Latest news with #SydneyGrammar
Daily Telegraph
04-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Telegraph
Sydney Grammar's $39m expansion located next to brothel
A prestigious Sydney private school has been thrust into the spotlight after its landmark $39 million property expansion has been revealed to border one of the city's longest standing legal brothels. Sydney Grammar School is known as one of the city's oldest and most coveted private boys schools and was reported to have purchased a property on Hargrave St in Darlinghurst in October. The property is a large warehouse in Darlinghurst and the Sydney Morning Herald reported at the time that the expansion was made as part of plans to build a cutting-edge indoor sports facility and recreational space. The multimillion-dollar site on Hargrave St had previously been used by Sony as their Australian headquarters. However, since then it has been revealed the $39m property purchase has stirred controversy as the location of the site will make the boys' school neighbours to a functioning brothel. MORE: Shock $2k a month bank cost exposed The brothel – or nude massage parlour – on Hargrave St has operated under various names over the years and according to its website, runs under the current business name 'Darlinghurt Massage' or 'Sydney Baby Massage'. The website advertises 'nude massage' and a 'roster' of 'Asian girls dressed in sexy uniforms', among other things. Google Street View imagery taken in 2020 showed a sign and direction of how to enter 'Sydney Baby Massage'. MORE: Aus warned: Blur your home on Google Maps According to reporting in the Sydney Morning Herald, there had been 'a few concerned members of the school community,' about the location of the brothel within reach of the new sports facility. The schools fees are reportedly around $45,000 per year. Previous reporting show the brothel sold for about $1.5m in 2006 and features 10 rooms. The Daily Telegraph has reached out to Sydney Grammar School for comment. MORE: Home reno warning Aussies shouldn't ignore
News.com.au
04-07-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Sydney Grammar's $39m expansion located next to brothel
A prestigious Sydney private school has been thrust into the spotlight after its landmark $39 million property expansion has been revealed to border one of the city's longest standing legal brothels. Sydney Grammar School is known as one of the city's oldest and most coveted private boys schools and was reported to have purchased a property on Hargrave St in Darlinghurst in October. The property is a large warehouse in Darlinghurst and the Sydney Morning Herald reported at the time that the expansion was made as part of plans to build a cutting-edge indoor sports facility and recreational space. The multimillion-dollar site on Hargrave St had previously been used by Sony as their Australian headquarters. However, since then it has been revealed the $39m property purchase has stirred controversy as the location of the site will make the boys' school neighbours to a functioning brothel. The brothel – or nude massage parlour – on Hargrave St has operated under various names over the years and according to its website, runs under the current business name 'Darlinghurt Massage' or 'Sydney Baby Massage'. The website advertises 'nude massage' and a 'roster' of 'Asian girls dressed in sexy uniforms', among other things. Google Street View imagery taken in 2020 showed a sign and direction of how to enter 'Sydney Baby Massage'. According to reporting in the Sydney Morning Herald, there had been 'a few concerned members of the school community,' about the location of the brothel within reach of the new sports facility. The schools fees are reportedly around $45,000 per year. Previous reporting show the brothel sold for about $1.5m in 2006 and features 10 rooms.
Daily Mail
04-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Aussie parents lose it over who the neighbours are next to Sydney Grammar's new $39million building
Parents of students at a prestigious private school in Sydney are grumbling over the institution's new land grab after learning it borders one of the city's oldest brothels. Sydney Grammar, which was officially opened in 1857, announced in October last year that it had purchased 1-19 Hargrave Street in Darlinghurst. The large office block, which was purchased for $39million, is due to be transformed into a sports and recreation centre for the students. In a letter to parents, seen by The Sydney Morning Herald, headmaster Richard Malpass - who is leaving for Singapore to run a senior school - told parents the site had 'extraordinary potential value and historical significance'. But, the 'historic' importance of the building has since been turned on its head as it was pointed out the building next door is a brothel. A street view of the property, which was formerly Sony Australia's headquarters, reveals an old building with the sign: 'Sydney Baby Massage'. Its website advertises an hour-long 'remedial and body nude massage' for $140 or $270 for an hour-long 'double body nude massage'. Open seven days a week, the business also lists it 'masseuses' aged between 19 and 23-years-old dressed in lingerie, with descriptions listing their height and bra size. The website regularly uses 'super young sweet uni girl' and 'innocent uni girl but really professional massage skill' to describe the women. The private school, which costs $45,000-a-year, prides itself on its heritage. 'Since its foundation, the School and its Old Boys (called 'Old Sydneians') have played an important part in the history of this country,' its website states. Sydney Grammar has also started construction of its $54million Weigall Sports Complex, which will be based in Rushcutters Bay. The worksite, which can be seen from the T4 train line, was approved in 2021 despite opposition from residents.
Sydney Morning Herald
03-07-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Sydney Grammar's $39 million new building next door to a brothel
Times are a-changin' at Sydney Grammar, where headmaster Richard Malpass addressed his final assembly in charge of the $45,000-a-year private school this week. He's off to Singapore to start a new gig as head of senior school at the Tanglin Trust School. This column last encountered Malpass and Grammar when the headmaster abruptly cancelled a planned talk by former Socceroo turned human rights advocate and outspoken critic of Israel's conduct in Gaza, Craig Foster, citing concerns about the 'wellbeing' of the school community. Despite Foster's cancellation, those monthly talkfests have been a hit, with Grammar boys hearing from the likes of Julie Bishop and Tony Blair's spinner turned hit podcaster Alastair Campbell (who to be fair, would talk to a brick wall if given the chance). But Malpass' real final legacy to Grammar was a $39 million inner-city expansion, revealed by the Herald last year. The college acquired a quiet block in Darlinghurst that was once Sony's Australian headquarters, with plans to create new indoor sporting facilities, a statement in the never-ending buildings arms race which has gripped the city's wealthiest private schools. Grammar is also in the process of building its $54 million Weigall Sports Complex in Rushcutters' Bay, currently an unsightly sprawl of construction work visible from the T4, which was approved in 2021 despite vocal complaints from locals. Loading But if you thought the Darlinghurst site might be less controversial than Weigall, think again. A few concerned members of the school community have been in touch recently to inform us the new building is right next door to one of Sydney's oldest legal brothels. 'The school places great store on providing holistic education for our pupils, including physical health and wellbeing,' Malpass said, when announcing the new expansion. Indeed. While there's nothing wrong with living next door to a brothel per se, we don't imagine the kind of characters who patronise such establishments to be whom Grammar parents had in mind as the best role models.
