Another Chemist Warehouse family in $33m Toorak property deal

Another family linked to pharmacy juggernaut Chemist Warehouse has bought a Toorak home, in a deal worth just over $33 million.

The six-bedroom contemporary home is set on one of Melbourne’s most sought-after streets and features stylish design and top-end wellness facilities.

The sellers were former investment banker Anita Wong and Wilson Lai, president of electrical circuit protection product manufacturer Hollyland Group Holdings.

A caveat was lodged on the home this winter citing a purchasers’ contract by Razia Haroon, whose husband is Azman Haroon, the boss of Chemist Warehouse in New Zealand, and one of the pharmacists to benefit from the company’s sharemarket debut.

Following Chemist Warehouse’s merger with ASX-listed Sigma Healthcare, Azman Haroon’s stock in Sigma is reportedly worth about $190 million.

After this masthead made inquiries, the caveat was withdrawn. A well-placed source not authorised to comment publicly said at the time that the home was going to settle to Azman’s father.

Public records on Thursday showed the home settled for $33,288,000 to Abdul Haroon and Saiaz Haroon.

Selling agents Marcus Chiminello of Marshall White and Rob Curtain of Melbourne Sotheby’s International Realty could not be contacted by deadline.

The home was earlier listed with a price guide of $36 million to $39 million. It sits on 861 square metres and comes with air and water purification systems, a pool, sauna, gym and massage room.

Other pharmacy families have also been buying Toorak homes.

This masthead previously reported that Matthew and Nicole Verrocchi bought six adjacent properties in Toorak for a combined $22.83 million and secured a planning permit to build a new residence.

Since then, they have added a seventh property, for $5 million, taking their total spending to $27.83 million. Matthew’s father is Chemist Warehouse co-founder Mario Verrocchi, and Matthew is part of the empire as well as managing director of Bondi Perfume Co.

Co-founder Sam Gance spent $43.1 million on a Toorak house in 2021, while the family of the third Chemist Warehouse co-founder, Jack Gance, spent more than $30 million buying two mansions next door to each other in Toorak in 2019.

Top-end knockdown

What does $88 million buy you in Melbourne’s prestige property market these days?

An oversized estate in Toorak has been listed for sale with a price guide of $80 million to $88 million, but it’s being pitched as an opportunity for a new home or apartment development.

The block of 6340 square metres across two titles on sought-after Lansell Road has two houses on it now, but they would be unlikely to last long if the new buyer were to pursue a multi-residence project or a new grand home.

Selling agents handling the listing are Kay & Burton’s managing director, Ross Savas, with Jamie Mi and Nick Kenyon.

“An unencumbered double allotment with two titles of this magnitude in Toorak is exceptionally rare and represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for those with the vision to create something truly remarkable,” said Savas in a statement.

“We’re anticipating strong interest from both local and international buyers – whether developers looking to deliver a landmark residential project or private families seeking to create a generational estate at Melbourne’s most prestigious address.”

No interior photos were offered, although one of the existing homes comes with a tennis court.

Public records show the owners of the properties are Weian Zhang and Miaomiao Zhang, who are directors of property development company V-Leader.

They bought the block in two tranches, paying $17 million in 2015 for one home to Miriam Meydan, and $22 million in 2021 to Phillip Scanlan, the former Australian consul general in New York. Even a sale at the bottom of the price guide would double the vendors’ money.

A sale at that level would be among the most expensive homes ever sold in Melbourne.

The top sale in Melbourne was the Toorak home of logistics boss Paul Little and wife Jane Hansen, the chancellor of the University of Melbourne. Its price will become public on settlement, but sources have put it variously at $115 million, $135 million or a speculated $150 million.

In the same suburb, crypto casino entrepreneur Ed Craven bought a knockdown-rebuild in 2022 for the auspicious price of $80,000,088.

In nearby St Georges Road, tech entrepreneur Grant Rule bought a deceased estate for $74.5 million the same year.

Another top-end Toorak home listed for sale is the Myer family’s Cranlana, asking $96 million to $105 million.

The Clendon Road home was bought by businessman and philanthropist Sidney Myer, founder of Myer department stores, in 1921.

It has been seeking the right buyer who will be willing to work within the heritage requirements on what would be a significant renovation.

The median house price in Toorak is $3.93 million, on Domain data for the year to June.