Cate Blanchett sells Astor apartment on Sydney's high society Macquarie Street
The theatrical couple Cate Blanchett and Andrew Upton are abandoning Sydney, selling their little-used Sydney CBD bolthole as they now prefer the English countryside.
Their 1920s Astor apartment had $12 million hopes.
Originally three apartments, the two-storey Macquarie Street was once home to entertainer Barry Humphries and mortgage broker Mark Bouris (photo below) who concluded the combination of the apartments.
It's best known for when occupied by entertainer Barry Humphries, before it sold for $800,000 in 1987, and then extended with the addition of another apartment.
It comes with sweeping semi-spiral staircase to the upper level.
It has been reported Blanchett and her husband, playwright and director Andrew Upton, bought in the company title block from Bouris for $8 million in 2015.
With more than 400 sqm space, it has views over the Domain to the Opera House.
Having been listed through Christe's International, it was reported as sold on the weekend.
It was bought after their Hunters Hill home, Bulwarra, was sold for $18 million in 2017. They also sold their Berowra Waters weekender.
The Astor is the 12-storey complex that once dominated not only the city skyline but Sydney society.
The Sydney Harbour Bridge engineer Lawrence Ennis would look through his telescope to check on the progress of the bridge's construction from his rental.
The Astor was Sydney's highest residential building from 1923 until 1960. Over the years its has been home to former Treasury secretary John Fraser, adman Harold Mitchell, the late Pioneer founder Sir Tristan Antico and style-setters, ad man John Nankervis and his then wife Amanda.
The Astor was Sydney's highest residential building from 1923 until 1960.
Its off-the-plan prices ranged from 1500 pounds to 2700 pounds.
The Blanchett-Upton's retain an investment apartment on the Elizabeth Bay harbourfront, but reside at Highwell House, near Crowborough in the East Sussex countryside.
