Sydney A-list party mansion listed with $40 million price hopes

An Italianate trophy home with impeccable A-list credentials has been listed in Sydney.

Iona in Darlinghurst is the perfect expression of old-school Hollywood, near to the CBD.

Movie director Baz Lurhmann and his wife, designer Catherine Martin, formerly owned the estate, and stories from the Moulin Rouge launch bash report Tom Cruise and his wife Nicole Kidman were the life of the party and Leonardo DiCaprio, the star of Lurhmann’s The Great Gatsby, posed for a photo shoot in the lush garden.

Expressions of Interest

'Iona' 2 Darley Street, Darlinghurst NSW 2010

7

7

6

View property

Price hopes for modern-meets-classical estate are in the realm of $40 million, the listing agent, The Agency’s Ben Collier, confirmed.

Collier said one of the amazing features of the landmark house is how private it is. He said no traffic noise, only the sweet din of birds in the established garden, punctuate the peace and quiet. As such, it feels a long way from Sydney’s inner suburbs.

“It is a well known home for a number of reasons, one of which is it an absolute rarity to find something like it this close to the CBD,” Collier says.

“Secondly, it has had high profile owners in the past.

“But fundamentally, all of that aside, you could literally be anywhere else in the world other than in Darlinghurst.”

Built in about 1880 for pastoralist Edward Chisholm, the estate is the largest residential block in its high-end area, spanning 2716 square metres of verdant, landscaped gardens.

The mansion is only a 20-minute walk to the city.

The layout encompasses grand entry hall and multiple living areas including a sitting room, drawing room, and billiard room. Seven bedrooms and seven bathrooms provide space for guests.

The main suite has a private balcony, dressing room and en suite.

The owner will also acquire a self-contained apartment with its own balcony and private entry. They can enjoy a home office, gym, cellar and a cool room.

A 19.6-metre mosaic-tiled swimming pool has Gatsby flair. The property also features a Grotto with a Japanese garden designed by Ken Lamb.

The entrance is graced by gates from the Duke of Westminster’s London palace.