Stephen Nicholls, Property Journalist
First published 6 Nov 2023, 5:00am
903/226 Victoria St, Potts Point, which has incredible views, has just hit the market.
The widow of an LGBTQI legend has listed her impressive Omnia Potts Point apartment, saying since Covid she’s yearned for a “dog, cat and a garden”.
Aniek Baten, who was married to Dawn O’Donnell for 30 years before her death in 2007 from ovarian cancer, had bought 903/226 Victoria St for $3.19m in 2015 off-the-plan and converted it to a large 114sqm one-bedroom apartment.
It’s just hit the market for a December 6 auction. Sales agent Stacey Leonie of Ray White Woollahra is yet to set a guide though cites comparable sales in the $2.5m to $3.3m range.
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The apartment is on the ninth floor of Omnia.
Undated photo of Dawn O’Donnell (R) and Aniek Baten.
“We had 12 groups through Saturday’s first open and I’ve got two contracts out — one buyer says he’d keep it as a one-bedder and the other says they’d convert it back to a three-bedroom apartment.”
She says this would be an easy process, estimating it would cost about $25k to return walls in spaces that Baten uses as a dining room and a second living space.
Baten says she’s loved living in the level nine apartment, which has CBD and Harbour Bridge views.
“I truly have enjoyed it — it’s fantastic, I love walking to the city or theatre and not having to worry about parking the car, but I really do miss having a garden and a dog and a cat.”
She’s contemplating a move to the country — “somewhere warmer”.
Clean lines.
Numerous places to relax.
Baten, was aged 26 when she met O’Donnell, then 49, in 1977 at Ruby Red’s, one of the many clubs that her future wife created for gay, lesbian and queer people to meet and socialise.
Having been a speed ice-skater, even playing in Puss in Boots on ice in London, she was to later be known for turning Sydney’s Oxford St into a gay mecca, creating Capriccio’s in 1969; Jools in 1974; Patches in 1976 and then Flo’s and Ruby Reds. She also owned The Exchange, Ken’s Karate Club in Kensington, the Newtown Hotel in Newtown and the Imperial Hotel in Erskineville. The only business that’s been retained is the adult shop The Toolshed, which Baten continues to operates.
Baten converted the three-bedder into a large one-bedroom apartment …
… but it would be easy to restore the walls so it can be a three-bedroom apartment again.
Baten and O’Donnell lived in big houses at Beauty Point in Mosman and they had dogs, including Lady and Bella, both who appeared at the icon’s funeral where pallbearers took the body from the church to the emotional crescendo of Ravel’s Bolero.
“We had a wonderful life together and big homes together, but then living in an apartment has been absolutely stunning,” Baten said.
“But during Covid, I really did miss having a garden.
“If I could keep that apartment and have my own garden, I would!”.
Yet now she’s resolved to moving on. “I’m open to a different scene … perhaps somewhere warmer — I came from the Netherlands, which is too cold … we’ll just have to see,” she laughed.
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