Ex-Silverchair frontman Daniel Johns selling house bought at 17, now with a $3 million price tag

Daniel Johns has listed one of his properties in the NSW city of Newcastle’s Merewether for auction after almost 30 years of ownership.

The ex-Silverchair star is selling the four-bedroom, two-bathroom home at 31 Ranclaud Street with Chasse Ede of Presence Real Estate who has listed the 695 square metre property with an auction guide of $3 million.

Mr Ede confirmed Johns was the owner of the property.

CoreLogic records show the Straight Lines singer-songwriter bought the home in May 1996 for $360,000 shortly after his 17th birthday.

The beachside suburb commands a much higher price tag these days with the median house value in Merewether sitting at $1.79 million.

“Dan has had it for so long and didn’t really know what he was going to do with it, whether he was going to build something there for himself or not,” Mr Ede said.

The property is set to go to auction in April.

Records show the house was listed for lease at $850 per week in July 2020.

At the time of the purchase in 1996, Silverchair was riding high on the back of the success of their debut single, Tomorrow, from the album, Frogstomp, after signing a worldwide three-album recording contract.

The group’s estimated gross earnings in 1995 were $6.4 million, according to an article published in the Australian Financial Review in April 1996.

The band had just begun recording its follow-up album, Freak Show, when Johns purchased the house on Ranclaud Street.

It was the first property investment for Johns who went on to buy a two-bedroom shack on the edge of Merewether Beach for $645,000 just a few months later.

In 2000, Johns splashed $1.4 million on a sprawling 1970s five-bedroom home overlooking Merewether which is where the musician continues to reside.

Mr Ede said the listing had already drawn interest from buyers since hitting the market on February 23.

“We have had some nibbles either side of that $3 million already,” Mr Ede said.

“It is just over 600 square metres and you could certainly extend the home to the side or add a proper second floor to it and get a view to the water.

“It’s so close to the beach - you walk to the end of the street, through the tunnel and you’re at Merewether Beach in 250 metres.”

The weatherboard home has four bedrooms including a master with a walk-in robe and ensuite.

There are separate living and dining rooms, a kitchen, a study and a main bathroom, as well as an attic with air conditioning.

French doors lead out to the wrap-around verandah and fenced backyard.

Johns is not the only former Silverchair star who has sold up in Newcastle in recent times.

The band’s bassist, Chris Joannou, offloaded his three-bedroom family home in Carrington in 2022 for an undisclosed amount believed to be upwards of $1.6 million.

Joannou purchased the property for $671,000 in 2014.

However, they moved north to Sapphire Beach to be closer to family after Joannou suffered a string of health issues.

They settled on a luxury acreage property, which included a heated swimming pool, a guest house and a 10-car garage, for $3.2 million.

This story first appeared on view.com.au