Aussie headquarters of controversial celebrity religion sells

The headquarters of the Church of Scientology in a major Aussie capital city has a new owner.

The listing photos for the group’s Adelaide offices, which hit the market earlier this year, show a space set up for imparting information on the high-profile religion, known for its following among celebrities and Hollywood elite, most notably film star Tom Cruise.

The church rents 225 Pulteney Street address in the heart of Adelaide’s CBD and the property has sold, the listing, by Cushman & Wakefield, shows.

Adelaide is thriving on the back of its buoyant residential property market.

Adelaide clocked the third-highest median house price growth over the past 12 months, behind only Perth and Brisbane, Domain data for June 2024 shows.

Campaign images show a lounge areas, desks, shelves and stands carrying books, including Dianetics by Scientology’s father L. Ron Hubbard, which has sold 22 million copies in 50 languages.

Cushman & Wakefield describes the site has having “immense potential” in a busy segment of the city.

The address covers 450 square metres of multi-use space, which could be suitable for retail, a showroom or offices.

“The property offers an exceptional opportunity for investment or owner occupation, with a monthly lease to the Church of Scientology providing short term income while future plans are contemplated,” the listing says.

Agents Jed Harley and Sam Alexander looked after the listing. The agents were approached by Nine regarding price hopes when the property launched on the market.

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