The buyer of Mark McGowan’s beachfront house is eager to start a “new adventure” at the popular Premier’s family home of two decades.
The West previously revealed the home was finally under offer after months on the market. Now it can be revealed the sale went through last week, securing an impressive $1,635,000.
The new owner — a “born and bred” WA local and fan of the Premier — said she first drove past the house because it belonged to him, but later “fell in love” with the property itself.
“I wanted to move from where I am living now and my sister mentioned ‘Marky Mark’s place is up for sale’,” she said.
“We drove past it and I really liked it. I went home and my sister rang me to tell me it was open for an inspection that weekend. So I went and I fell in love with it.”
The owner said she did not buy the two-storey house — with four bedrooms, two bathrooms and a pool — because it belonged to Mr McGowan, but rather because it suited her needs.
“To me, it’s just a house. The fact that Mark McGowan and (his wife) Sarah owned it… I suppose it is a bit of an appeal. But I bought it because it suits my needs, not because they owned it.”
While it didn’t factor into the sale, like most of the WA public, the owner is an admirer of the Premier and his pandemic management.
“He did a wonderful job keeping us safe,” she said.
The new owner has already started moving in with help from her family.
“I’m really looking forward to starting my new adventure. I’m bringing the last of my stuff down and we’re going to sit on the balcony and look at the beautiful views,” she said.
Mr McGowan — who led WA Labor to back-to-back record-breaking landslides — shocked WA politics when he quit as Premier and Rockingham MP in June of last year.
His successful tenure included — in addition to his COVID leadership — securing a better GST deal for WA, restoring the State’s finances, legalising voluntary assisted dying and beginning the construction of Metronet.
Since leaving politics, he has taken a string of lucrative advisory roles for companies such as BHP, Mineral Resources, APM Human Services and former Treasurer Joe Hockey’s firm Bondi Partners.
It is understood the McGowans have moved to the Fremantle area.
The McGowans purchased the Rockingham home for $527,500 in 2002, demolishing the original house and rebuilding with Webb and Brown Neaves.
They subdivided a section at the back, which they sold for $459,000 in 2022.
It was originally listed for sale in October, with an expected price in the high $1 millions. It was advertised as “a blissful place to embrace the coastal life”.