Billionaires, especially those immersed in the gold-plated world of technology, have long been a magnet for public fascination when it comes to their lavish lifestyles and headline-worthy purchases. While Elon Musk has chosen to downsize to a modest prefab home — in stark contrast to Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg who expanded his footprint with a 1,400-acre ranch in Hawaii — one name a little closer to home continues to be in the spotlight due to his impressive home. Real estate holdings: Mike Cannon Brooks.
As the co-founder of Atlanticone of Australia’s most successful software companies and certainly its most well-known, Cannon-Brookes has parlayed his formidable business acumen into a sprawling portfolio of high-profile properties across the country. Reports suggest the total portfolio – sometimes shared with his estranged wife, Annie Cannon-Brookes – could be worth more than A$350 million. From harborside mansions in Sydney’s finest suburbs to farmland in the Southern Highlands, let’s take a closer look at Cannon-Brookes’ affinity for prime real estate.
Fairwater Estate, Point Piper (Sydney Harbour)
- price: 100 million Australian dollars
- measuring: 1.12 hectares
- Purchase date: 2018
When it comes to Mike Cannon-Brookes’ properties, his best property is undoubtedly Fairwater, a sprawling harborside estate in Point Piper. Fairwater was acquired in 2018 for A$100 million, ending more than a century of… Fairfax family Property as well as setting a record for Australian house prices.
Fairwater includes 1.12 hectares of land on Sydney Harbour, and is often described as the “jewel” of its collection. Aside from its historical significance – love them or hate them, the Farfaxes are no less famous than the Australian dynasties – they offer a private waterfront, beautifully manicured gardens and a heritage-listed main residence that simply boasts classic architectural features.
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But wait, there’s more: Cannon Brooks didn’t stop at Fairwater alone. He also reportedly bought a neighboring property worth AU$12 million, as well as a AU$4.3 million apartment in an adjacent building. These acquisitions not only secure its exclusivity, but also expand its footprint along some of the country’s most sought-after port fronts.
Double Bay Heritage Homes (Sydney’s eastern suburbs)
- Prices and purchase dates:
- 7 million Australian dollars In 2016
- 9.1 million Australian dollars In 2018
- 17 million Australian dollars In 2018
Double bay He also proved irresistible to Cannon-Brookes, in the same way he does to anyone with a little money behind him in Sydney. What started with the purchase of a $7 million AUD heritage home in 2016 quickly evolved into a multi-property spending spree just two years later. In 2018, two more upscale residences were added nearby: one for AU$9.1 million and the other for AU$17 million.
A short distance from Point Piper and Fairwater Estates, these acquisitions are located within the elite Sydney Harbour neighbourhood, known for its large properties on large plots of land. The precise use of each home remains a private matter, but from the outside, it is easy to imagine these properties serving as additional family spaces or perhaps for entertaining his many lucrative business connections.
Lara, the former German consulate
- price: 18 million Australian dollars
- Purchase date: 2020
- measuring:> 2000 square meters
Just a few kilometers from Double Bay, Canon Brooks has also acquired the former German consulate building in Woollahra for A$18 million in 2020. A stately all-brick structure over 2,000 square metres, it served as an official diplomatic outpost for decades before being snapped up by private buyers.
Dedicated to Mixed usethe property has the potential to be converted into office and/or residential, and media reports at the time of purchase indicated it might become the headquarters for the Annie Cannon-Brookes design label. Its location in fairly affluent Woollahra, coupled with an imposing and unique facade, means this property remains an eye-catching piece of portfolio.
Newport Mansions (Northern Beaches)
- Main waterfront:
- price: 24.5 million Australian dollars
- Purchase date: 2020
- Block behind:
- Next door (as Annie):
- price: 14.25 million Australian dollars
- Purchase date: 2022-2023
Heading north to Sydney’s Northern Beaches, Cannon Brooks has snapped up the A$24.5 million waterfront home which Model Jennifer Hawkins Her husband, Jake Wall, built a house a few years ago in Newport. The architect-designed mansion, dubbed “Casa Paloma,” features multiple levels of unobstructed water views, a home cinema, a dock, and a ramp — all in all, a very beautiful specimen Pittwater Lifestyle.
In a move that quickly became a signature, Cannon-Brookes later picked up a building behind the property for A$1.4 million, enhancing his personal domain. If that wasn’t enough, Annie Cannon-Brookes has added to the local collection by purchasing another home next door for A$14.25 million in 2022-23, expanding its presence on one of Sydney’s most beautiful beaches even further. No flies on this former couple.
Palm Beach and the western shores of Pittwater
- Palm Beach Home: Purchased in 2013, price not disclosed
- Great Mackerel Beach: Two homes priced at A$2.3 million and A$2.55 million
- Dip Coasters: 4.65 million Australian dollars
- Scotland Island Properties: 8 million Australian dollars
Going up the peninsula, Cannon-Brookes has slowly but surely amassed a group of properties along Pittwater’s western foreshore. Some of these sites – e.g Great Mackerel Beach – Accessible only by boat, they offer unbeatable privacy on the fringes of a sprawling city as well as a relaxed environment that stands in stark contrast to the bustling central harbor that defines their main residence.
He reportedly owns two houses on Great Mackerel Beach for A$2.3 million and A$2.55 million, each of which is a typical mid-century beach shack perched on the sandy beach. There’s also a AU$4.65 million AUD Coasters Retreat and a AU$8 million estate on Scotland Island. All of these acquisitions demonstrate a fascination with waterfront living, with each property offering a unique view across the water.
Gibraltar / Mittagong (Southern Highlands)
- Grillades Farm:
- price: 13 million Australian dollars
- Purchased: 2022
- measuring: 9.8 hectares (initially), now expanded
- Tintagel (next door):
- Three additional features:
- Combined price: 12.25 million Australian dollars
- measuring: The largest is located on an area of ​​2.45 hectares
It is located on the north-facing slopes Mount Gibraltar In Mittagong, Cannon Brooks has acquired several properties as part of a smart property consolidation strategy. The centerpiece, Greyladyes Farm, was acquired for A$13 million in 2022. Shortly after, Tintagel bought next door for A$9.1 million, followed by three additional properties totaling A$12.25 million.
One of these three houses, located on 2.45 hectares, is an old 1970s building purchased for A$6 million. Another, on approximately 4,336 square metres, cost A$2.25 million. By bringing these pieces together, Cannon Brooks has effectively doubled its local footprint from 9.8 hectares to nearly 20 hectares, injecting nearly A$35 million into this stunning corner of the Southern Highlands.
Other Southern Highlands properties
Beyond Gibraltar, articles suggest that Cannon-Brookes has at least 11 other properties in the Southern Highlands from Joadja to Moss Vale and Kangaloon, bringing its total spend in the region to A$114 million… and that figure may be conservative. Some key purchases include, but are not limited to:
- Guadja Creek Ranch (2016): 3.3 million Australian dollars
- Wedji Wa, Kangalon (2019): 15 million Australian dollars
- Think of a big nail: 15.25 million Australian dollars
- More farmland in Kangalon: 8 million Australian dollars
- Hathaway, Boral: 3 million Australian dollars
In 2019, Cannon-Brookes reportedly matched the area’s long-standing property price history by paying A$15 million for the Widgee Waa property, purchasing it from investment banker Mark Burrows. Down the road, he also purchased the 120-hectare Think Big Stud for A$15.25 million, which was reputedly linked to the racehorse’s late owner. Dato Tan Chin Nam. While Cannon Brooks no longer runs it strictly as a farm, some reports suggest he is focusing on regenerative agriculture there, in keeping with his much-touted interests in sustainability and environmental protection.
Another purchase in Kangaloon – 57 hectares for A$8 million – adds to a vast patchwork of farmland. His first purchase in the region was Joadja Creek Farm in 2016 for A$3.3 million. Local holdings demonstrate a desire to invest not only in trophy homes, but also in vast rural areas, offering some hard-to-find isolation and the option to pursue charitable or environmental projects.
Dunk Island (far north Queensland)
- price: 24.5 million Australian dollars
- measuring: 135 hectares
- Purchase date: 2022 (as Annie)
Every self-respecting billionaire needs an island, and for Cannon Brooks, that box is ticked Dunk Island. Although purchased in the name of Annie Cannon Brooks, the island forms part of the wider family holdings. Located about four kilometers from Mission Beach on the Cassowary Coast, the resort was once a busy tourist destination until Cyclone Yasi destroyed the resort in 2011.
It has changed hands several times since and Dunk Island’s future remains uncertain but full of potential. Reports indicate that Annie acquired the freehold portion for A$24.5 million, perhaps with the aim of renovating or preserving its natural beauty. However, the lush 135-hectare tropical island stands out as one of the most unusual pieces of the Cannon Brooks estate puzzle.
Wallet in flux
There is an important new development in this story. That is: In mid-2023, news broke that Mike and Annie Cannon Brooks were separating after 13 years of marriage, sparking speculation about how their massive real estate holdings would be divided. Property watchers are wondering whether select properties – especially those in the Highlands, or prized locations in Newport – might go on the market. Since that announcement, Annie has also made independent ownership transfers, suggesting that a portion of this portfolio is or will be under its sole name.
The final word
Mike Cannon-Brookes’ real estate holdings underscore a near-universal truth about ultra-rich real estate portfolios: The physical spaces people choose to own and develop can be as revealing as any public statement or philanthropic effort. The properties surrounding the harbor, farmland slopes, and island coastline are part sanctuary, part status symbol, and part statement of sustainable intent. Together they represent one of Australia’s most interesting and expansive private empires, one that seems certain to develop further and rapidly in the years to come.
