A Newtown property sold by the father of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in a bid to raise money to help free his son a decade ago is back on the market.
Assange’s father, John Shipton, told the media in 2022 that the campaign to free Assange, who was being held in the Ecuadorian embassy in London at the time, “swallowed” all his money and that he had to sell the house in 2015.
The corner home at 36 Kent St, now for sale, sits on a 247 sqm parcel, notable for murals, sculptures and indoor-outdoor living with a spiral staircase and roof garden.
The residence last sold for $1.42m in 2015, well below the asking price of more than $1.5m.
It was transformed by Shipton, an architect and activist, in the 1990s and 2000s.
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36 Kent Street, Newtown was owned and converted by John Shipton, Julian Assange’s father
The Newtown home is notable for its murals, mosaics and spiral staircase
Mr Shipton is alleged to have been separated from Assange’s mother before he was born and did not know him until he was an adult. Assange was born Julian Hawkins and later took his stepfather’s surname.
Mr Shipton, a commercial builder, rebuilt the Newtown property in the 1990s after his partner Catherine Barber bought it for $130,000 in 1989.
It was reportedly first built in the 1870s as a home for workers traveling to neighboring Victoria Ferndale.
After ten years in the home, current salesman Callum Bushby says it’s time for a new chapter.
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Assange’s father, John Shipton speaking at Julian Assange’s 2023 free conference. Image: NCA NewsWire / Simon Bullard.
“When I first saw the property advertised on Realestate.com.au and I remember it said ‘A work of art to live in’,” Mr Bushby said.
“And when I walked through the front door of 36 Kent St in 2015, it was clear that this meaning was there.
“Behind the entrance of this corner room was an area that felt more like a museum than a typical terrace or kitchen.”
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Mr Bushby said the art embedded in the walls and furniture could be seen throughout the home.
“I had spent years living in historic and artistic homes, and this one had a rare combination of architectural personality and human warmth that instantly drew me in,” he said.
Mr Bushby realized that the house was looking tired and over the last ten years he has renovated the home which enhances comfort and modern style without shaking its original character:
“I was excited by the challenge of unlocking its full potential, not to spread its character,” he said.
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One of the two bedrooms in the home
The interior is decorated with paintings
… in the roof garden
This included a complete renovation of the kitchen with an island bench, modern appliances, long-lasting storage, bathroom and laundry remodeling, addition of air conditioning, ceiling fans, curtains, and installation of insulation and waterproofing of the roof, membrane re-installation and simple long-term artificial grass for the roof garden.
A spiral staircase now makes the rooftop garden inviting and more accessible, previously only accessible via a totem pole.
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Mr Bushby said the roof garden was “a place for morning coffee and meditation”.
“It was, to me, the emotional heart of the house: a place that felt like a place,” he said.
Other favorite spaces include the media lounge and home office or study, with views down Ferndale Lane.
“After more than ten years of loving and caring for this home, the time has come for a new chapter,” said Mr Bushby.
“I’m moving to Melbourne to be with my girlfriend.
“It’s a heartfelt move and I would love to keep the place, but instead of renting it out, it feels like the right time to share this unique space with someone who will appreciate its history and its continued evolution as one of the most unique homes in the area.”
The home is targeting $2m and will be auctioned on March 07 through The Agency’s David Barndon.
The listing is scheduled to go live in February.
Julian Assange spent almost seven years in the Ecuadorian embassy in London between 2012 and 2019. He was later jailed in London between 2019 and 2024 on charges of obtaining confidential information by hacking. He was released in 2024 after a plea deal and flew to Australia.
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