks, are selling their super stylish Robertson investment acreage, Argyle Grange. Dinnigan has transformed the Southern Highlands property, with two abodes, since 2022, when they paid $2.825m.

Infamous Pentridge Prison cell sold for $81,000 in Aussie first
Pentridge Prison has hosted some of the hardest criminals in Aussie history, from Ned Kelly and Mark “Chopper” Read to Russel St bomber Craig Minogue.

Celeb jeweller Millie Savage sells creative Fitzroy house
Celebrity jeweller Millie Savage has sold her creative house in Melbourne’s inner north after listing it with $2.25m-$2.35m price hopes.

AFL fan buys Michael Tuck’s Berwick home, asks for personal tour
Hawthorn Football Club legend and seven-time Premiership winner Michael Tuck has sold his Berwick home of almost 20 years in a $1.63m sale.

Sam Newman marks end of an era for family’s Point Lonsdale home
Geelong Cats great and media personality Sam Newman has taken a trip down memory lane as a Point Lonsdale home owned by his family for 85 years goes on the market for the first time.

AREC 2026: From broke to billions, Josh Altman’s path to the top
The US celebrity agent who sold Kim Kardashian’s condo and built a TV empire has taught Australian real estate agents his “ready, fire, aim” approach to closing mega-deals. Josh Altman, known worldwide through Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles, hit the stage as the first headline speaker at Australasia’s most influential real estate event, The Australasian Real Estate Conference (AREC), over the weekend.

Real Commercial

Aussie man’s retail experience of ‘Bali Kmart’ and how it compares
Australians flocking to Bali for a lowcost winter escape may face a rude shock at the customs counter on arrival home. The island remains the goto for sun, surf and bargain prices, yet the savings can unravel the moment you land back in the country.

Urban Developer – Partly Free

Baz Signs on as Gold Coast Creative Precinct Launches EoI
The Gold Coast City Council has launched an international search for development partners to help deliver the Miami Arts Depot creative industries precinct. The project, a proposed 40,000sq m mixed-use hub, will be anchored by acclaimed film director Baz Luhrmann and four-time Academy Award-winning costume designer Catherine Martin.

Pay-walled

The Australian Financial Review

ATO finalises strict new tax rules for holiday homes
Holiday home owners will lose lucrative tax deductions for expenses such as mortgage interest and council rates if they block out their properties for personal use during peak periods like Christmas, Easter and school holidays.

Packer, Khuda and now Birkenstock: Inside Sydney’s tower of power
Alex Birkenstock, of the German shoe-family fame, and his wife Vanessa have settled on a $51.5 million apartment in Barangaroo’s Crown tower, adding a globally recognisable surname to the roll call of the heavyweights who call the twisting WilkinsonEyre-designed harbourside landmark home.

Andrew Burnes’ $17m Brighton beauty leads Melbourne trophy listings
Helloworld Travel chief executive Andrew Burnes is swapping one grand Melbourne mansion for another, having listed his Brighton home Greystones, with a price guide of $16 million to $17 million, after snapping up another mansion in Hawthorn East earlier this year.

Brisbane Times

Olympics body gatecrashes Save Victoria Park event to erect fences
The Olympic infrastructure body charged with delivering 2032 Games venues has been accused of intimidatory behaviour after it gatecrashed a Save Victoria Park event on Tuesday morning to erect fencing.

WA Today

‘Australia’s most expensive lawn’: Melville council faces push for special electors’ meeting over Leeming cricket pitch
Environmental advocacy groups have called for a special electors’ meeting with the City of Melville over its contentious $4.7 million Leeming cricket pitch proposal.

The Daily Telegraph

Veterans charity secures $19 million future after selling to Merivale
Justin Hemmes’ hospitality empire has added another piece to its CBD puzzle, buying a former RSL building in the heart of the city. But the veterans who sold it say the real story is what the $19 million will do for them.

The Gold Coast Bulletin

Gold Coast to get Australia’s longest zip line in new eco-tourism hub
Developers will transform a former banana plantation and quarry into Australia’s longest zip line destination, using existing degraded land for sustainable hinterland tourism.

Oxenford Men’s Shed secures almost $2m for state-of-the-art rebuild
A $1.89m upgrade will deliver a state-of-the-art Men’s Shed in Oxenford that will become the template for future facilities across the Gold Coast.

Mick Fanning’s Gold Coast wave pool project secures $4m government funding
Mick Fanning’s Gold Coast wave pool project has secured $4m in state government funding, potentially delivering Queensland’s first successful surfing wave pool after decades of failed attempts.

E-bike ‘hoons’ race down Gold Coast tram tracks sparking safety fears
A Gold Coast resident has filmed a horde of e-bike hoons zooming down the Surfers Paradise tram corridor and the truth is that we need an option that can cut through traffic … that’s not an illegal e-bike.

Radical plan for Gold Coast electric air taxi network revealed by Alt Air
Aaron Shaw plans to launch Gold Coast’s first electric air taxi network by 2028, promising 16-minute flights to Brisbane at Uber Black prices.

The Illawarra Mercury

Population of a whole suburb will be living on Flinders Street
With Flinders Street in North Wollongong soon to be home to a suburb’s worth of people, the time to add infrastructure is now, a Wollongong City councillor said. At Monday night’s Wollongong City Council meeting, councillors adopted the Flinders Street Precinct Urban Design Framework.

South Coast waterfront home once owned by renowned artist Arthur Boyd for sale
A South Coast property formerly owned by renowned late Australian artist Arthur Boyd has returned to the market. ‘Boyd’s Beach House’ is located at 53 The Marina, Culburra Beach.

The West Australian

Elizabeth Quay feud: Arrest warrant for developer Victor Goh canned amid possible EQWest settlement
An arrest warrant for property developer Victor Goh has been cancelled minutes before taking effect as a multimillion-dollar dispute at his Elizabeth Quay project heads toward settlement. But a contempt of court matter remains live.

Planet of the Apes star Travis Jeffrey satirises the housing crisis in Zoe Pepper’s maiden feature Birthright
The best satires cut deep but new WA comedy Birthright’s take on the housing crisis and intergenerational wealth is so topical it cuts all the way to the bone. It tells the story of a millennial couple, played by Travis Jeffrey (Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes) and Maria Angelico (Stateless), who are effectively left homeless when a prospective landlord decides to cash in on the hot real estate market and sell their rental property.

Cash, free rent and guarantors: how parents are helping children into homes
Cash gifts, free rent and guarantor support have become the new first home playbook as families step in where housing affordability falls short. New research from national mortgage broker Resolve Finance found 53 per cent of parents had either provided financial support or planned to, highlighting how central family backing has become to the path into home ownership.