Celebrity herbalist’s Potts Point unit on the market

A POTTS Point unit, owned by well known Chinese acupuncturist and herbalist Anthony Hung-Hoi in Sydney, has been put on the market with Ray White Elizabeth Bay.

Ray White Elizabeth Bay agent Tristan Bassey and principal Ian Campbell have scheduled the 28/57 Darlinghurst Road unit in the 1922 Wintergarden building for auction at 6:30pm on Thursday, November 26. Mr Bassey and Mr Campbell are giving out a price guide of $680,000.

Since the 1950s, Mr Hung-Hoi was a well known figure in the Kings Cross area after fleeing from China as a refugee during Mao Zedong’s Cultural Revolution. He was also the inaugural Chairman of the Australian Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Association for 20 years and an accomplished artist and singer.

Mr Hung-Hoi was the longest residing resident in Wintergarden, where he had both his unit and a separate clinic. Notably, Mr Hung-Hoi’s clinic, which he sold more than 10 years ago, is still an acupuncturist practice.

Friend and estate executor John Halkett said Mr Hung-Hoi became something of a celebrity acupuncturist and herbal medicine practitioner, treating A-List patients like Kerry Packer.

“He had the status of professor in China but also ran classes on Chinese medicine in Australia. He had his practice here in the building and became quite well regarded across Australia as a leading practitioner in Chinese and herbal medicine and served a lot of well known Australian figures,” Mr Halkett said.

“He ended up becoming a bit of a celebrity and appeared on television programs and advertisements over the years.”

Mr Halkett said the Wintergarden building also has a rich history, operating as a commercial building in the 1950s which was popular with numerous medical and dental practitioners.

“When he came to Sydney, he started cooking to make money then bought Unit 28 as a residence and Unit 22 for his practice,” he said.

“Back in the 50s, there were a number of dental and medical practices in the building so it was a comfortable fit. I also had a business in the building which is how we became friends about 20 years ago.”

The two bedroom unit is in a prime spot in central Sydney and agent Tristan Bassey is confident the sought-after area will be a huge drawcard for potential buyers.

“We’ve had really good numbers and great levels of enquiry. At our first open on Saturday we oversaw 30 inspections of the unit,” Mr Bassey said.

“All the buyers have been drawn by the potential and the great location. There’s been a mixed range of interest, from first home buyers to professionals and a lot of builders who are eager to take on a big renovation project.”