Boomerang (house)
Encyclopedia
Boomerang is a historic home in the suburb of Elizabeth Bay
in Sydney
, New South Wales
, Australia
. Built in 1926, it lies on Billyard Avenue and has been ranked as one of the most expensive houses in Sydney.
Estate; this had been carved up and rows of luxurious villas and mansions had sprung up in the area. Frank Albert himself had married and built a two storey brick house in 1902, which he demolished to make way for Boomerang.
Boomerang has been described as the oldest and finest example of Spanish architecture in Australia. A three storey mansion with rendered walls, it has 25 rooms, 6 bathrooms and 4 kitchens. A private cinema was constructed in the basement by Albert in 1928. Likened to a miniature version of the State Theatre
, it could seat 200 people.
Albert resided at Boomerang until his death in 1962, after which the house remained closed with a caretaker until 1978. Oil recycler Peter Burnett bought the property in 1978 for $
1.25 million, which was allegedly Sydney's first million-dollar house sale. Film entrepreneur and businessman Peter Fox bought it in 1981, but died when his Ferrari hit a tree at Kempsey, and it was sold to bookmaker Mark Read for $3 million 1982.
Kowloon based expatriate funds manager Duncan Mount and his wife Sally procured the house in 1996 from Nati Stoliar, who in turn had obtained it for $6.6. million in 1993. The previous owner, Perth-based developer Warren Anderson, paid $5.1 million in 1985, but required eviction in 1993.
The Mounts in turn sold to John and Julie Schaeffer in 2002. Boomerang was sold to the Melbourne trucking magnate Fox family, headed by Lindsay Fox
for $21 million in March 2005.
The house was used as a set for the film Mission Impossible 2. The garden was recently redesigned by Myles Baldwin
.
Elizabeth Bay, New South Wales
Elizabeth Bay is a harbourside suburb in eastern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Elizabeth Bay is located 3 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the City of Sydney....
in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Built in 1926, it lies on Billyard Avenue and has been ranked as one of the most expensive houses in Sydney.
History
English architect Neville Hampson designed Boomerang in 1926 for wealthy Sydney music publisher Frank Albert. Spanish American in style, the building got its name from Frank's father Jacques Albert's business trademark, and boomerang songbooks and mouthorgans were well-known in Sydney at the time. The waterfront land had originally been part of the Elizabeth Bay HouseElizabeth Bay House
Elizabeth Bay House is a historic home in the suburb of Elizabeth Bay in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Built between 1835 and 1839, Elizabeth Bay House was known as 'the finest house in the colony'. Elizabeth Bay House is a home in the Regency style, originally surrounded by a garden, but...
Estate; this had been carved up and rows of luxurious villas and mansions had sprung up in the area. Frank Albert himself had married and built a two storey brick house in 1902, which he demolished to make way for Boomerang.
Boomerang has been described as the oldest and finest example of Spanish architecture in Australia. A three storey mansion with rendered walls, it has 25 rooms, 6 bathrooms and 4 kitchens. A private cinema was constructed in the basement by Albert in 1928. Likened to a miniature version of the State Theatre
State Theatre (Sydney)
The State Theatre is a heritage-listed theatre, located in Market Street, in the city centre of Sydney, Australia.The Sydney Film Festival is hosted there for two weeks each June, and has been there since 1974.-Description and history:...
, it could seat 200 people.
Albert resided at Boomerang until his death in 1962, after which the house remained closed with a caretaker until 1978. Oil recycler Peter Burnett bought the property in 1978 for $
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
1.25 million, which was allegedly Sydney's first million-dollar house sale. Film entrepreneur and businessman Peter Fox bought it in 1981, but died when his Ferrari hit a tree at Kempsey, and it was sold to bookmaker Mark Read for $3 million 1982.
Kowloon based expatriate funds manager Duncan Mount and his wife Sally procured the house in 1996 from Nati Stoliar, who in turn had obtained it for $6.6. million in 1993. The previous owner, Perth-based developer Warren Anderson, paid $5.1 million in 1985, but required eviction in 1993.
The Mounts in turn sold to John and Julie Schaeffer in 2002. Boomerang was sold to the Melbourne trucking magnate Fox family, headed by Lindsay Fox
Lindsay Fox
Lindsay Edward Fox AC is an Australian businessman. As of 2009, he was the 10th richest person in Australia, with a net worth of around 1.5 billion . He is best known as the founder and chairman of his family-owned trucking and logistics company, Linfox.- Early life :Lindsay Fox was brought up in...
for $21 million in March 2005.
The house was used as a set for the film Mission Impossible 2. The garden was recently redesigned by Myles Baldwin
Myles Baldwin
Myles Cameron Baldwin is an Australian horticulturalist, landscape designer and writer. He was named as one of "Australia's top 100 young leaders" by The Australian in 2009.-Early life:...
.
Sales History
| Year | Sale Price | New Owner |
|---|---|---|
| 1928 | $25,000 (land only) | Mr Frank Albert |
| 1978 | $1.25 million | Mr Peter Burnett |
| 1981 | $2.4 million | Mr Peter Fox |
| 1982 | $2.8 million | Mr Mark Read |
| 1985 | $5.1 million | Mr Warren Anderson |
| 1993 | $6.6 million | Mr Nati and Mrs Miki Stoliar |
| 1996 | $15 million | Mr Duncan and Mrs Sally Mount |
| 2002 | $20.7 million | Mr John and Mrs Julie Schaeffer |
| 2005 | $21 million | Mr Lindsay Fox |