Historic Tyneside, Willoughby sells pre-auction

Tyneside, the historic Willoughby East residence, has been snapped up before its scheduled auction this Saturday for $2.93 million.

It was for sale for the first time in 50 years following the death of the former Australian Jockey Club vice-chairman Noel Bracks, who owned the much-acclaimed stayer Donegal Mist.

The heritage-listed house was last sold to Bracks and his widow Ellen for $25,000 in 1969 by hotelier Ernest Cooper.

Belle Property agent Patrick Lang and Forsyth agent Jimmy Psaltis gave an initial $2.5 million price guide, which was progressively raised to more than $2.9 million.

The home dates back to its construction by Robert Forsyth, whose brother Tom lived at nearby Rosewall.

After the 1890s depression, the brothers lost their tannery.

Then in 1903, the bank foreclosed on Tyneside. It was Tom and Ann’s seventh child Robert Todd Forsyth who established enduring estate agency in 1898.

This article first appeared in The Daily Telegraph.