PHOTO: Birkenstocks. GLAM
🏡 Sydney’s Biggest Sale of 2025 Is Official — And It’s a Birkenstock Buy
Sydney has crowned its top residential sale of 2025, with billionaire footwear heirs Alex Birkenstock and Vanessa Birkenstock quietly snapping up an $85 million Rose Bay mansion in the days leading up to Christmas.
The off-market style deal now stands as the highest-priced home sale in Sydney for the year, edging out every other prestige transaction in 2025.
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💰 A $200m Budget — And Years in the Making
The Birkenstocks, who had been based in Melbourne, have been searching for a Sydney foothold for several years, with a reported budget of up to $200 million.
With their daughters set to attend the elite Kambala School in 2026, the urgency ramped up late last year.
Alex Birkenstock has also long harboured a dream of sailing Sydney Harbour, making Rose Bay a natural fit.
The search was handled by prominent buyer’s agent Simon Cohen, who intensified inspections in the final months of 2025.
Vanessa Cush Birkenstock models some of Myer’s winter fashion range in 2006.
👀 The House That Sealed the Deal
The couple zeroed in on the five-bedroom landmark known as Bayview Hill House, located on Bayview Hill Road.
The home hit the market in May with a $90m guide, before eventually trading for $85m.
Vanessa Birkenstock reportedly viewed the property late last year — and was so taken with it that she asked her husband to fly in immediately to inspect.
This Rose Bay home sold for $85m, the top sale in Sydney over 2025.
🌊 Harbour Views From the Bathtub
Set on a 1,039sqm block, the grand residence delivers uninterrupted views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge from nearly every room — including the bathtub and home gym.
Designed by acclaimed architects David Walker and Peter Janks, the home features:
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🏊 Wet-edge infinity pool with spa and cabana
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🌅 Panoramic harbour and bridge views
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🛏️ Five luxury bedrooms
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🏋️ Private gym
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🛁 Designer bathrooms with outlooks most Sydneysiders only dream of
🔄 A Twist in the Tale
In a quirk of prestige real estate musical chairs, the sellers — Lawrence Myers, CEO of Consolidated Press Holdings, and his wife Sylvia — are relocating to an $80 million Barangaroo penthouse.
Ironically, that penthouse was also considered by the Birkenstocks during their Sydney search.
The Myers originally bought Bayview Hill House from retailer Brett Blundy for $43 million in 2018, meaning the sale more than doubled their investment.
Iconic views.
An infinity pool, naturally.
👗 From Fashion Campaigns to Harbourfront Living
Vanessa Birkenstock (née Cush) is a British-German model who lived in Australia between 2002 and 2012 and appeared in campaigns for Myer, Kenzo, and Bettina Liano before meeting her husband.
Now, she and Alex join the ranks of Sydney’s ultra-wealthy harbour elite, cementing Rose Bay’s status as one of the country’s most tightly held prestige suburbs.
The property had been for sale since last May.
📈 What This Sale Says About Sydney’s Top End
The $85m deal reinforces several key trends:
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🏆 Trophy homes remain highly competitive
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🌍 Global billionaires still see Sydney as a safe haven
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🏫 School zones continue to drive buying decisions
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⛵ Lifestyle assets like harbour access carry enormous value
Despite broader market fluctuations, ultra-prime Sydney property remains in a league of its own.
🔑 The Bottom Line
From leather sandals to landmark mansions, the Birkenstock family’s move into Rose Bay is more than a record-breaking purchase — it’s a statement.
Sydney’s prestige market didn’t just survive 2025.
At the very top, it thrived.
SOURCE: REALESTATE.COM.AU