Mining magnates and the mega-mansions of Perth’s property playground
It can really feel like the Australian property market is nothing short of a dumpster fire right now. Each passing week, we descend deeper into the flames, looking for glimmers of hope while clutching our emotional support take-away coffee. Because hey, an $8 treat from the local café isn’t going to make or break your housing chances, and it’s far cheaper than therapy.
Since we’re all gawking at prices anyway, why not go all in and explore the lifestyles of Perth’s rich and famous? Grab your avocado toast, and come voyeur through these 12 properties.
A palace in the sky, West Perth
No matter the size of the rental you manage to squeeze out of the market, mining heiress and businesswoman Angela Bennett’s 949sqm penthouse makes everything else look like a granny flat. What do you mean, you don’t have a billiards table and breakfast bar in the same room? And whatever will I do with my seventh car? There’s only six parking spaces!
Bring your hard hat, because there’s marble everywhere - one slip, and you’re off to emergency. You’ll need to do a Take 5 before walking through the front door. Maybe this is why they offer viewings to private, qualified buyers only.
This cold, hard hazard is currently listed at $15 million by Morgan Hayes.
43 Saunders Street, Mosman Park
Californiaaa, here we cooome… Ahem, sorry. We wouldn’t judge if you thought you were looking at the iconic seaside rooftops of the great Orange County, but no. There’s no Sandy Cohen in sight, sadly.
In 2009, Mineral Resources founder Chris Ellison and his wife Tia purchased the most expensive home in Western Australian history for a huge $57.5m - yes, 16 years ago, and the sale still holds this record to date. Fun fact, the property was sold by William Porteous for Angela Bennett - who apparently paid “just” $4 million for it in 1992. The Ellisons then bought the adjacent blocks plus neighbouring homes, totalling 9,159sqm, creating a county of their own.
For the curious, you can watch this video tour of the home, in high quality 480p and complete with romantic Spanish guitar soundtrack.
41A Saunders Street, Mosman Park
Whomever is now lapping up luxury in this “uber cool Hacienda-inspired” 6X4 - let’s be friends? The Ellison’s adjacent property sold for $5.4 million after a solid year of controversy in November 2024. The ridiculously gorgeous, substantial home may have been worth holding onto over the monstrosity next door. Ah well.
Photos galore as listed by Ray White.
52 The Esplanade, Peppermint Grove
Built in 1935, this heritage home is a welcome, cosy change from the lifeless mega mansions. A modest 4 bedrooms and 3 car garage overlook quiet river views. Imagine the family Christmas day BBQ on those lush, green lawns!
Pearl miner farmer Lyndon Brown sold this one to Liontown Resources chairman Tim Goyder and his wife Linda, via Mack Hall, in 2022 for $17 million.
I’d chew off my arm just to stay in that loft. Photo credit and more here.
24 Saunders Street, Mosman Park
It seems that renovations may be wrapping up in Peppy Grove, and the Goyders are ready to make the move from Mossy Park. Details around the quiet off-market sale by Space to a retired medical specialist in August 2025, for a cool $22.75 million, are rare. Zero glossy real estate pics, not even a drone shot of the pool - which is at the front of the hilltop property, to make the most of those river views.
1 Vlamingh Parade, Mosman Park
Fit for a (spud) king, this mansion was scooped up by the great Tony Galati himself. Previously owned within the family of late iron ore heir Michael Wright, this feels like a steal at $6.2 million, compared to the previous properties explored.
It could be presumed that Sicilian lineage dictates that all prospective residences must offer their own wine cellar, Travertine balcony, and Italian marble fireplace. Cosy, atmosfera familiare, right in the heart of Perth. More gawking available thanks to Ray White here.
89 Watkins Road, Dalkeith
From mining investment dabbler Alan Bond, to gold magnate Ross Atkins in 1993, and Barry Patterson of GR Engineering Services six years later, this property has been in the hands of many industry families. Ambitiously hoping to break Ellison’s record, it was sold for an eye-watering $39 million in 2011 to CSI founding shareholder Steve Wyatt, as the second most expensive home sold in Western Australia at the time.
It was most recently purchased by a “beautiful young family” for a bargain $27.5 million in August 2020. The Ray White listing is full of spectacular images, worth a browse, not to mention this enticing video tour.
42 John Street, Cottesloe
Perth-born Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest, founder of Fortescue Metals Group, owns an impressive trio of properties in Cottesloe. All homes boast over a century of fine ageing each.
It is understood that Pine Lodge, built in 1896 and purchased for an undisclosed sum in 2000, is his primary residence. The forest-y home has been renovated with modern amenities, all designed to compliment and maintain historical integrity.
7 Rosendo Street, Cottesloe
Just over the hill is Twiggy’s second historical home, the 1896-built Tukurua. It was purchased for the first time in 119 years for $16 million in 2015. It was then used as a halfway house for Syrian refugees, thanks to daughter Grace’s lobbying of her parents’ generosity. This place is massive - at the time of sale, it boasted 6 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms over 608m2, in the middle of a quiet, inner city suburb.
You really need to zoom out to appreciate just how much real estate is captured in this property. Thank goodness it has withstood time, because this place has charm like none other.
2 Salvado Street, Cottesloe
Forget the gum trees, give me a home amongst the Banksia. Le Fanu House, completed in 1893, was described as “crumbling into ruins” with “serious complications” in 2008, before renovations saved the heritage-protected property in 2011. It changed hands in 2009 to Steve Wyatt and Sue Gibson for $4.25 million, and then bought by Forrest via Ray White in 2022 for the sum of $15.6 million.
The block has been behind construction screening for some time now - in the meantime, you can explore the home via video tour here.
150 Victoria Avenue, Dalkeith
When Gina isn’t herding cattle or dominating the economy, she’s enjoying downtime in one of her many private estates across the country. Rinehart is Australia’s richest person, at a cool $29 billion net worth, thanks to many established and new entrepreneurial ventures, including Hancock Prospecting. She owns multiple houses and land in Dalkeith alone, not to mention riverfront homes in Brisbane, numerous commercial properties, and sweeping stations across the outback.
The 1930s mansion was inherited by Gina, which her father bought in the late 1950s. Additional purchases mean the extended block now also encompasses residences 148 next door, and 152 at the rear. Many renovations have been made, including extensive landscaping and lush wraparound gardens, through to new residential quarters overlooking the swan river.
Photo credit to Trevor Collens/Australian Financial Review.
28 Carnarvon Castle Drive, Eagle Bay
Did you ever think you’d get sick of viewing mansions in Perth’s CBD? Well, breathe a sigh of median income relief, as we wrap up our property tour with (yes, one last time) Chris and Tia Ellison.
The oceanside home, sitting on 11,700sqm of land in the Margaret River region, was bought for a modest $3.2 million in late 2021. If they ever list that guest house on AirBnB, we are so there. May we suggest offering an all-inclusive experience, including helicopter rides back to Perth?
Listing and more boulder photos by Ray White. That is a nice boulder.
