A Newtown property sold by the father of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange a decade ago in a bid to raise money to help free his son is back on the market.
Assange’s father John Shipton told the media in 2022 that a campaign to kill Assange, who was holed up in London’s Ecuadorian embassy at the time, had “swallowed up” all his money and that he had to sell the house in 2015.
The corner house at 36 Kent St, now for sale, sits on a 247m² plot, notable for its murals, mosaics and indoor/outdoor living with a spiral staircase and roof garden.
The home last sold in 2015 for $1.42 million, below the asking price of more than $1.5 million.
It was transformed in the 1990s and 2000s by Shipton, an architect and activist.
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36 Kent Street, Newtown was owned and transformed by John Shipton, Julian Assange’s father
The house in Newtown is notable for its murals, mosaic and spiral staircase
Mr Shipton is said to have split with Assange’s mother before he was born and did not know him until he was an adult. Assange was born Julian Hawkins and later took his stepfather’s surname.
Mr Shipton, a builder by trade, rebuilt the Newtown property in the 1990s after his partner Catherine Barber bought it for $130,000 in 1989.
It was reportedly originally built in the 1870s as the servants’ quarters of the neighboring Ferndale Victorian villa.
After ten years at home, current supplier Callum Bushby says it is time for a new chapter.
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Assange’s father John Shipton speaks at the Free Julian Assange rally in 2023. Photo: NCA NewsWire / Simon Bullard.
“When I first saw the property advertised on Realestate.com.au and I remember it said, ‘A work of art you can live in’,” Mr Bushby said.
“And when I walked through the front door of 36 Kent St. in 2015, it was clear that description was accurate.
“Behind the entrance to this corner block was a space that felt more like a museum visit than a conventional terrace or cottage.”
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Mr Bushby said the artwork in the walls and furniture was visible throughout the house.
“I’ve lived in historically and artistically interesting homes for years, and this one had that rare combination of architectural individuality and human warmth that immediately drew me in,” he said.
Recognizing that the house was looking a little tired, Mr Bushby has spent the last decade renovating the house, improving its contemporary comfort and style without diluting its original character:
“I was excited by the challenge of unlocking its full potential, not flattening its character,” he said.
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One of the two bedrooms in the house
The interior is decorated with works of art
…to the roof garden
This included a complete kitchen renovation with island bench, modern appliances, storage and durable finishes, bathroom and laundry room renovation, addition of air conditioning, ceiling fans, blinds and insulation, as well as roof waterproofing, installation of re-membrane and lighter artificial grass for the long-term performance of the roof garden.
A spiral staircase now also makes the roof garden much more inviting and accessible, previously only accessible via a totem pole.
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Mr Bushby said the roof garden was “a space for morning coffee and contemplation”
“For me it was the emotional heart of the house: a place that feels like a destination,” he said.
Other favorite spaces include the media lounge and home office or den, overlooking Ferndale Lane.
“After more than a decade of loving and cherishing this home, the time has come for a new chapter,” Bushby said.
“I’m moving to Melbourne to be with my girlfriend.
“It is a heartfelt move and I would like to preserve the property, but rather than rent it out, it feels like the right time to share this exceptional space with someone who will appreciate both its history and its continued evolution as one of the most unique homes in the area.”
The house is priced at $2 million and will be auctioned on March 7 through David Barndon of The Agency.
The listing will go live in February.
Julian Assange spent almost seven years in the Ecuadorian embassy in London between 2012 and 2019. He was later imprisoned in a London prison between 2019 and 2024 on charges of obtaining classified information through hacking. He was released in 2024 after a plea deal and flew to Australia.
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