Former chief justice Andrew Rogers sells Avalon weekender

The retired Andrew Rogers, former chief justice of the commercial division of the NSW Supreme Court, and his wife, the former federal Assistant Treasurer, Helen Coonan, now a Sky News commentator have sold their Avalon weekender.

The $3.1 million sale was to Laurence Eastwood, one of Australia's most distinguished production designers, and wife Deborah.

Laurence worked on Newsfront, Crocodile Dundee II, A Town Like Alice and Phar Lap.

The property was in the news 15 years ago over its status with arising the electoral, land tax and capital gains tax implications for the Woollahra couple pre-occupying Prime Minister John Howard's attention for weeks. Canberra veterans recall it was the making of Mark Riley's career in the Canberra press gallery.

Rogers had bought the 1500 sqm Paradise Avenue waterfront for $125,000 in 1979, four years before he married Helen Coonan.

The Eastwood's had been looking since selling at Lovett Bay to Justin Hemmes, the hotelier who is spending plenty of time up that way given his recent acquistions.

The Eastwood couple bought the block of land overlooking Morning Bay at Lovett Bay for $510,000 in 1996.

This article first appeared in the Sunday Telegraph.