The fundamentalist church – once dubbed an “extremist cult” by former prime minister Kevin Rudd – has been the subject of controversy in recent decades given its doctrine of “separation” wherebymembers are discouraged from forming friendships with outsiders under threat of excommunication. Formerly known as the Exclusive Brethren,the church does not allow members to vote,although leaders are politically connected,Liberal Party donors and havelobbied on behalf of conservative causes.

At the time the Epping property sold it was reported the buyer planned to create a family compound,rather than redevelop the estate,but those plans remain speculative given no comment from the Hales family.

Neighbourly billionaire

Software billionaire Richard White has proven to be a lucrative neighbour,at least to those few home owners who live closest to his holiday retreat near Berry on the South Coast.

The WiseTech Global founder has quietly picked up another property in the Beaumont hinterland,making it four properties he owns in one line and creating a private land parcel of 37 hectares.

The former guitar technician for AC/DC most recently purchased a three-bedroom house on 2.6 hectares for $3.1 million,taking his total outlay locally to more than $11.5 million.

White’s interest locally goes back to early 2017 when he bought the holiday home “Cooinda” for $2.65 million,adding next door a year later for $2.8 million and in 2020 buying a 32-hectare property adjoining the Cambewarra Range Nature Reserve for almost $3 million.

White’s penchant for his neighbours’ real estate is unlikely to be missed by the more money-minded folk of Palm Beach,where hebought a hilltop residence last month for a record $27.5 million.

Myer heir touches down

Will Myer,of Melbourne’s wealthy Myer retail family,has bought a matrimonial home with his wife Sarah for $4.8 million in Woollahra.

The couple’s purchase of the freestanding,Federation house comes a year after they tied the knot at theMyer family’s landmark Toorak estate,Cranlana House,that has been held by the family for more than a century.

Myer,the grandson of Myer founder Sidney Myer,is head of analytics at Bloomberg,and Sarah Myer was last seen on the reality television hit showLuxe Listings thanks to her new gig at the local real estate shop the Rubinstein Group.

Banking on the Parramatta River

ANZ’s co-head of global fixed income Rakesh Jampala and his wife Vasudha have emerged as the $15.5 million buyers of Drummoyne’s historic Shalimar estate.

The couple’s purchase ends 84 years ownership by the McNiven family,owners of what was once Australia’s largest ice-cream manufacturer,and comes amid expectations of a large-scale renovation by the Jampalas.

Jampala,one of the founding members of test cricket supporters Swami Army,is coming from nearby Henley where the couple’s riverfront home sold in May for $8.4 million.