Childhood home of hell-raising big-wave surfer Ian “Kanga” Cairns lists for staggering $20 million

"No matter what price it transacts for it will instantly and immediately increase in value. Once it is 'gone' it's priceless."

The legend of the Western Australian big-wave surfer Ian “Kanga” Cairns, a rough, tough, lover of big chicken-fried steaks who protected his honour with a baseball bat during the heady showdowns with North Shore locals during the winter of 76-77, runs deep.

Kanga is a man with the physique of a comic-book hero who ruled big waves, who was pivotal in the creation of a world tour, who would launch the ASP after tearing the game off the IPS’s Fred Hemmings and whose thin-eyed stare could give a man stomach cramps.

The last time he was on these pages, Kanga joined Elon Musk in condemning Wikipedia for rewriting history.

Now, the old house Kanga’s parents rented in the Perth beachside suburb of Cottesloe in the nineteen-sixties has listed for a hard-to-believe twenty-mill.

Hard to believe ‘cause this is Perth, the most isolated city in the world, or pretty close to it, where even in Australia’s exploding housing market you can still get a house near the water for under a mill.

“When we moved to Perth in 1966, Dad rented a house near the beach in Cottesloe and I spent countless hours out at Isolateds (a tame reef) learning my craft,” writes Kanga. “It is now for sale for $20m. That’s some insane real estate appreciation.”

When we moved to Perth in 1966, Dad rented a house near the beach in Cottesloe and I spent countless hours out at Isolated learning my craft. It is now for sale for $20m. That’s some insane real estate appreciation.https://t.co/64ZjUNA48V

— Ian Cairns (@KangaCairns) September 21, 2024

The selling realtor describes it thus:

While the original and modest “farmer’s seaside abode” still stands on the block, the property is being sold as land value. With subdivision potential, the buyer also has the option of splitting the land up into two, three or four blocks. There may well also be the opportunity for two buyers to independently acquire approximately 600sqm of the whole landholding, for two new oceanside residences.

The successful buyer/s will be fortunate enough to secure what is recognised as the ‘perfect’ beachside property WA has to offer. And no matter what price it transacts for – it will instantly and immediately increase in value as the opportunity to acquire it will be lost. Once it is ‘gone’ it’s priceless.

Twenty mill is a little rich, but sweet view and, three hours south, world-class waves, although shithouse out front.