Brisbane’s auction record has been smashed with the $8.4 million sale of a riverfront home at Bulimba, making it the city’s most expensive property ever sold under the hammer.
The five-bedroom European-style mansion at 95-99 McConnell Street had attracted potential buyers from across the globe due to its prized north-facing riverfront position sprawled over 1473 square metres of land with 32 metres of river frontage.

But it was two local Brisbane families, both intent on buying the property to live in with their young children, who battled it out on Wednesday night in one of the most furiously fast-paced auctions marketing agent Sarah Hackett of Place Estate Agents Bulimba had ever seen.
“It was very high intensity, it was absolutely unbelievable to watch,” Ms Hackett said. “Both families were very emotionally connected to the property and wanted it badly.
Brisbane’s most expensive auction sales
Address | Suburb | Year | Price |
---|
95-99 McConnell Street | Bulimba | 2019 | $8.4 million |
39 Griffith Street | New Farm | 2019 | $7.75 million |
22 Sandford Street | St Lucia | 2009 | $7.75 million |
29 Laurence Street | St Lucia | 2010 | $7 million |
78 Jilba Street | Indooroopilly | 2007 | $6.1 million |
20 Scott Street | Hawthorne | 2017 | $5.6 million |
22 Langside Road | Hamilton | 2016 | $5,385,000 |
34 Quay Street | Bulimba | 2016 | $5.33 million |
14 Otway Street | Holland Park | 2016 | $5,225,000 |
9 Griffith Street | New Farm | 2013 | $5.2 million |
“Bidding started at $5.5 million, went straight up to $6 million, then it was pretty much $100,000 bids at a time from there. It was back and forth, back and forth – the time between bids was literally seconds. It was amazing to watch.”
The previous record for a property sold at auction in Brisbane was $7.75 million, which was first set in 2009 with the sale of a grand riverfront estate at Sandford Street, St Lucia, then equalled in March this year when 39 Griffith Street, New Farm sold under the hammer. It was purchased by Ben Seymour, the grandson of Queensland rich-lister and developer Kevin Seymour.

Ms Hackett said it was an emotionally charged auction because properties of this calibre in Brisbane were rare.
“I’ve got one buyer absolutely elated and over the moon and one buyer absolutely heart broken,” she said.
“We’re currently at an all-time record low for riverfront stock in Brisbane at the moment, so sadly I don’t have anything else comparable to offer them at the moment.”
The winning bidders, a young family with two boys, were keen fishermen looking forward to enjoying the riverfront lifestyle, Ms Hackett said.

“This is a purchase made for the whole family. They want their kids to have that riverfront lifestyle, they’ve already got a tinny and the kids are super excited,” she said.
The kids won’t even have to share – the property has not one, but two private deep water mooring pontoons, as well as a pool, flat landscaped backyard and multiple living areas inside, all with spectacular water views that stretch across the river to Hamilton Hill.

Source: www.domain.com.au