logo
Yet another blow for the uber-wealthy owner of $26million Sydney mansion that sparked a years-long legal feud

Yet another blow for the uber-wealthy owner of $26million Sydney mansion that sparked a years-long legal feud

Daily Mail​09-07-2025
An estranged member of a prominent Sydney family has lost a years-long court battle with his neighbour over the garage of his $26million mansion.
The opulent, Spanish-style home on Tivoli Avenue in Rose Bay, known as Villa Biscaya, has featured on Married At First Sight, The Bachelor and The Voice.
But more recently, it has been the subject of multiple legal feuds involving its owner, David Waterhouse, an estranged member of the Waterhouse bookmaker family.
Mr Waterhouse sold the property in 2023 for $26million to Aston Martin-driving investment banker Michael Rothner, of private equity firm Ashe Morgan.
Mr Rothner moved into the property in January, but settlement has not concluded.
It was a tidy profit for the ex-bookmaker, who purchased the home for $10.5million in 2020, pocketing more than double what he paid for it.
For all the tranquility the harbourside mansion may offer, it continues to be tainted by an ongoing legal battle relating to Mr Waterhouse's plans to transform its street-level garage into a 'self-contained dwelling'.
Mr Waterhouse sought to modify a development approval obtained by a previous owner in 2007 for works to the garage which were ultimately not carried out.
Woollahra Council approved the application but things took a turn when the owner of a neighbouring property, Mincong Huang, opposed the proposal.
His lawyer Graham McKee wrote to the council, arguing the new works were substantially different to those sanctioned by the initial development approval.
He claimed the new works would increase the 'apparent visual bulk and locate more of the development hard of the boundary of our client's property'.
The lengthy legal battle concluded on Friday, when Justice Sarah Pritchard of the Land and Environment Court ruled the works could not proceed.
Justice Pritchard decided the 2007 development approval could not be relied upon by Mr Waterhouse as it had lapsed in June 2012.
While the decision may have brought closure to the feuding millionaires, it's only the latest in a string of legal challenges pertaining to the block.
Last year, Mr Waterhouse launched proceedings against Mr Rothner's ex-wife who he accused of cutting down trees on a neighbouring property.
Both Mr Rothner and his ex-wife have denied the claims.
Mr Rothner is countersuing and seeking damages, accusing Mr Waterhouse of refusing to sign off on development applications he claims have delayed renovations.
The matter is listed for a directions hearing before Justice Pike of the Supreme Court on July 18.
In 2019, Mr Waterhouse feuded with his neighbours at a $3.5million apartment in Darling Point, arguing their 'yapping' cavoodle, Fifi, was defecating on the harbourfront lawn.
His neighbour, Fay Cohen, the wife of master magician 'Black Jack' Garry Cohen, applied for an apprehended violence order against Mr Waterhouse.
The AVO was dismissed by a magistrate in September 2019.
Two years before that, he lost a separate court battle over the height of trees planted at the colonial-era manor in Elizabeth Bay he shared with his then-wife, Janette.
Mr Waterhouse agreed to trim the cypress trees to within 40cm of the garage roof's height after his neighbour insisted her view of the harbour had been impacted.
Acting Commissioner of the Land and Environment Court David Galwey sided with the neighbour, ruling the tree needed to be pruned at least once a year.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Pedro Pascal has made a Sydney restaurant world famous after naming his favourite meal in Australia
Pedro Pascal has made a Sydney restaurant world famous after naming his favourite meal in Australia

Daily Mail​

time14 minutes ago

  • Daily Mail​

Pedro Pascal has made a Sydney restaurant world famous after naming his favourite meal in Australia

Pedro Pascal has just dropped a foodie bombshell while Down Under, and fans are already scrambling to make dinner reservations. The beloved Last of Us and Narcos star, who has been in Australia promoting Marvel's upcoming Fantastic Four reboot, was stopped for a red carpet interview where he casually revealed the one Aussie meal that stole his heart. Interestingly it wasn't a classic parmigiana, but the oysters at Sydney 's iconic Mimi's restaurant in Coogee, NSW. In a now-viral TikTok, that now has amassed over 2.9million views, Pedro didn't hesitate when asked about his most memorable meal in Australia. 'My favourite meal are the oysters that I had at Mimi's yesterday,' he said. 'You can never eat too many oysters,' he added in the clip, solidifying his love for the luxury shellfish. Pedro, 50, was in the country for the press tour of Fantastic Four, where he plays Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic. And while the global press have their eyes on his red carpet appearances, Aussie foodies are now more laser-focused on Mimi's, the chic coastal restaurant tucked inside Coogee Pavilion in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs. Mimi's, part of the Merivale hospitality empire, has long been a go-to for Sydney's elite and A-listers alike. Known for its refined seafood dishes, breathtaking ocean views, and opulent fit-out (think white linen tablecloths, marble details, and a champagne trolley), the restaurant has cemented its status as the place to be seen. And now, Pedro Pascal has given it the ultimate celebrity seal of approval. TikTok creator Tom, who was behind the viral video, even rushed to Mimi's to try the dish for himself. 'The oysters are on their way. I think Pedro put in a call. I'm scared,' he joked from Mimi's exclusive private dining room. Before the oysters arrived, he was served a jaw-dropping entrée of Blue Fin Toro Confit Tomato on a warm crumpet - another one of Mimi's signature viral dishes. 'Look at this - I could get used to this,' he said, holding up the meticulously plated starter. 'Let's help the oyster find a way to its home,' he quipped before taking a bite. 'Wow, that could be the best oyster I've ever put in my mouth. Mimi's in Coogee, it can't be anything less than a 10.' 'Great rec! So glad you loved them,' Merivale group commented on the video review. 'My favourite meal is Pedro Pascal,' another fan joked. Their signature oysters are far from your average seaside snack. Sourced from the finest Australian farms, they're shucked to order and often served with a delicate mignonette or creative topping. Presentation is everything, and so is quality. Reviews frequently rave about the freshness, flavour and theatrical flair of the seafood offering. In addition to oysters, Mimi's has built a cult following for dishes like the hand-cut pasta with spanner crab, Baked mud crab with caramelised hollandaise, the lobster served tableside, and of course, that viral Blue Fin Toro crumpet. The restaurant is no stranger to A-listers and has even hosted intimate celebrity events, but with Pedro Pascal's unexpected endorsement, it might be hard going getting a booking. This isn't the first time Pascal's love for food has gone viral. Fans may remember the now- iconic video of him ordering six espresso shots at a New York café. But it seems Sydney has made a lasting impression on him. As Pedro himself said himself: 'You can never eat too many oysters.'

Outback Wrangler star Matt Wright pleads not guilty to charges after fatal helicopter crash
Outback Wrangler star Matt Wright pleads not guilty to charges after fatal helicopter crash

The Guardian

time14 minutes ago

  • The Guardian

Outback Wrangler star Matt Wright pleads not guilty to charges after fatal helicopter crash

Outback Wrangler star Matt Wright has pleaded not guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice more than three years after a fatal helicopter crash. The celebrity croc-wrangler was charged after the crash that killed co-star Chris 'Willow' Wilson in February 2022. Wearing a light blue shirt and blue jeans, Wright appeared calm when he fronted the supreme court in Darwin on Monday. He entered not guilty pleas for three counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice when he was arraigned, kissing his wife during an adjournment. The 2022 crash in remote West Arnhem Land killed Wilson, with pilot Sebastian Robinson also seriously injured. The trial is scheduled to begin on Wednesday and is expected to take four weeks, hearing from about 25 witnesses. Wright rose to fame starring in National Geographic's Outback Wrangler and the Netflix series Wild Croc Territory.

Trophy Boys review – gripping and entertaining play tackles urgent issues
Trophy Boys review – gripping and entertaining play tackles urgent issues

The Guardian

time14 minutes ago

  • The Guardian

Trophy Boys review – gripping and entertaining play tackles urgent issues

An Australian playwright's debut work receiving international transfers to great acclaim and extended runs is extremely rare; that it's happened twice in 12 months, along with two other starry international productions of local works, is extraordinary. Right now, the Australian voice has an increased currency on international stages – and it's our stories of power, privilege, gender and identity that are making waves. First, there's The Picture of Dorian Gray, Kip Williams' dazzling Oscar Wilde adaptation, remounted for a Tony and Olivier award winning international run starring Sarah Snook. Then there's Prima Facie, Suzie Miller's searing one-hander about a cutthroat lawyer who experiences the justice system as a victim after a sexual assault, with an international production starring Jodie Comer that was also heavily awarded (a film adaptation is in the works, starring Cynthia Erivo). Then there's Counting and Cracking, S. Shakthidharan's breath-taking 2019 debut, a family epic that played at New York's Public Theater in 2024. Now, there's Trophy Boys. Written by actor and playwright Emmanuelle Mattana (Mustangs FC) when they were 21, the play debuted in 2022 at Melbourne's La Mama and has since had sell-out local seasons as well as a twice-extended off-Broadway run under the helm of Tony Award-winner Danya Taymor. This month, the original Australian production, directed by Marni Mount, returns for an east coast victory lap, starting at Sydney's Carriageworks. Jared (Fran Sweeney-Nash), David (Leigh Lule), Scott (Gaby Seow), and Owen (Myfanwy Hocking) are the Year 12 debating team at Imperium, an elite private school. When we meet them, their trophy-deciding bout is just an hour away, and they're already cocky about their success. They're up against their sister school and clearly don't consider them competition until the debate topic and position is revealed: that feminism has failed women; affirmative. Sign up for the fun stuff with our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning The boys – played here and in every production by actors who are non-binary or women – are horrified. They're feminists, they proclaim. They love women. Arguing the point will get them cancelled and might even rule out any future chances of becoming prime minister. Owen, the one dreaming the hardest of Kirribilli House, even suggests that they forfeit – largely for the optics. But the boys' thirst for the win trumps their desire to be seen as good, so they start scheming. Could they say feminism has failed women because it isn't intersectional? Could they say that getting women into CEO roles hasn't done anything to address broader gender inequities? They brainstorm, they sweat, they spray a lot of Lynx Africa – and, at one point, they even perform an energetic dance break. Then the play pulls off a bait-and-switch: a new piece of information, that shouldn't be spoiled, reaches their closed-door prep session and gives all the rhetoric being flung around the room a sudden urgency. The play is a sprint at about 70 minutes, and after the twist, it takes off: you watch personal gain weighed against women's interests in real time, as the group uses its debate skills, subtly different stores of acquired power, and their awareness of larger social dynamics to reveal the gulf between all that box-ticking politically correct talk about feminism and how many men actually treat women. The show is adjusted to fit the region in which it's being performed: the boys off-Broadway are American, but here at Carriageworks, in local accent, they are instantly and identifiably Australian, of the same social cohort of male students who created and circulated graphic deepfake images of girls from their school, or ranked girls' looks for sport. The play is gripping and entertaining, but not as incisive as it might be. Early scenes run on necessary tonal shifts: it starts with camp choreography and quick laughs that lull us into a sense of comfort to be shattered later, but the narrative throughline isn't drawn tightly enough by Mattana, or facilitated clearly enough by Mount, to make the piece feel cohesive. The performances alternate between drag-king-satire and chilling realism in ways that aren't always clear. Sign up to Saved for Later Catch up on the fun stuff with Guardian Australia's culture and lifestyle rundown of pop culture, trends and tips after newsletter promotion In scenes where the boys race to construct their debate arguments, the dialogue is more didactic than character-driven; a little more workshopping would probably see those talking points tied more deeply to character and to the group's interesting and occasionally under-tapped personal dynamics. For example, there's a fascinating social hierarchy in the group that only gets a glancing look-in before the plot twist; if we knew the group dynamics better in the first half, the second would be even more powerful. But it's an exciting play: bursting with urgency, laced with keenly observed behaviours filtered through a queer lens, it speaks directly to issues that are choking schools, universities and social groups right now. While its dramaturgical build isn't as sharp as its dialogue, it's the kind of play that has you leaning forward in your seat. I attended a Friday night performance, sitting among a diverse audience that skewed young, and felt a current of close attention. Leaving the venue, I overheard lively, thoughtful conversation about the play. Trophy Boys starts a conversation; the audience was continuing it. That's a valuable export. Trophy Boys is playing at Carriageworks, Sydney, until 3 August; Riverside, Parramatta (6-9 August); Arts Centre Melbourne (12-24 August); Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Brisbane (25-30 August)

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store