The beautiful home at 9 Surfside Ave, Clovelly goes under the hammer on February 14, Valentine’s Day.
The respected doctor donated the proceeds from the sale of his $7.5m beachfront home to The Smith Family, to help underprivileged children and it is already a “hot spot”.
A five-bedroom detached residence on a 778sqm block at 9 Surfside Ave, Clovelly, with direct beach access, will go under the hammer on February 14 – Valentine’s Day – with a guide price of $7.5m.
And the sales campaign is going gangbusters, with sales agent Alexander Phillips of PPD inundated with questions and a big hit at today’s first opening.
It was the home of cardiologist, researcher and scientist Dr Karen Duggan, who died in 2024 aged 72, having inherited a significant estate from her late parents, Andy and Jess.
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Dr Karen Duggan … donating the proceeds from the sale of the house to The Smith Family would be a “no brainer” for her, according to her cousin, Russell.
The home is built on a 778sqm block, the third largest in Clovelly.
Dr Duggan, who was never married and had no children, wanted the proceeds from the sale of the home to go to The Smith Family, Australia’s largest children’s education charity.
The sales agent, Alexander Phillips of PPD, is also donating his commission to the cause.
“This doctor was obviously a generous woman, so we will see a lot of money going to the Smith Family to help poor children and schools,” he said.
“This house is already very famous.
“In the last 24 hours we’ve had over 100 inquiries about REA – four times what we usually get – and today, on Friday, we’ve had 16 teams.
“We already have five contracts so it will be hot.”
Clovelly properties are always in high demand, but he says this one is particularly special because it backs onto a park that leads to the beach and is the third largest in the suburb.
There are five bedrooms in total.
Known as ‘Caleula’, it is described as a “generational opportunity with direct access to the sea”.
A two-storey residence, with a newly renovated two-bedroom apartment suitable for young people on the ground floor, also with 13.8m of frontage on one of Clovelly’s most sought-after avenues.
There is a Carrara marble kitchen, three bathrooms, double doors opening onto a large terrace, a child-friendly garden and terraced lawn.
“Sleep to the sound of the waves, wander in for a sunrise swim, and enjoy easy beach living just moments from The Cloey and country life or a beautiful coastal walk to Bronte Beach on one side and Coogee Beach on the other,” the blurb reads.
Dr Duggan was Associate Professor of Medicine, UNSW, from 1995 to 2008 and served on advisory committees for the National Heart Foundation, the NSW Department of Health and the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aging.
The Carrara marble kitchen is a decent size.
Three bathrooms, this one with a spa.
He founded Vectus Biosystems, where he served as medical and scientific director, specializing in the treatment of fibrosis and hypertension.
His research was driven by personal experience – both his parents suffered from heart conditions – and a strong desire to improve lives through science.
She grew up in Clovelly, attending Clovelly Primary School and Randwick Girls High, later attending the University of Sydney.
Dr Duggan’s cousin, Russell, says the decision to leave a gift in his Will showed his love for education and giving others a fair chance, which he also inherited from his parents.
“Karen always wanted to help people, that’s why she went into medicine in the first place,” he said.
“He comes from a family that believed that everyone should do something, create a good life for themselves and participate in society.
“So choosing to donate to The Smith Family was probably not a bad thing for him.”
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