Vale Shane Warne, the prolific property flipper

Shane Warne knew how to flip more than a cricket ball. The late Aussie leg-spinner had a keen interest in collecting and trading prestige real estate, especially in Melbourne’s exclusive suburb of Brighton, and one of his homes was so nice he owned it twice.

Warne’s grand homes and extravagant renovations came with thoughtful details such as a swimming pool emblazoned with his playing number, 23.

His latest purchase was rumoured to be in the Saint Moritz luxury apartment development in St Kilda, where his neighbours would have included Antony Catalano and Sam Newman. The bachelor pad was set to include a secret entrance and exit.

The beachfront block, by developer Gurner, features architecture by Fender Katsalidis and Koichi Takada, interior design by David Hicks and landscape design by Jack Merlo, and hotel-style resident amenities include a private club, spa, wellness retreat, private catering, a wine director, personal stylist, childcare, car washing, laundry service and housekeeping.

Down the coast, he owned a block of land in Portsea on the sought-after Mornington Peninsula, purchased for $3.6 million in 2020, and reportedly had plans to build a resort-style residence complete with gym, wine cellar, theatre and bowling alley.

The same year, he sold a grand Brighton house after a campaign interrupted by lockdowns.

The glamorous five-bedroom, 5.5-bathroom home fetched $5.7 million after auction.

Set on 662 square metres of land and with a grand entrance staircase, it came with a four-car garage, a pool and spa, a bar, home theatre and a wine-tasting room with space for 530 bottles.

An entertainer’s dream, the kitchen featured Miele appliances, Calacatta benches and an open-plan living and dining space that spilled into an al fresco entertaining area by the pool.

Warne’s purchase of the home for $5.4 million in 2018 came soon after he offloaded an expansive near-$19 million block on the suburb’s sought-after Middle Crescent.

It was a property he owned it twice, dropping $3.6 million on the home in 2000 with ex-wife Simone Callahan and reportedly spending a similar sum in renovations before selling it for $8.8 million in 2007.

He bought it back for $14,249,999 in 2016 before selling again for $18,888,888.

Other addresses the leg-spinner had owned include 102 Esplanade, bought for $902,500 in 1996 and sold for $2.61 million in 2000; 16 Park Street, bought for $3.7 million in 2007 and sold for $6,775,000 in 2009; 6 William Street – shared with actor Elizabeth Hurley after his separation from Callahan – bought for $7.55 million in 2009 and sold for $10.85 million in 2013; and 11 Kinane Street, bought for $3.95 million in 2014 and sold for $5.35 million in 2016.

His property portfolio spread internationally in 2012, when Warne and then-fiancee Liz Hurley bought a British country estate, Donnington Hall in Herefordshire, for $9 million. The 13-bedroom Georgian mansion came with a private lake, tennis court, equestrian facilities and extensive cellarage.