Point Piper boatshed sold for close to $40m is Sydney's top sale so far this year

It says a lot about the strength of the Sydney property boom and strong demand for lifestyle properties that the most expensive property sold this year is a Point Piper boatshed for close to $40 million.

It took just a few weeks for the lavish harbourside playground to sell, making it the most expensive boatshed offered for sale in Australia, far more than the $30 million it traded for just four years ago.

Speculation among prestige agents indicates it sold at the top of its bullish $37 million to $40 million price guide range.

Ken Jacobs, of Christie’s International, was not contactable at the time of publication, nor was his colleague James Hall, but a caveat lodged on title on Wednesday confirmed the purchase by a mystery buyer through leading law firm McCullough Robertson.

The two-storey boatshed is set on almost 2000 square metres with a harbourside swimming pool on the grounds and one of the largest private marina berths on Sydney Harbour.

The boatshed has accommodation on the upper level, and a DA to convert it into a house has recently been approved by Woollahra Council.

Set on prized Wunulla Road – down the road from the homes of former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull and Seven director Bruce McWilliam – it was for decades the private playground of the wealthy O’Neil family, hosting significant family milestones and the various yachts of the property developer and former Olympic sailor Denis O’Neil.

The O’Neils owned it for 60 years, buying it in 1958 for £9000 from Polish-born World War II survivors Dr Ignacy and Elvira Listwan.

A third title was added in 1973 for $21,500 when it was bought from the then Maritime Services Board, giving the O’Neils ownership up to the waterfront.

The O’Neil family listed it in 2017 for $33 million and sold it later that year to the Scharrer family for a record price for a boatshed of $30 million.

It is the highest sale price for a residential property this year, topping the more than $32.5 million sale of the nearby waterfront investment house of Mr McWilliam last month.