It was just over a week ago when a 47-year-old Sydney insurance broker read a newspaper advertisement about the sale of an iconic water tower in Semaphore while on flight between Sydney and Melbourne.

One auction and $1.2m later, and Daniel Johnson is now the proud owner of the landmark property, which boasts a 360-degree view of the coast and the city.

Johnson, who made the bid after seeing the Semaphore water tower via livestream on Facebook before the auction, told News Corp Australia: “We are still in a bit of shock that we got it. It feels fantastic just the fact that we bought a place that is one of the oldest places in Australia.”

Johnson said they haven't yet decided on what to do with the property, saying: “It could be an art gallery with a restaurant. It could be accommodation. We haven’t had time to think about it.’’

The home's vendor, Ben Ali, said he has “mixed emotions” about the sale, but was also “really excited about having new owners,” the report said.


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