An industrial bolthole in the valley SHIPSHAPE SANCTUARY 17 AUGUST / 2022 THE BEST IN AUSTRALIAN PROPERTY PRESTIGE
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6 PRESTIGE JOSEPHINE HUYNH PROPERTYHOT Private sale Agent: DiJones Southern Highlands, Sarah Burke 0404 377 491 A Georgian-style home a 15-minute drive from Bowral and Moss Vale, Wildewood offers multiple living spaces, including a large library and a family room opening to a north-facing deck. The twohectare property comes with a self-contained, two-bedroom apartment, a garden studio, an olive orchid, fruit trees and a dam. Burrawang Southern Highlands 241 Wildes Meadow Road $3.25 million 6 4 4 By KATE FARRELLY Editor: Josephine josephine.huynh@Huynhdomain.com.au Editorial producer: Paige Tonna Group picture editor: Kylie Thomson Senior designer: Colleen Chin Quan Graphic designer: Nicole Gauci Nationaleditor:magazine Natalie Mortimer Nationaleditor:managing Alice Stolz Chief marketing officer: Rebecca Darley Chief executive officer: Jason Pellegrino Residential sales: Queensland Amanda Vaughan 0413 370 004 New South Wales Caitlin Hao 0430 938 214 Victoria & Tasmania Ray van 0438Veenendaal279870 Western Australia, South Australia & Northern Territory Jeroen van de Peppel 0427 292 797 Digital edition Visitdigitaleditiondomain.com.au/ We all love a good escape from reality. For me, come a Friday afternoon, it’s a duffel bag packed in a mad rush and thrown into the boot of my car that’s headed for, well, quite the opposite – absolute stillness. When I think of serenity, I close my eyes and open them up to the wildlife-rich rainforests and countryside of NSW’s Kangaroo Valley, where this week’s cover property sits. You might recognise Sky Ridge from the last time you were dreaming of an escape on Airbnb. The eco-friendly luxurious accommodation is owned by much-loved Australian TV personality Larry Emdur and his wife, Sylvie. Despite the property sweeping the couple off their feet when they first saw it two years ago, the juggle of managing a thriving short-stay business and Emdur’s hectic work schedule has meant it’s back on the market and could be yours – if the price is right. DESIGN DIGEST Country classics 9 COVER STORY An eco-retreat fit for a celeb 10 LIVING IN Gateway to the Highlands 13 THE PROPERTY INVESTOR Head for the hills 15 HOMEWARES Dressing beautiful spaces 17 OUR COVER 679a Mount Scanzi Road, Kangaroo Valley Listed by TRG PAGE 10
PRESTIGE 7 Auction: 3.45pm, August 27 Agent: McGrath Lindfield, James Sutton 0422 704 370 Well-equipped for family life, this character home set within strolling distance of the station comes with a tennis court, a pool and a putting green. Frankston South Melbourne 2/636 Nepean Highway $11 million-$12 million 5 5 3 Robertson Southern Highlands 166 McEvilly Road $25 million-$27.5 million 7 6 6 Roseville Sydney 53 Lord Street $8.25 million 4 3 2 Expressions of interest Agent: Christie’s International Real Estate, Darren Curtis 0406 761 840 in conjunction with Forbes Global Properties, Ken Jacobs 0407 190 152 Linden Hall is a lavish, 2000-square-metre mansion designed by Richard Rowe and inspired by Point Piper’s Henrietta Villa. On an 80-hectare lot, the property includes rolling pastures suitable for livestock. Private sale Agent: Aqua Real Estate, Michelle Skoglund 0416 119 444 Claiming a front-row position on Kackeraboite Creek Beach, White Lodge is a grand, 7435-square-metre estate wrapped in beautifully landscaped gardens. Highlights include double-height living spaces, a colossal atriumstyle lounge room and a palatial main bedroom suite.
ANSON SMART \ STYLING JOSEPH GARDNER
PRESTIGE 9 DESIGNDIGEST
GATHER AROUND A collaboration between architects Richards Stanisich and The Wood Room welcomes the Bell Table, featuring a striking circular form with soft edges. This piece is crafted from solid timber and can be manufactured in various finishes. thewoodroom.com.au
TEAK TREASURES Influenced by the designer’s love of sustainable and minimalistic pieces, McMullin & Co.’s range of homewares includes a collection of handmade teak treasures, comprising the Odette Bowl, Uma Teak Chopping Board and Selby Candle Holder. mcmullinandco.com
FAMILY HEIRLOOM Crafted by hand on a vertical loom from thick yarns of robust jute fibres, Armadillo’s River Rug is intended to wear beautifully over time, exhibiting gentle mimickingripples,the calming waters of namesake.its armadillo-co.com
Highlands home Befitting country-style living, these gems give a nod to classic designs and the beauty of time-worn finishes. Compiled by PAULINE MORRISSEY
BOWRAL BRICKS Paying homage to the lush natural beauty of Australia, the Bowral Highlands range from Australian brick manufacturer Brickworks uses clay sourced from the Southern Highlands region in NSW. It embraces a diverse colour and texture palette to give a rugged and mineral-rich feel. brickworks.com.au
10 PRESTIGE Weekend at Larry’s A unique home in Kangaroo Valley captivated TV personality Larry Emdur and his wife, Sylvie. Now their son is handling the sale of their dream getaway. By EFFIE MANN
Rising from the ground like a futuristic bolthole, the house has a tough exterior, save for the cheerful yellow of the container doors that serve as shutters for the huge glass windows. The couple paid $2.15 million for the furnished property, keeping the interior set up exactly as Michael had intended, with its lights fashioned from gas cylinders, tennis net balustrade and unusual collection of curios. “It’s like living in a design museum,” Emdur says. “Everywhere you look, there’s something different; thousands of books. It’s a very beautiful, bizarre and fascinating place.” Raw, exposed metals and polished concrete floors continue the industrial theme, but the vast living room is softened by the warmth of the signature double open fireplaces and by the expansive couches, from which you can enjoy views over the valley. In warmer weather, the glass retracts completely for immersion in the surrounding nature. Upstairs, four pod-like mezzanine bedrooms with en suites (one with a free-standing bath) also capture bushland views from all angles. Set on four hectares, the eco-friendly property is run off-grid and suited to peaceful weekends absorbed in nature. The Emdurs like to relax around the outdoor fire pit and are often joined by kangaroos and wombats. A self-confessed “typical eastern suburbs Sydney guy”, Emdur says he has relished the opportunity to embrace his inner lumberjack, though it didn’t come easily. “[I] had to ask the guy in Bunnings how to turn the chainsaw on, but I got there,” he says with a laugh. “I got all the safety gear.
The Emdurs’ nearby weekender is an architect-designed waterfront pad they snapped up for $1.1 million in late 2019. In 2021, they sold an investment apartment for a touch over $1 million, while earlier this year, the couple offloaded their apartment in the 1924 Cadbury factory conversion in The Rocks for a reported $4.3 million. They bought it in 2017 following the sale of their $11.5 million Dover Heights mansion. The couple’s son, Jye, of TRG, is selling the property. He says his father has boosted Sky Ridge’s profile and appeal. “He’s worked hard to [make the property] such a successful short-term rental and maximise the unique experience for all guests,” he says. “He’s also managed to turn it into an online media star in its own right, and it is now a favourite getaway for many celebrities.”
Any spare time the couple do have has been focused on their real estate ventures on the other side of Sydney at Berowra Waters, where they recently acquired a second property in as many years – a dilapidated house on a remote block at Neverfail Bay for $1 million.
Despite having fallen hard and fast for spectacular Kangaroo Valley ecoretreat Sky Ridge in mid-2020, TV host and anchor Larry Emdur and his wife Sylvie have already relisted it, citing a clash of work commitments and new property projects. The striking house, constructed of steel, glass and shipping containers, was designed by architect Alexander Michael in 2018 and captured the Emdurs’ imagination immediately. “Sylvie saw it in the local paper and threw it at me saying, “Look at this!’,” Emdur recalls. “It was like nothing else we’d ever seen; we went to see it as soon as we could and it was even more amazing in the flesh – it was mind-boggling.”
COVER STORY “I wanted to fill the timber storage unit up myself just as a little token thing to feel like a real lumberjack guy and I did that, and it was kinda fun. So now, I enjoy getting there and wiping off all my TV makeup and putting on my dirty boots and getting stuck into it.”
Kangaroo Valley Southern Highlands & Shoalhaven 679a Mount Scanzi Road $3 million-$3.3 million 4 4 2 Private sale Agent: TRG, Jye Emdur 0415 095 051 Hover your camera over the code to see Domain listings in Kangaroo Valley The property, known as Sky Ridge, has become popular with celebrities due to its and privacyseclusion–nottomentionitsowncelebritystatus.
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PAUL McMILLAN
The trouble is, as host of both Seven’s The Morning Show and The Chase Australia , and with his new memoir Happy As out and another book in the works, free weekends are in desperately short supply. Not to mention that the couple’s stays in the house compete with a busy Airbnb calendar, whereby the property earns its keep with rent upwards of $1000 per night. “Now, I just look at my diary and say, ‘It’s not going to happen,’” Emdur concedes. “It’s a great business, but I don’t want to be a business owner; that’s not why we bought it. “We decided we didn’t want to drive to Kangaroo Valley just to do maintenance. It deserves to be loved and appreciated.”
Mittagong is in a valley surrounded by ancient volcanic peaks and rolling vineyards. Private sale Agent: Stone Southern Highlands, Anita Roelevink 0409 367 678 This blissful sanctuary is a quintessential highlands home, with a garden of established trees, hedging and rock walls, a fireplace in the lounge room, and French doors to the verandah.
PRESTIGE 13 LIVING IN MITTAGONG 34.4510° S, 150.4474° E
It’s not hard to comprehend why Sydneysiders find a move to the Southern Highlands hard to resist. The region offers plenty of space for a family to grow, streets are delightfully leafy, gardens and parks are abundant, and the neighbourhoods are oh so charming. As the gateway to it all, Mittagong is particularly peaceful and picturesque, nestled between ancient volcanic peaks, mountain reserves and rolling vineyards. And yet, it is just an 80-minute drive from Sydney, meaning you can go from being surrounded by skyscrapers to sweeping valleys in no time. Breath of fresh air According to Ben Olofsen, director of The Agency Southern Highlands, there has been a “dramatic increase” in Mittagong’s median property price over the past few years, while stock levels across the entire region are at all-time lows. The median house price is now $1.1 million, up 22.6 per cent year on year, according to the latest Domain House Price Report “Generally, our market tends to follow Sydney’s trends; however, due to incredibly low stock levels, we believe our area will remain a popular choice,” Olofsen says. “Over 85 per cent of our buyers are coming from Sydney,” he adds, with the town “drawing affluent buyers for its plentiful space, fresh country air, and appealing lifestyle”.
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camera over the code to see Domain listings in Mittagong GETTY IMAGES
Olofsen says the Southern Highlands offers an excellent option for those escaping to the country without entirely severing ties to the city.
“Being located between Sydney and Canberra makes it ideal for those needing access to either of these cities, albeit less frequently,” he says. A cosmopolitan countryside In the heart of Mittagong is Renegade Spirits – an exciting premium gin distillery which opened its doors in July 2021. Co-founder Timothy Roberts describes the brand as a celebration of the region and its produce. “I love how friendly and warm the people of Mittagong are,” he says. “The connection to nature and beautiful landscapes that you can find here is so great, and the fact that you can experience four distinct seasons.” Proudly local, Roberts lives in the town with his wife and newborn child. He represents a strong local community with a wide variety of small businesses that thrive off each other to bring a unique taste to the area. “We love going for brunch in town at The Glass Cafe and heading to nearby Bowral for special dinners at Bistro Sociale,” Roberts says. “My favourite event is the Southern Highlands Food & Wine Festival, which champions our incredible growers and talented makers. It’s a community I am incredibly proud to be part of.” A bit over an hour’s drive from Sydney, Mittagong is the gateway to the picturesque Southern Highlands. By PAULINE MORRISSEY your
Mittagong Southern Highlands 1a Reservoir Street $2.35 million 5 2 2 YOU MAY LIKE ...
16-18 MARSEILLE COURT, SORRENTO M A GNIFI CE NT M A IN R IV ER ES T A T E Villa Marseille Villa Marseille, one of the Gold Coast’s most iconic riverside trophy estates ever constructed. An incomparable residence of formidable quality and timeless design, that perfectly distills grand sophistication with elegant simplicity. Designed by leading architect John Patterson, the inspiring and evocative design of sculptural gestures and soft curvaceous profiles forges a flowing synergy with the majestic Main River and subtle coastal landscape. This theme is echoed throughout the grand interiors utilising a soft colour palette and a skilful curation of fine finishes and bespoke elements fostering a sense of calm and space throughout. A rare opportunity to acquire one of the most exclusive Gold Coast homes ever offered to market. amirprestige.com.au Contact the Listing Agents 0420 312 227 Adam Cain Inspectionadam@amirprestige.com.aubyAppointment7952,603m² EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
PRESTIGE 15 DESTINATION NSW THE PROPERTYINVESTOR
The median house price in the Southern Highlands rose by 4.4 per cent in the June quarter to $1.305 million – as against Sydney’s fall of 2.7 per cent – with a stunning 30.8 per cent growth over the year, according to the latest Domain House Price Report House rents also jumped 19.8 per cent over the year to $695 a week, and unit rents by 12.8 per cent to $440. “The Southern Highlands is a good place to invest in, as there’s a need for more rental premises as a lot of people come here and rent before they decide to buy,” says Anne Stone, principal of McGrath Southern Highlands. “A lot of people renting out homes do it on short-term platforms … so they can use the property when they want it and make more money by leasing it out when they don’t. “Rents have gone up substantially since COVID. We only have two houses to rent at the moment, one for $1375 a week and the other for $1600, so they’re making a lot of money.”
Over COVID-19, there has been no shortage of investors snapping up property, often to rent out to tenants freshly able to work from home while they prepare to downscale themselves and move in at a later date. Much of the appeal lies in the rolling green hills, the heritage towns and villages, and the picturesque wineries. “There is such a shortage of long-term rental properties, which makes it ideal for investors,” says Kate McCullagh of DiJones Southern Highlands.“BeforeImoved here, I always thought it was a bit of a retirement place. But it’s not. We’re now seeing so many young families moving here because they can give their kids the lifestyle they may have enjoyed as children, riding their bikes to school and their horses at the weekends. “So, it’s very lively, which is great for anyone moving, or investing, here.”
City folk are head for quaintchoosingincreasinglytoescapethe metropolisandtownslike BerrimaintheSouthern Highlands.
Rising demand and a shortage of supply are compelling reasons to check out property opportunities in the Southern Highlands.
The region’s formidable capital growth shows few signs of waning. Samuel Lindsay, principal of Drew Lindsay Real Estate, believes the buyers, and owners, of the more expensive real estate in the area aren’t affected at all by interest rate rises. “So, there’s been no softening of prices,” he says. “There’s also been limited stock over the past few years because of the great move from the city to regional areas in general, and to the Southern Highlands in particular. “We’re so close to Sydney and to the coast, too, and we have excellent infrastructure. A lot of people had secondary homes down here, but increasingly they’re making them their primary residence and keeping just a bolthole in Sydney.”
Good reasons to head for the hills
Once considered a beautiful, but sleepy, area perfect for a peaceful retirement, NSW’s Southern Highlands is now firing on all cylinders with a pandemic-era surge of tree-changing city escapees fuelling a dramatic growth in its fortunes. Forecasts from demographic profiling company .id earlier this year predicted the population of the region would increase by around 1.1 per cent a year over the next decade. That extra demand for housing is likely to keep property prices growing at a healthy level.
By SUE WILLIAMS “A shortage of long-term rental properties … makes it ideal for investors.”
While the iconic Country Road beach towels and tea towels are always popular, Symonds says Google Trends reported a 200 per cent increase over the past year in people searching specifically for Country Road mugs. “As we’ve spent more time at home over the past 18 months, our lifestyle categories, including outdoor dining and picnic, have experienced incredible growth with our customers. We look forward to seeing how our beautiful upcoming summer collections resonate,” he says. In the same way cooler weather calls for layering and soft textures in our clothes, home lovers are seeking comforting accessories for bedrooms and living spaces.
Seed recently introduced a Heritage Homewares collection, the much-loved Country Road range is constantly evolving, and H&M is opening stand-alone home stores. Home stylist Lisa Diluvio says customers are drawn to the level of quality and aesthetic they associate with fashion brands. “Beautifully designed homewares lines are an extension of this and provide an opportunity for customers to incorporate style from their favourite brands into their living spaces,” sheThesays.Seed Heritage design team say they see a growing correlation in fashion and homewares trends, from fabrications to colour palette, to aesthetics. “Our homewares collection is designed to complement our womenswear and menswear apparel to create a holistic look for the customer. People see their home as a reflection of themselves, so it makes sense for us to give them the opportunity to style them in a complementary way.”
Mainstream fashion brands are creating beautiful homewares ranges as more people dress their homes to reflect their personal style. In the same way our wardrobes change for the seasons, customers are also increasingly dressing their homes.
The worlds of fashion and homewares are intermingling more than ever as we focus on our home lives. By KIM WILSON Seed Home creates a ‘holistic look for the customer’, above and above left.
Fashion-forward finishing touches
Fashionable, high-quality and affordable homewares are front of mind for customers, particularly after pandemic lockdowns. “COVID saw an incredible spike in the homewares industry across the board. Not just for homewares, but for home renovations too,” says Country Road head of design Ty Symonds. “Spending more time at home meant that we wanted to make our spaces more comfortable, and textiles became incredibly important, especially bedding, cushions and throws,” Symonds“Multipurposesays. rooms became the focus as we worked from home and considered what may be in the background of our video calls with colleagues, and so we saw decorative pieces such as vases rise in popularity as well. “As restrictions eased, we could entertain friends and family at home again, so dining categories spiked.”
HOMEWARES
The Seed Heritage design team believes pieces like their duvet covers and mohair throws are ideal for changing up a home’s style with the seasons, as a little bit of extra texture can really warm up a room. While the “Kmart phenomenon” saw customers get better access to affordable fast fashion in homewares, Diluvio says many people are now prioritising quality and responsibly made products.
The Country Road homewares range is constantly evolving, right and far right.
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Magic Millions – Celebrity Status Upper Orara 79B Walters Rd A sprawling luxury home, with three separate private quarters, set over 54 pristine acres places this estate at the pinnacle of the market. Perfectly positioned on a private hilltop in the heart of magnificent, unspoilt Upper Orara Valley, Coffs Harbour. The commanding main house has 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms & boasts private landscaped gardens, lush rainforests & approx. a kilometre of river frontage. With equestrian facilities, a resort sized swimming pool, gym, & pool cabana with bathroom and the studio gallery room to showcase your art or space to foster your creative yearnings completes this unique offering.
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FOR SALE EOI Closing Friday 26th August 2022 VIEW By Appointment AGENT Janis Perkins 0438 841 janis@reodbyron.com.au122 9/15-19 Fletcher Street Byron Bay, NSW 2481 02 6680 8588 | janis@reodbyron.com.au 8 56 Byron Bay
With a soon to built Hollywood style film studio (by Crowe), waterfront precincts of Coffs Harbour, the mid north coast is quickly growing into a regional powerhouse. This beautiful property can be forever home, weekend retreat.
