Hong Kong Ying family reportedly spend $30 million on Donnybrook Bangadang Farm mansion

A Hong Kong family worth billions of dollars is believed to have spent about $30 million building a massive country retreat on an historic farm in the South West. The West Australian understands that the Ying family were behind the purchase of the 279ha Bangadang Farm, just a few kilometres from Donnybrook, which changed hands in late 2016 for $3 million. Ying family patriarch Michael was the long-time head of global clothing brand Esprit. He was ranked 34 on this year’s Forbes Hong Kong rich list with an estimated net worth of $3.46 billion. He transferred his shares in Esprit to daughters Claudine and Eileen three years ago and the pair are still among the biggest stakeholders in the company. Eileen, whose mother is famous Taiwanese actress Brigitte Lin, is listed as one of the directors of West Kong Agricultural Pty Ltd, which has purchased more land around Bangadang in the past few years, including a neighbouring 23ha property for $1.65 million last year. Claudine Ying, below with her Australian partner Lloyd Jones, founded an early-childhood centre in Hong Kong called Bebgarten Group as well as the Yanai Foundation, which is a not-for-profit building schools for underprivileged children in China. Mr Jones is a Sydney-raised banker who played several matches for the Hong Kong national rugby union team. Claudine Ying told Hong Kong Tatler four years ago that she would like her children to grow up somewhere with plenty of space. “Lloyd grew up in Sydney in the fresh air, swimming under the big sun in the sea,” she said. “That was his daily after-school activity. Mine was another air-conditioned room. “I’d love for my kids to grow up with space and balance.” Bangadang is a sprawling property and was sold as a cattle grazing farm with 13 paddocks, 10 dams and an existing colonial style-house. The old homestead was built in the 1930s by politician John Henry Prowse, once the mayor of Perth and the Federal MP for Forrest, who lived at the property until his death in 1944. The farm is still abuzz with tradesmen finishing off the massive residence, which has been designed by Kerry Hill Architects and built by Perkins Builders and sits on a hill overlooking the property. Tender advertisements from two years ago detail how the home would include staff accommodation, indoor and outdoor pools, helipad and a central courtyard. The estimated construction cost was as high as $30 million and it was originally thought the build would be finished by March. Bangadang’s own website reveals plans to transform the land by planting thousands of trees and plants to reduce the run-off of soil into water courses from hilly country that has been used in past years for grazing. It was also intended to produce honey and set up an olive grove at the farm, which also has established plantings of Hass avocados.