Lachlan Murdoch’s $30 million superyacht has arrived in Australia for the first time as he and the family drop anchor in Sydney and await the completion of their far pricier cruiser.
The News Corp co-chairman bought the classic fixer-upper earlier this year but has only just docked the vessel in Australian waters, keeping it at Rozelle Bay in the city, where Mr Murdoch, his wife Sarah and three children now live.
He bought the 42-metre Feadship yacht for the huge sum while he waits for his secretive latest purchase to be built, a 59.7m Royal Huisman sloop, believed to be worth £100million (A$175million).
Dropping anchor: the travelling tycoon’s yacht arrived in Sydney as he and his family settle into cosmopolitan Sydney life
As they settle into Sydney life, Lachlan and Sarah Murdoch added a $30 million classic yacht to their fleet while they waited the arrival of their secretive $175million superyacht. The couple here pictured at the 2020 Vanity Fair Oscars Party
Splashing cash: The yacht is docked in Rozelle Bay, but the couple have spent millions on a boat shed for the next addition to their fleet
Sun-deck: The Scandinavian style boat has an emphasis on light interiors, windows and outdoor living spaces, including the covered al fresco dining area and massive couch on top deck
The 1954 refurbished motor yacht, Istros, has accomodation for nine guests in five different cabins.
The boat also features crew quarters for up to ten staff.
On deck, the boat boasts a sofa and deck chairs, while further along the vessel is a dining table that caters to alfresco eating.
Jumping ship: The media mogul will use the $30 million yacht but will likely favour his next vessel, a $175 million superyacht
Down in the doldrums: The boat was at one stage completely rusted and lying abandoned in a shipyard, before a massive overhaul saw the boat win awards and fetch a huge price on market
Theseus’ ship: The 42.1m classic had its interior, exterior, and engine rooms completely gutted in the 2010s and is unrecognisable from the 1950s boat that was once left in disrepair
The sloop has been entirely remodelled, including a full overhaul of its interior, upgrades to the external fittings and gutting of the engine room.
It was little more than a rusting hulk when it was rescued from a Maltese port in 2015, before it was salvaged and rebuilt.
Dutch shipyard De Vries Lentsch delivered the yacht in the 1950s but Van Geest design made the interior upgrades in ‘family oriented, sunny Scandinavian style’.
However, it was not all smooth sailing with financial difficulties stopping progress on the yacht until 2018.
The upgrades were then completed by Feadship in 2020.
Istros has won awards for its remodelling and rebuilding with many leasing the ship while she was on the charter market.
That was until Mr Murdoch snapped her up in 2021.
The boat joins an extensive Murdoch flotilla including the Sarissa, which they paid $30million for, but is now believed to be available for charter.
Lachlan Murdoch is an enthusiastic sailor, having raced his 24-metre sail yacht Swan 82, Ipixuna, at Hamilton Island in early 2021.
He also entered the Sydney to Hobart back in 1997.
Mooring up: The ship sits between other multi million dollar yachts in the Sydney Harbour near where he now lives
Won’t go down with his ship: Lachlan Murdoch left America for Sydney in 2021 after republicans lost power in America
Last year, the couple paid $38 million for a boat shed at Point Piper after relocating to Sydney to live at their Bellevue Hill compound, Le Manoir.
It was believed they would host a delayed 90th birthday celebration for family mogul Rupert Murdoch this year, however the News Corp chairman and CEO has now turned 91.
Lachlan and Sarah Murdoch now own properties in Sydney, Los Angeles and Colorado, as well as a $90 million Gulfstream G650 private jet.
Lachlan uses the private jet to regularly fly between the US and Australia for work.
Rupert Murdoch (centre) is pictured with his son Lachlan (right) and daughter-in-law Sarah in Sun Valley, Idaho, USA
Rupert Murdoch (left) is pictured speaking with his eldest son Lachlan in Sun Valley, Idaho, USA in 2018
The Murdochs have three children – sons Kalan Alexander, 17, Aidan Patrick, 15, and daughter Aerin Elisabeth, 11 – who all attend private schools across Sydney.
Previous reports have suggested it’s not always been smooth sailing for the family of five.
Last year, sources claimed the family moved to Australia when the US political climate shifted after Joe Biden was elected the US president.
The pro-Republican family’s children apparently experienced ‘a rough’ time, Nine newspapers reported.