Mansion INCORPORATING NEWS FROM DOW JONES’ M A NS ION GL OBA L
AUSTRALIA
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Interiors
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The Russia House
European opulence in the ’burbs
Timber top
Natural materials stake a claim
Big freeze
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M A NSIONAUST R A L I A .C OM . AU
Issue 35 H May 2020 V3 - AUSE01Z01MN
SAFE HAVENS The home hunt gets personal T H E W E E K E N D AUST R A L I A N | O C T OBE R 8 - 9 , 2 0 1 6
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ROSLYN ‘Glenferrie’, 232 Carrabungla Road via Goulburn Set in the tightly held Roslyn district, is this outstanding property known as ‘Glenferrie’. Rarely do propertys of this calibre present to the market in such a convenient and tranquil location. Featuring 100ha (250 acres) of eastern grazing country, 36kms from Goulburn, 24kms from Crookell, 24kms from Taralga, Tarlo River through the block, 3 dams, 10 troughs and 120,000 litres of water storage, 10 paddocks with fencing and electric standoffs, 8 years old master-built homestead, well established tree lanes, freshly manicured gardens, currently carrying 80 Angus cows. This property present in great condition. ‘Glenferrie’, awaits its new owner and all the rural living pleasures it presents. V2 - AUSE01Z01MN All information contained herein is gathered from sources we deem to be reliable. However we cannot guarantee its accuracy and interested parties should rely on their own enquiries.
Auction Wednesday, 20th May at 11am (online via AuctionNow) - unless sold prior View Contact Agent
David Medina 0419 772 233 sydneysothebysrealty.com
Contents
The former home of ex-Westpac CEO Brian Hartzer (see page 12)
9 L U X U R Y Macedon Ranges estate, Noosa trophy home, Pittwater boathouse 1 2 C O V E R S T O R Y In a changed landscape, families reassess what makes a home
Mansion AUSTRALIA
1 6 D O L L Y L E N Z In these times, real estate is more than ever the safest bet 1 8 P R E S T I G E O T P Buyers will wait a bit longer for these luxury developments 2 2 R O D D P O I N T This mansion takes opulence beyond the usual enclaves 2 4 S N O W L I V I N G Buyers are queuing up while vendors wait and see 2 6 W E L L N E S S A P A R T M E N T S Bringing nature back into the city 28 REA MARKET UPDATE
Regional areas harbour some hidden treasures
3 2 M A N S I O N G L O B A L Bon Jovi’s estate, Maldives villa, clifftop in Cornwall 3 3 B A C K P A G E The Poolman House in South Yarra boasts a grand history 3 5 I N T E R I O R S A house designed for living separately but together 4 1 P R O D U C T S Mellow hues for furnishing a more toned-down life 4 2 D E S I G N C L A S S I C The chair that blurs the lines between home and work
Editor Lisa Allen Contributing Editor Jonathan Chancellor Interiors Editor David Meagher Art director Samantha Yates Writers Joel Robinson Sam Duncan Chief subeditor Deirdre Blayney Picture Editor Christine Westwood Advertising Michael Thompson Tel 61 2 9288 3630 michael.thompson2@news.com.au
N E X T I S S U E : June 13, 2020
O N T H E C O V E R The recently listed Ultimo at Mt Eliza
on the Mornington Peninsula, a five-bedroom, 800sq m home with a cinema and basement wine lounge
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Unsolicited manuscripts will not be considered. Printed by Ovato Print Pty Ltd, 31 Heathcote Road, Moorebank 2170, for the proprietor and publisher, Nationwide News Pty Limited (ACN 008 438 828), of 2 Holt Street, Surry Hills, NSW 2010 for insertion in The Weekend Australian on May 9, 2020
Editor’s letter Real estate agents have discovered that when it comes to selling houses and apartments during the COVID-19 scourge, there are some silver linings. From the suburbs of Brisbane to the Sydney CBD, agents are reporting that while there are less buyers around, those purchasers who are in play are decidedly genuine. There’s a push towards holiday boltholes, as people digest the fact that overseas travel – when it returns, which is most likely not until early next year – will be too onerous, with enhanced security restrictions and talk of four-hour queues at airports. A vacation house on the Mornington Peninsula, for instance, is therefore a safer and more desirable option. We will be exploring this theme over the next few months. As we are spending more time at home, there’s naturally a leaning towards wellness and health in apartment designs. Jonathan Chancellor also looks at the ski market, discovering what snow chalets are on the market should the season return this year. But a note of caution in Falls Creek, Mount Hotham and Perisher: there’s no word yet from their Colorado-based owner, Vail Resorts, as to when our local ski season will open for business. In Sydney, news presenter and author Ortenzia Borre, her entrepreneur husband Stephen Moss (and their chihuahua Bambi) open up their newly built, near-$6 million mansion in the waterfront suburb of Rodd’s Point. And in New York, realtor Dolly Lenz, who sold more than $US500 million worth of luxury US and international homes last year, discusses the merits of holding real estate over stocks, bonds and cash – particularly when it comes to her high net worth clients. Thanks to our wonderful real estate contacts, developers and architects for helping us put this issue of Mansion Australia together. Let’s all stay safe over the coming months. Lisa Allen Editor
THE WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN
| MAY 9-10, 2020
Unique North-Facing Vacant Land On The Peninsular HUNTERS HILL LOT 3 MCBRIDE AVENUE (ENTRY FROM ADY STREET) This spectacular landholding presents a rare opportunity to design and create your home in an absolute north-facing waterfront setting. Located at the end of a quiet street on a gorgeous sweep of the Lane Cove River with broad views across to Riverview and over Tambourine Bay this location is a once in a lifetime prospect. • North-facing water front land of 858sqm approx with an additional 122sqm of leased land (Transport NSW) • Established gardens in a private leafy setting • Panoramic river views with north-facing sun • 20 minutes to Sydney CBD • Easy walk to cafes, restaurants and public transport V2 - AUSE01Z01MN
• Close to excellent schools
For Sale Expressions of Interest - Closing 15th May
James McCowan james.mccowan@sydneysir.com 0418 800 400 Inspection Times Please contact us to arrange a time.
86 WYNNUM ROAD, NORMAN PARK
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Modern luxury living and natural Australian Beach house design connect at Baleine North facing elevated decks and living spaces command fantastic ocean views Walking distance to Cylinder Beach and world famous Point Lookout Hotel these low maintenance luxury beach houses sit atop Point Lookout breeziest vantage point Private plunge pool; outdoor showers; firepits; bunk room for guests – Baleine is your dream beach holiday every day.
3 Bed
2.5 Bath
2 Car
8 Persons
ROMSEY, VIC
The Breen, a historic estate at Romsey in Victoria’s Macedon Ranges, has been listed for the first time in more than 35 years. Its country homestead is surrounded by gardens designed by Paul Bangay that have evolved over the past two decades. The estate’s 46ha was part of land selected by the Anderson family in 1857. They held the property for the next 11 decades, building an 1860s cottage and an 1880s Victorian home, which have been merged and extended under the guidance of heritage adviser Robert Sands. Set away from the home is the working farm with shearing shed, hay shed, cattle yards and stables. Jellis Craig Macedon Ranges agents Tom May and Paul Keane have a guide of $3.4 million to $3.6 million.
NOOSA, QLD
WOOLLAHRA, NSW
Dela-Kaba, a Woollahra home reminiscent of a classic Knightsbridge terrace in London, has been listed for sale with a $5.5 million to $6 million guide. The Wallis Street residence, built in the early 1900s, has retained its classic facade but had a redesign by the previous owner, interior designer Sally McBean. Spanning four levels, Dela-Kaba has four bedrooms, a soundproofed music room and an attic-level home office with cathedral ceilings. The parents’ wing features a master with dressing room, marble ensuite and balcony with Harbour Bridge views. Self-contained au pair quarters are on the lower level. The landscaped grounds are flanked by a 13m pool. Phillips Pantzer Donnelley agents Jason Pantzer and Charlie Beaumont are marketing the home that last sold for $4.5 million in 2008.
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| THE WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN
Royal Palms, the gated trophy home in Noosa designed by Stephen Kidd, has been listed for $3.69 million. Kidd designed the home on the 2100sq m Habitat Place block in the late 1990s. It sits off a wide circular driveway, framed by palms, strelitzias and frangipanis. The all-white, resort-style home with vaulted ceilings throughout was designed to open to the outdoors. The
alfresco space features a 10m pool with Italian tile surrounds. The outdoor kitchen has a pizza oven, wood fired barbecue, gas barbecue and smoker. Downstairs there are two bedrooms with ensuites, and two master suites upstairs, both with balconies. The ground level has a games lounge and a cinema with library. Tom Offermann Real Estate agent Cathy Fraser has the listing.
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MELBOURNE, VIC
Heritage pinnacle The penthouse apartment in the converted Melbourne CBD block Sargood House has been listed for sale. The heritage-listed Flinders Street building, which dates from the 1920s, was converted into 24 luxury apartments known as Sargood Apartments in 1998 by architectural firm Woods Marsh. It was one of the city’s earlier office-toresidential buildings, situated within a clutch of neighbouring buildings owned by the Herald and Weekly Times. The three-bedroom penthouse last traded in 2016 when it sold for $4.1 million. Now Kay & Burton South Yarra agent Monique Depierre has a guide of $5.5 million to $6 million. The apartment spans 500sq m, including a 195sq m rooftop entertaining terrace with city views and a spa. The tightly held block last saw a sale a year ago when a fourbedroom apartment sold for $3.9 million.
HAWTHORNE, QLD
A contemporary seven-bedroom home in Brisbane’s Hawthorne has sold for $3.35 million. It sits on Virginia Avenue, Hawthorne’s premier waterfront street, which has seen seven homes sell for more than $5 million. The designer home, created by Harry Poulos Architects two decades ago, is set in lush tropical gardens complete with a swimming pool. There are a number of ponds, plus a barbecue patio, playground and manicured lawn. Its two levels are accessed by a stained timber staircase. The home spent nearly two years on the market with another agent before being sold by Belle Property Bulimba agent Tony O’Doherty. The suburb’s median house price sits at $1.2 million. Based on five years of sales, Hawthorne has seen a compound growth rate of 3.6 per cent for houses, according to realestate.com.au. 10
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BLAIRGOWRIE, VIC
A master-built home in Blairgowrie has sold for $2.6 million — the second highest price the locality has seen this year. The Foam Avenue property, with ocean and sand dune views from its top level, was built after the 750sq m block sold for $550,000 three years ago. The centrepiece is the open-plan living room and entertaining space, complete with gourmet kitchen and butler’s pantry, which opens to the alfresco dining area. An internal lift runs from the ground-level garage to the top-level master retreat, featuring a walk-in wardrobe, ensuite, private terrace and lounge. It’s one of five bedrooms. Adjoining the garage is a custom home cinema. The landscaped gardens feature a heated swimming pool and spa. Peninsula Sotheby’s International Realty agents Rob Curtain and Danielle Vains secured the sale. THE WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN
| MAY 9-10, 2020
PEREGIAN BEACH, QLD
COTTAGE POINT, NSW
David Low Way on Queensland’s coast stretches from Coolum Beach to Noosa. The 36km road has some of the state’s most impressive architecturally designed coastal homes. The latest, at Peregian Beach, was the work of contemporary home builder and designer Cubehome. After the 760 sqm block of land a few rows back from the beach sold for $850,000 in 2018, Cubehome created the property to take advantage of the expansive water views. Behind the kiln dried spotted gum, cement sheeted and timber bead facade of the two-level residence is a games room foyer on the entry level, which also has two of the three bedrooms. The games room’s wall of doors opens to a rear deck with fire pit that adjoins the pool and spa. On the upper level is the living, kitchen and dining space, which opens up to an ocean-facing deck, and the master suite. Century21 Connolly Hay Group Noosa Heads agent Rachel Sellman has the listing.
Boathouses make living on the water in Pittwater idyllic for any boatie. Some are just for the boat, or for equipment, but some are an extension of the home. A waterfront in Church Point on McCarrs Creek Road with a self-contained boathouse has been listed for sale. The boathouse at the base of the 620sq m sloping property adjoins the deepwater mooring jetty, and has its own kitchenette and ensuite. The main three-level home, built in 2005, comprises four bedrooms and three bathrooms. The second-level living and entertaining spaces open to a balcony with views across Pittwater, while the first-level rumpus opens to an infinity pool and spa. Ray White Mona Vale agent Shelley Baker has a $3.1 million to $3.2 million guide for the home, which last traded for $2.92 million in 2018.
NOOSA, QLD
Lakeside winner An award-winning Noosa home with picturesque views across a lake to the Noosa Springs Golf Course has been listed for sale. The pavilion-style home, set in the exclusive Noosa Springs gated community, was designed by The Artisan Group on 1410sq m block in 2008, before it sold for $3 million in 2013. It is made up of four separate pavilionstyle buildings, connected by travertine paths. The main building is closest to the water, and comprises the main living and accommodation space. The kitchen, flanked by formal and informal living areas and featuring a stone bench elongated to act as a bar in the living space, opens to the waterfront 18m swimming pool. The dining area opens through bi-fold doors to a central courtyard and barbecue area. Upstairs is the master retreat with walk-through wardrobe, ensuite and views across the golf course. On the other side of the alfresco barbecue area is the billiards room pavilion with full-size slate-bed table. Adjacent is the third pavilion, currently a library, while the fourth pavilion is a twobedroom, two-bathroom guesthouse. Adrian Reed and Shantelle Francis at Reed & Co Estate Agents Noosaville have the listing. MAY 9-10, 2020
| THE WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN
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THE WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN
| MAY 9-10, 2020
Opposite and below: A six-bedroom home in Killara recently sold for $6.3 million to an overseas buyer via a 30-minute FaceTime inspection.
No place like home Winter is likely to see more transactions than usual as families contemplate their next suburban move BY J ONAT H A N C H A NC E L L OR
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he seasonal overseas holiday exodus won’t be happening this winter. Vendors and their agents will be staying put – and hoping that buyers are around too. Winter is likely to see more transactions than is usual at this time of year, as families contemplate their next suburban move. And any relaxation of domestic air traffic restrictions will see a cautious flight to coastal and regional towns, as some of those families realise having a second home could be highly beneficial, given that it will be a lot longer before international travel returns to favour. The real estate industry has seen a reawakening in the emphasis given to personal relationships. Agents have certainly adapted quickly in order to operate within the current landscape. They report that there are no tyre-kickers in the market, just serious buyers and sellers, and that is why sales will keep ticking over. That was obvious when Ray White Upper North Shore agent Lisa Davies secured a $6.3 million Killara
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sale, effectively sight unseen, to an overseas buyer via a FaceTime inspection last month. “Within hours of going online, we saw strong interest coming in from overseas buyers seemingly wanting to take advantage of the exchange rate and the safety of Australian shores right now,” Davies says. One virtual inspection saw the overseas buyer, an expat living in Taipei, and his family all sit through a 30-minute FaceTime showing of the six-bedroom home on landscaped 1770sq m grounds at noon on Easter Saturday. Davies says the sale price reflected those she’d been seeing earlier in the year. “No doubt the market has changed, but we are adapting with it,” she says. “There are fewer buyers but the ones we are seeing are quality buyers.” Just after Easter, a record price was set in Artarmon. The five-bedroom, two-bathroom home on Muttama Road sold well ahead of its proposed lateApril expressions of interest campaign. McGrath agent Peter Chauncy says the undisclosed sale price “eclipsed” the suburb’s $4.61 million highest price, set last September on Tindale Road. There were three buyers competing for the property. The successful party, a couple with two MANSIONAUSTRALIA.COM.AU
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Left: The French-inspired mansion on Mont Albert Road, Canterbury. Centre: Brian Hartzer’s former home in Vaucluse Bottom: Ultimo at Mt Eliza on the Mornington Peninsula
children, had been living in the inner city but wanted to return to the north. The vendors, who are downsizing, had paid $2.125 million in 2009 and then spent $1.3 million on a renovation in 2010. “The new market is here and we’ve adapted to it,” Chauncy says. Listings might come after the lifting of some restrictions. The top known Sydney sale during COVID-19 times was in Vaucluse, when the former boss of Westpac, Brian Hartzer, secured a property just shy of $18 million through estate agent Brad Pillinger. “The listings we had above $15 million have sold in a timely manner,” he says, adding that nothing fresh at the top end had come to the advertised market in late April, which was always going to be affected by the school holiday and Anzac Day breaks. A substantial luxury listing in Sydney’s east appeared in early April, when the Bart family’s grand Bellevue Hill mansion, complete with tennis court and pool, was listed through LJ Hooker Double Bay agent Bill Malouf. “There’s no competition,” Malouf says of the sixbedroom home on a 2415sq m Victoria Road block. “Despite the coronavirus, we’re still getting plenty of inquiry. Where else can you find a prestige compound of this size and level of privacy that’s new to market?” Stock was an issue in Melbourne, but the May listings have flowed. There’s the French-inspired mansion on Mont Albert Road, Canterbury. Walter Dodich at Kay & Burton has $3.6 million to $3.9 million expectations for the six-bedroom home in the Golden Mile precinct. Kew’s Ross House has been through Abercromby’s agents Tim Derham and Simon Curtain with a $21.5 million asking price. The Italianate home on a 4600sq m holding on Cotham Road was built in 1889 for Charles Donaldson and was then known as Charleville. It was last sold in 2002 by developer Peter Schiavello and wife Lydia for $4.7 million. 14
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Poolman House, on the corner of Domain and Punt Roads, South Yarra, has been listed, having last sold 20 years ago. The 2750sq m property is most likely the largest holding in the Domain precinct, its RT Edgar agent Antoinette Nido says. The six-bedroom house with extensive Paul Bangay gardens and tennis court (see page 33) has a $20 million to $22 million price guide. The Mornington Peninsula is set for a big sale in 2020 with the listing of Ultimo, the no-expense spared Mt Eliza build listed through McEwing Partners agents Quentin McEwing and Marcus Gollings. The five-bedroom, 800sq m home features a cinema, a basement wine lounge with 3000-bottle storage, and a viewing window to the swimming pool. There’s a gentleman’s office with scotch bar, and outside is a Plexipax tennis court built by Match Point Systems, the international maker of courts for Rodger Federer and Boris Becker. Peninsula Sotheby’s agent Rob Curtain says COVID19 put a stop to what had been the strongest six months on record. “It was like we were catapulted into July … very few new listings, lack of buyer inquiry and few sales results worth talking about,” he says. “It’s important to note that these are the best markets in which to upsize, not downsize. Many sellers who don’t need to sell will simply wait until volatility abates and buyers will look to take advantage of competition.” He expects spring to be a busy time. “Everyone knows real estate is a reliable asset class with low risk, however buyers of coastal property are more focused on their lifestyle than capital gain. After all, what’s more important?” Sydney agent Alison Coopes agrees. “I would imagine during this period families are thinking about many things that may not have had a value previously. It’s a good discussion, because ultimately a home has become a focal point for lifestyle and what enjoyment can be gained in your residence without leaving the house. Time will tell. Coopes has always conducted 95 per cent of her sales via private pre-arranged appointments. Ken Jacobs at Christie’s International says the current market creates “fertile ground for off-market sales, as we know of owners who are waiting for the government to kickstart the economy before formally putting their home on the market”. He sees the potential for higher-than-usual activity through winter. “Winter is traditionally hibernation time for the market. There are several obvious reasons for this, but the higher you go in value the more likely the owner and buyer will be holidaying in the northern hemisphere summer. This year will be dramatically different. Noosa agent Tom Offermann says people who take the trouble to make appointments for private inspections are mostly ready to transact. He does, however, see the big risk of not promoting the property as “underselling”. He said vendors are being sensible with their expectations, providing opportunities for buyers to buy well with reduced competition due to travel restrictions. “Sellers with rental properties and no income are receptive to offers. A dearth of forward listings points to continuing tight supply, and with international travel out of favour, Noosa is the most aspirational of destinations.” In Brisbane, Josephine Johnston-Rowell, prestige property specialist at Johnston Dixon, says sentiment has waxed and waned “in tandem with the tenor of the news surrounding the pandemic”. Broadly, it is down on what would be normal for this time of the year but the quality of the inquiry is quite high, with expatriates and Chinese prominent. Confidence has already started to return. “The temporary policy change around open houses has been an inconvenience, but it has also given agents greater power to pre-qualify buyers,” she says. “Rather surprising, given the time of the year, is the dearth of quality fresh listings.” THE WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN
| MAY 9-10, 2020
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Dolly Lenz
Local aspect
WITH JENNY LENZ JOHNSTON DIXON
Josephine Johnston-Rowell The level of inquiry has been lumpier and bumpier than usual as sentiment has waxed and waned in tandem with the tenor of the news surrounding the current pandemic. Broadly it is down on what would be normal for this time of year but the quality of the inquiry is quite high, with expatriates and Chinese buyers prominent. If listing inventories stay at anywhere near today’s low levels, even with the present economic uncertainties demand should continue to balance supply, if not outstrip it. Our record low interest rates will only add fuel to the demand fire. Most investors, including stockbrokers, see property as the ultimate safe investment. As the stark economic reality of company earnings and financial positions post coronavirus start to be reported, expect the flight to safety to gather speed. The temporary policy change around open houses has been an inconvenience but it has also given agents greater power to pre-qualify buyers. The ban on public auctions has probably been more inconvenient. Confidence has already started to return and there is certainly better value at the top end today. CHRISTIE’S INTERNATIONAL REAL ESTATE
Ken Jacobs An apartment at 252 7th Avenue, above, priced at US$5.45 million, and 15 East 70th Street (below), $11.25 million, both through Dolly Lenz Real Estate WEALTH
Safe as houses During uncertain times like these, one of the first instincts most people have is to quickly examine their asset portfolio and assess their preparedness to weather the storm. While cash, stocks, and bonds are usually what first come to mind and attract the most attention, taking a closer look at the holdings of typical ultra high net-worth individuals shows their preference for real estate – a time-tested wealth generator and pillar of a diversified portfolio. The benefits of owning real estate are many and considering it as a main component of a portfolio is becoming even more important. An obvious benefit is that property is a tangible asset; it can be touched, felt and enjoyed. Not only does it hold value, it can provide shelter. While you cannot seek refuge in a stock or bond, real estate gives you a place to lay your head. The stability and control it provides also sets it apart. With equities you are at the mercy of the markets – a single trade could send the value of your holdings spiralling. With real estate, dramatic fluctuations of value are rare and savvy investing from the outset can create staying power and control over losses. Recently we introduced billionaire Steven Schwarzman, the founder and CEO of the Blackstone Group, one of the largest real estate and private equity firms in the world, as the keynote speaker for the leading Real Estate conference in the US. He touched upon the benefits of real estate as an asset. “That’s the lucky thing about real estate,” he said. “It can’t talk to you; it is just what it is. When we buy companies, there are a lot of humans and they have needs. In real estate, everything is transparent. It’s the only business I know where there’s complete transparency on supply and demand.” Schwarzman isn’t alone in having a significant portion of his portfolio in real estate. It’s not uncommon to see the most successful people in business and industry owning upwards of 10 properties across the globe. Not only can they use them for their own enjoyment, they can generate tremendous wealth via appreciation, income and tax benefits. In fact, more than 10 per cent of the world’s 16
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Property is the true constant of investment categories. It was true in the Great Depression and it is true today. In the prestige sector, buyer interest via email and phone inquiry remains strong but fresh listings are virtually non existent. Compounding the situation is the fact that some owners are considering withdrawing their properties. The strong rebound in the second half of 2019 augured well for 2020 but COVID-19 has stalled the market. The return of a low listings environment will put a floor under prices. Buyers already acting on a belief in the safety of property as an asset class are in the minority at the moment but a large group who see this as the case are actively reviewing the market and preparing to enter. The most common issue overlooked by property analysts is that residential property is more than an investment category. The home is the core of a person’s lifestyle, a safe place in a rapidly changing world, a reward for effort. It offers so much more than the bottom line in an investment portfolio. It is enjoyed every day by every member of your family. This market creates fertile ground for off-market sales. THE AGENCY
Ben Collier billionaires created their extraordinary wealth through real estate. This is why family offices, which manage the personal assets of wealthy individuals, have more than 20 per cent of their portfolio invested in real estate, and most investment managers we spoke to have plans to significantly increase that allocation in the future. Moving forward, we see an even greater migration towards real estate as an asset. With volatility in equity markets at record highs and interest rates at record lows, real estate continues to shine as a reliable store of value to build a portfolio around. Think of it as the new safety deposit box – albeit with more windows and better views. Dolly Lenz heads New York-based Dolly Lenz Real Estate and last year sold more than $US500 million dollars worth of luxury US and international homes. dollylenz.com
In the weeks leading up to Easter inquiries tapered off but post Easter we have seen an increase across the board. There are very few fresh listings. Our ability to really tap into what a buyer wants from their new home has increased significantly given the enhanced one-to-one time the agent holds with the buyer. Agents should be far more attentive given this opportunity; rather than assisting multiple buyers at one time you are walking through the home with an individual, able to give them your undivided attention. For the most part, properties are being offered off-market in the prestige sector, but this is somewhat determined by price point. I believe the lack of supply combined with people adjusting to the “new normal” has assisted in creating a greater sense of confidence. We have seen a degree of stability return to the residential property market post Easter. What will assist in this is when we downgrade from the level 3 lockdown restrictions to level 2. I don’t believe a reversal from level 2 restrictions back to level 3 restrictions would create the same levels of alarm we saw pre-Easter. THE WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN
| MAY 9-10, 2020
OTP Prestige
Clockwise from below: 443 Queen Street, Brisbane; Collins Arch, Melbourne; and the Greenland Centre in Sydney
J OE L ROB I N S ON
Waiting in the wings Construction on some impressive luxury projects has been slowed but not stopped by the pandemic
It was set to be a busy back end of the year on the prestige apartment front. However, completion of a number of high-rise luxury projects has been pushed into next year. Off-the-plan apartment towers have weathered the COVID19 pandemic. Apartment site construction has continued throughout the lockdown, although with the need to be mindful of safe workplace practices, at a slightly slower rate. But given many purchasers will be crossing international borders when they reopen, getting back to normality will be a challenge. The timeline for Sydney’s soon-to-be tallest residential building has been further delayed. The Greenland Centre Sydney on Bathurst Street, developed by Greenland Australia, was expected to have a 2020 completion date but delays have shifted the estimated finish date towards the end of 2021. The $700 million tower will soar 235m into the sky, with 481 apartments over 67 levels. Off-the-plan on-sale listings have started to appear. There is a sub-penthouse that sits about 230m from the ground – equivalent to the dining level of the nearby Sydney Tower. It features specially designed balconies veiled in frameless glass to minimise wind and ensure outdoor space remains functional. The three-bedroom apartment, accessed by private lift, has 18
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180sq m of internal space that can be customised pre-completion with Woods Bagot. It has been listed through Ray White Double Bay agent Nic Krasnostein and Residence Double Bay agent Alex Vrisakis, by a vendor who bought it for $10.3 million off the plan back in 2015. The apartment sits just one level below the King Penthouse, currently for sale through CBRE’s Ben Stewart. The Bathurst Street block initially saw the 300 apartments in stage one sell out nearly seven years ago, with prices ranging from $595,000 for a studio to $4.38 million for a three bed, with a then anticipated completion date of 2017. There have also been delays at Brisbane’s newest CBD waterfront tower, the 47-storey 443 Queen Street, also set for a 2021 completion. The $375 million project, developed by Cbus Property and designed by WOHA in collaboration with Brisbane’s Architectus, will comprise 264 apartments, including two penthouses – one that sold two years ago for more than $6 million, in one of Brisbane’s most expensive penthouse sales. The other 400sq m penthouse, currently for sale, was created by local interior designer Anna Spiro. The tower, which is 75 per cent sold, features subtropical sky gardens on every level, and will have the CBD’s first infinity-edge riverside pool, with relaxation zones, a gym, a yoga deck and its own garden walking trail.
Cbus looks set to complete Melbourne’s $1.25 billion project, Collins Arch, by August, although that was already pushed back from late 2019. Woods Bagot and New York-based SHoP Architects worked together on the Collins Street tower, which features a wholelevel skybridge on the 34th floor connecting the two 44-level towers. The two penthouses, known as the Penthouse Residences, are all that remains for sale. Penthouse One will occupy 370sq m on the eastern side. Across levels 38 and 39, it will feature a wraparound 115sq m terrace to the south and the east. Penthouse Two, on level 39, has a 130sq m private terrace. “In design, appointment and sensory experience, these are residences of international calibre,” Colliers marketing agent Sam Nathan says. The first 15 levels will be home to the five-star W Hotel, the first of the Marriott chain to hit Melbourne. It will have 294 hotel rooms, with 184 apartments above and 49,500sq m of office space. Within Collins Arch is the 1900sq m Market Street public park, Melbourne’s first CBD park in 40 years. The nearby Crown Resorts tower was shelved last year, but Sydney’s Barangaroo Crown continues construction. “Absent any further delays arising from the impact of COVID-19, it remains on track for completion by the end of the year,” Crown advises. THE WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN
| MAY 9-10, 2020
Private, peaceful and exceptionally convenient in one of the area’s most desirable addresses, this spectacular residence offers an idyllic lifestyle right in the heart of leafy Woollahra. Set back from the road behind an enchanting garden courtyard, an immediate sense of elegance and luxury is felt upon entry. With interiors defined by a grand entrance hall, soaring ceilings and generous proportions, the home has been perfectly configured for family living and effortless entertaining. A series of beautiful lounge and dining spaces adjoin the spectacular chef’s kitchen and casual dining terrace, while the expansive formal room opens to the sandstone courtyard and swimming pool. Upstairs accommodation comprises three bedrooms and includes the generous master with private terrace overlooking the pool. The flexible floorplan also presents opportunity downstairs with a self-contained space perfectly suited to either a fourth bedroom, guest accommodation, au-pair quarters or home office. Set on a 660sqm parcel the property features double garaging, reverse cycle air con, gas fire, cellar and under-house storage. Supremely located for lifestyle and convenience, the home enjoys close proximity to Queen Street, Edgecliff Centre, Westfield Bondi Junction and Double Bay village. DISCLAIMER: The information contained herein has been provided by our Principal and third parties, which we merely pass on without any representation or warranty given, intended or implied by us as to its correctness and with no liability accepted by us in this regard. you must rely on your own enquiries to validate its accuracy.
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Rodd Point LISA ALLEN
From Russia with love
JOHN FEDER
A mansion with water views in Sydney’s inner west takes European opulence beyond the usual locations
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THE WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN
| MAY 9-10, 2020
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Opposite: Ortenzia Borre at home in her Rodd Point mansion with chihuahua Bambi. Below: The handpainted Russian samovar and the chess set are among pieces from Borre’s travels
esigning a $3 million-waterfront mansion might have been daunting, but news presenter and author Ortenzia Borre has successfully married a rooftop terrace with a bar modelled on a Roman palazzo in the one imposing house. Borre, along with her entrepreneur husband Stephen Moss, the son of former Macquarie Banker Bill Moss, have just moved into their Rodd Point mansion in Sydney’s inner west after a lengthy two-year construction. On a small site with uninterrupted water views, the house features a secret bar modelled on a designer cocktail lounge, with the couple taking inspiration from several luxury hotels around the world. The home sports six bathrooms, and an Italian kitchen with Ilve appliances and three identical Italian chandeliers. The stunning rooftop terrace, reached via an Italian-built private lift, boasts expansive water views of Sydney’s spectacular Bay Run. Veteran real estate agent John McGrath is a big fan of the area. “Sydney has many in-demand precincts that attract the wealthiest real estate buyers,” says McGrath, founder of McGrath Estate Agents. “The eastern suburbs and north shore have long been home to much of Sydney’s most luxurious real estate ... but the inner west is emerging as a strong option for many buyers.” McGrath lives at nearby Breakfast Point. “Initially many people were priced out of the traditional luxury suburbs, but as they’ve discovered the attractions of the inner west, many have now started to choose this region over and above other established areas,” he says. “I think the key attractions are proximity to the city, access to the waterways, and the vibrant European culture that exists in most of the inner west. Just as in Paddington in the 1970s and 1980s, a large European population of Italians, Greeks and Lebanese provided a rich and diverse cultural base that enhances the lifestyle and community feeling. “And the value is still material compared to the traditional wealth belts. A good family home in the garden suburb of Haberfield or Five Dock that may sell for $2.5 million would be 50 per cent more in the east or lower north shore. And with new roadworks making access from the inner west to the rest of Sydney even faster, I believe values are set to rise again over the next few years.” Borre, who has Italian and Russian heritage, now works as a news presenter and also sits on the SunSCHine Committee for The Sydney Children’s Hospital, among other not-for-profit charities. She has decorated the four-level mansion with treasures from her much-travelled life. In a nod to her Russian-born mother, there is a handpainted Russian samovar, as well as a 9 carat gold religious icon from an Orthodox Church in Greece. Several jewel-coloured icons are set off by the warm neutral tones of the house’s creamy Italian marble floors and walls. “We specifically designed this house for us; we wanted it to be like a luxury hotel,’’ says Borre, who is also completing a PhD. “Steve and I travel so much, I get inspiration from it. I get inspiration from the luxury hotels of this world, because they are timeless, classic hotels. “We built it to live in for now. It’s a passion project, that is the best way to describe it. We also spend a lot of time at one of our homes up on the NSW coast.” The house, which has four bedrooms with two master suites, was built on a site bought for $2.656 million in 2017. Borre is particularly fond of the Italian marble that lines the floors
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| THE WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN
and walls of the imposing mansion, which also has floor-length, doubleglazed windows and doors to capture the water views from each room. Apart from the marble flooring, there’s plush carpeting in the bedrooms and parquetry flooring. Borre’s ensuite includes pietra grey marble floor tiles, while the stone bath was also imported from Italy. In the classy bar, Stephen has not stinted. He has installed a 400-inch Imax-grade projector and 150-inch screen, a customised sound system and movie seats, costing about $250,000. The adjoining bar, which is stocked with Dom Perignon and Bollinger as well as hundreds of bottles of wine, can take 30 to 40 guests. It is fully soundproofed and sits within a 350mm concrete box. Stephen likes the room so much he is installing more wine racks to accommodate his growing collection of vintages. The couple have just relocated from Sydney’s Walsh Bay. “For now, it’s great,” Borre says. “We love the area – it is only five minutes to the city – and we love the balconies off the bedrooms.” A third occupant of the Rodd Point mansion is Borre’s 12-year-old white chihuahua, Bambi, who has featured on several magazine covers with her mistress. And there will soon be another addition to the family – Borre has just adopted a two-year-old black rescue chihuahua named Cookie. MANSIONAUSTRALIA.COM.AU
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Snowfields
Main: The Riverside development at Thredbo. Below left: Riverside’s loft-style Cabin 43. Below right: Ironmongie complex at Thredbo
J ONAT H A N C H A NC E L L OR
Playing it cool
As the season nears, buyers are keen while vendors hold fire
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The best selling months for real estate in Thredbo are February and March. “This then gives us 10 to 12 weeks to settle the property before winter arrives,” Forbes Stynes agent Michelle Stynes says of the market in the snowfields 500km from Sydney. Stynes says 2016 was the last good year for sales in terms of transactions, with more than 50 properties changing hands during the calendar year. “The past few years have had a reduced number of sales as stock levels are tightly held,” the snow agent says. However, the increase in prices has been considerable. “There were more sales above the $1 million mark in 2019 than in any other year I have been here,” says Stynes , a veteran of two decades in the field. The most recent $1 million-plus sale before the snowflakes fell in late April, when the largest singlelevel apartment in The Ponds complex sold earlier this year for just over $1.3 million through Raine & Horne Snowy Mountains agent Toni Wheelhouse. The two-bedroom unit on Thyne Reid Drive features a master bedroom with ensuite and an open-plan
kitchen and living space that opens to a balcony with views across the village. Stynes, who recently secured a sale in the Ironmongie Complex, says there are buyers in the market waiting for the right property, but she says owners are reluctant to sell. “They will think buyers are out for blood, having to sell because of the economy, but this hasn’t happened in our market,” she says. “For most property owners in Thredbo this is their second or third property, so they’re not necessarily in any form of financial worry or stress at this stage.” Stynes says finance is proving a difficult hurdle at the moment. “If a purchaser is really looking to buy in Thredbo they really need to be financed and have a lot of cash reserves. This could ultimately put a dampener on our property market long term.” Thredbo isn’t an overseas playground. There’s a handful of expats who own, but buyers predominantly come from Sydney or Canberra. Most owners use their property at least a couple of times a year; however there are others who will move in to the mountains to take advantage of the whole of winter and put their kids in local schools for a few months. Stynes has the listing of Cabin 43 in the Riverside development on the sought-after Diggings Terrace, near the Village Square and Kosciuszko Express chairlift. The charming loft-style apartment with recently renovated kitchen and bathroom has a balcony that overlooks Crackenback Ridge. Stynes is asking for offers above $400,000 for the stylish apartment, which could fetch about $35,000 per annum in rental returns. It has been listed by Austrian BJ Kaufmehl, a longtime Thredbo ski instructor who has been around for 50 years. He was the proprietor of Ski Barn in Sydney’s Drummoyne and captain of the Thredbo Ski Race Club for more than 25 years. Realestate.com.au has just seven Thredbo listings. The start of the 2020 season is fluid, with both Perisher Blue and Thredbo Resort still hopefully pursuing a late July opening of the resorts, following a hard summer with the fires. When Melburnians can head to the snow this winter they will be able to stay at the Grollo family’s new Kooroora project, which will be ready at the end of June. Set in the heart of the village square, the collection of 21 residences in the four-storey $35 million project sold through John Castran. The site is rich in history having been established in 1953 by brothers Ernest and Aurel Forras in 1953. Their mother and sister came out from Hungary to assist, cooking and serving in the chalet’s dining room. It burnt down in 1961 and was rebuilt and reopened for the 1962 winter. Kooroora provided the first post-war high-end commercial accommodation on the mountain. In 2018, a $6 million off-theplan sale in Kooroora stole the Australian snow record from Thredbo. The longstanding Thredbo record was set in 2005 when entrepreneur Andrew Roberts paid $3.5 million for the fivebedroom chalet Tussock, buying it from the Melbourne architect Andrew Norbury and his wife Jane Parker, co-founder of Country Road. The home on Crackenback Ridge, on one of Thredbo’s highest blocks, resold through Stynes last year for $4.499 million. According to realestate.com.au, there are about 26 properties for sale at Mt Buller, including a Whitehorse Village Road chalet that has been on the market since the end of last season through John Castran, who is now asking $2.8 million. The freestanding, three-bedroom chalet was designed by alpine architectural firm Interlandi Mantesso, with “three carefully considered levels”. Mt Buller is 247km from Melbourne – half the 510km drive Sydneysiders have to take to get to Thredbo. Christa Zirknitzer at Zirky Real Estate, who sells real estate at Mt Hotham, Dinner Plain and Falls Creek, says they’ve had an excellent couple of snow seasons, with good sales turnover and strong snow falls. Zirknitzer sees about 80 per cent of buyers from Melbourne, with the rest from Adelaide, Sydney and regional areas. She says that more Sydney clients are visiting the Victorian alps due to the international ticketing system now that Vail Resorts (which owns Perisher in NSW) owns Mt Hotham and Falls Creek. “The 2020 winter ski season is unknown,” she says. THE WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN
| MAY 9-10, 2020
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Master negotiator A LEGEND IN PRESTIGE PROPERTY CIRCLES, ONE AGENT HAS CARVED OUT AN EXTRAORDINARY CAREER
Bill Malouf, is a specialist when it comes to Sydney’s eastern suburbs. Consistently setting new sales records, he is the market leader in selling waterfront properties and prestige holdings, and believes in telling clients how it really is. He has been LJ Hooker’s top sales person globally 19 times since the mid 1980s and in 2006 entered the company’s Hall of Fame. Knowing that success comes from listening rather than talking, Malouf has a clear understanding of the economy-driven fluctuations affecting the market. “Not only do you learn more about what the client wants and what buyers are looking for, but also what the market place is saying,” he says. That’s never been more relevant than during this unprecedented time. “There is no doubt there will probably be an adjustment in the market place due to COVID-19,” he says. “But the reported expectations of 20 per cent I don’t believe will occur in the eastern suburbs.” “The reason is the availability of genuine stock in the market has dropped by about 47 per cent compared to what was around to three years ago.” It’s his passion for water that has largely driven his greatest successes in real estate — properties on Sydney Harbour’s waterfront. “Any free time I may get throughout the year, I love to spend on or close to the water,” he says. The family man is proud of his unbeatable track record in selling prestige property. Selling more than $45 million of real estate from 1991 to 1992 — at a time when the property market was in one of its biggest downturns — Malouf’s career highlights include selling the Bang & Olufsen house for the highest price achieved for a waterfront home at the time ($24 million); securing the national price record ($29 million) for a single home, a Point Piper harbourfront mansion; the off-market sale of a Point Piper waterfront property for $40 million; and the recent sale of Potts Point clifftop mansion, Bomera, for $34 million. ■
BILL MALOUF
PRESTIGE PROPERTY EXPERT
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FOUR OF THE TOP SEVEN SYDNEY SALES IN 2019
Wellness apartments J ONAT H A N C H A NC E L L OR
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THE WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN
| MAY 9-10, 2020
I
Natural selection
Health and wellbeing are paramount as developers bring nature back to the city
It was developers of commercial spaces who first identified the positive effects of timber on employees’ wellbeing, and now residential developers are harnessing that power for many of their new projects. A Planet Ark study three years ago found that workers are less stressed and more productive, students learn better, patients heal faster, and people are generally happier and calmer in indoor areas that contain wooden elements. Crown Group’s new development, Mastery by Crown Group, in Sydney’s Waterloo, highlights the trend with its extensive use of timber across its five-tower precinct. Crown’s chairman and chief executive, Ivan Sunito, says that on meeting architect Kengo Kuma, he thought seriously about the notion that people respond viscerally to natural materials such as rocks, timber and the land. “The more you think about it, the more you realise that a thing like a piece of timber is not lifeless; it is full of life, and therefore it touches people in a different way,” Sunito says. Kuma has been appointed to design the centrepiece apartment block, an eye-catching 20-storey tower that features a striking plant-filled green exterior designed to emulate a stacked forest. He has collaborated with local award-winning architect Koichi Takada on the project. Takada says he and Kuma share the same value of bringing nature back into the city. “Being in nature makes us feel good,” Takada says, adding that buyers are attracted to timber, which is soft and warm, over concrete, which is solid and cold. “Concrete is often described as masculine, and timber has a more feminine materiality. “Psychologically, when you look at timber it gives you a feeling of being connected to the earth, and studies have shown it offers
MAY 9-10, 2020
| THE WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN
Main and far left: Mastery by Crown Group apartment complex in Sydney’s Waterloo by Kengo Kuma and Koichi Takada. Below centre: Brisbane’s Sky Precinct apartments.
health benefits. There is a certain luxury in bringing that sense of wellbeing into your home.” Each penthouse buyer has the option of including a Hinoki wood bathtub, made from the densest wood in the world, known for its health-giving benefits as well as being good for the skin. “This timber is unusual as it hardens in water and releases natural oils with medical properties and soothing fragrances, creating a sensation of wellbeing,” Takada says, adding that Hinoki wood oil is also used to treat skin irritations and as a decongestant. The two penthouses are priced at $3.788 million and $4.929 million respectively. Crown has sold 75 apartments so far. The first phase of the project is slated for completion in mid-2022 and the high-rise building towards early 2023. Mirvac too is focusing on wellness in the next stage of its $1 billion Waterfront Newstead community on the Brisbane River. The proposed Sky Precinct incorporates a biophilic design, with greenery on balconies, rooftop common areas and extensive lush, tropical landscaped grounds. Mirvac Queensland residential general manager Warwick Bible says it will enhance connectivity between the occupants and the natural environment, including the surrounding parklands. Some 60 per cent of the 5400sq m site, fronting Waterfront Park, is dedicated to open space. There’s a ground-level wellness centre with gym and yoga studio, positioned by Mirvac Design and landscape architects RPS to overlook water features and the tropical landscaping in an attempt to bring the outside in. Savills International’s annual Tech Cities index aims to pinpoint the diverse factors that make places good locations for the technology sector. It measures 22 global centres against more than 100 individual metrics, including how each city performs on buzz and wellness. Cities attract young tech talent who increasingly want to live in dynamic, healthy neighbourhoods within walking or cycling distance of the office, Savills notes. “The Tech Cities ‘buzz and wellness index’ specifically looks to capture these qualities and identify the liveable cities that deliver what this demographic desires by measuring ‘buzz’ (night-life, entertainment and cultural offerings); ‘wellness’ (i.e. pollution levels, quality of parks, healthcare, commuting times) and the cost of living (excluding property costs) in each location,” Savills advises. In 2017, Melbourne appeared for the first time as the top tech city in Australia. Looking specifically at buzz and wellness in its most recent report, Melbourne ranks 17th on city buzz, 25th on cost of living and fourth for wellness. “Cities with high buzz scores tend to have great bars, clubs, restaurants, shops, music venues and museums, and radiate excitement and creativity,” the report says. But buzzy cities can have downsides, it notes. “Being popular on a world stage tends to lead to high property and living costs, and can lead to overcrowding and congestion. This could lead to younger generations increasingly looking for something different, as more young workers aim to strike a better balance between living in fun, energetic cities and maintaining their physical and mental health. Buzz alone may not be enough to attract these potential workers, many of whom are either already employed or are looking to start careers in tech and its related industries. “That’s why it’s also important to look at wellness in a city – low crime and pollution rates, quality parks and public spaces, and low congestion,” the report concluded. Walker Corporation, one of Australia’s largest office developers, has partnered with two wellness operators, Wellineux and Universal Fitness, at its Collins Square and Parramatta Square precincts. “Walker is committed to delivering a range of health and wellbeing solutions to the workforce of corporate organisations,” David Gallant, chief operating officer at Walker Corporation, said on securing the tenancies. We have listened to our tenants, who are keen to see an improvement in the health and wellness standards of their staff, improving their quality of life and productivity. “The future of the commercial environment goes beyond sustainable development to deliver an all-encompassing holistic approach to workplace health and wellness for tenants.” MANSIONAUSTRALIA.COM.AU
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Prestige Market Update NERIDA CONISBEE
A Victorian home on a large block in Newtown, Geelong
Regional rewards Look beyond the usual haunts and you can find luxury as well as a laid-back lifestyle When Australians think of luxury homes in regional areas, places such as Portsea, Noosa and Byron Bay tend to spring to mind. These regional luxury hot spots, which were once only holiday destinations, have become increasingly popular as primary places of residence in recent years thanks to the slower lifestyle they offer. If you’re looking for a tree or sea-change but your budget doesn’t extend to the ultraluxury market, it might pay to look beyond the usual haunts. Analysing some of the most expensive properties sold in regional areas outside the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Southern Highlands, Northern Rivers and Mornington Peninsula, it’s clear big properties on big blocks is a common theme, but the locations might come as a surprise. High-priced luxury properties for sale are few and far between, but occasionally a gem can be found. Over the past 12 months there has been only a handful of properties sold with a price point of around $2 million and above. Not surprisingly, buying at this price point in somewhere such as Bendigo gets you a vastly nicer property than the same amount of money would in Portsea. A five-bedroom Hamptons-style home — 74 The Anchorage — in Port Macquarie sold in September 2019 for just under $3 million, while 12/6 Mariners Drive East in Tweed Heads, an older but architecturally designed property, sold for $3.65 million in October. Both homes featured five bedrooms, expansive entertaining areas with water views and direct river access. Tweed Heads is more affordable than the Gold Coast and Port Macquarie has a median price of only $570,000, so these properties are outliers compared to what is typically available. 28
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Moving inland, luxury properties offer the tranquillity of rural living and the comforts of a modern home, but many also come with working farms, a mature vineyard or state-of-the-art equine facilities. The expertly renovated Edwardian farmhouse in Tyldon, along with 275 Bingley Way in Wamboin near Canberra and 169 Bryces Lane in Newham, Macedon Ranges, are prime examples of country luxury. A major difference between inland and coastal luxury is the opportunity to receive an income with your land, whether it’s from farming or using the property as a venue or holiday destination. Another theme is grand old homes in larger historic towns; private, extensively renovated, and in the middle of the hustle and bustle. In Geelong’s Newtown, 131 Aphrasia Street is a Victorian home on an enormous block in one of regional Australia’s most popular locations, while 3 Langston Street in Bendigo was built in 1900 but has been renovated to maintain its original look. Beleura — 120 Wendouree Way, Lake Wendouree — is a five-bedroom home with a 1200-bottle wine cellar and a self-contained apartment in the historic goldmining town of Ballarat. Unique grandeur can be found across Australia and luxury living doesn’t just mean beachside hot spots, although it is clear that Australians love the water. As remote working becomes more commonplace, expect to see more people choosing rural living, perhaps even relocating to a property big enough to offer a second income. Nerida Conisbee is the chief economist with realestate.com.au
Homes sold well above suburb medians, Regional Australia Address
Sold date
Price
3 Langston Street, Bendigo, VIC
May 19
$ 1,950,000
183 Central Road, Tylden, VIC
Aug 19
$ 2,175,000
74 The Anchorage, Port Macquarie, NSW
Sep 19
$ 2,950,000
131 Aphrasia Street, Newtown, VIC
Oct 19
$ 2,100,000
12/6 Mariners Drive, East Tweed Heads, QLD
Oct 19
$ 3,650,000
120 Wendouree Parade, Lake Wendouree, VIC
Nov 19
$ 2,925,000
275 Bingley Way, Wamboin, NSW
Nov 19
$ 2,260,000
7 Clarence Street, East Launceston, TAS
Jan 20
$ 2,100,000
Willara, 169 Bryces Lane, Newham, VIC
Feb 20
$ 2,250,000
114D Hillview Crescent, Whitfield, QLD
Mar 20
$ 2,000,000
Source: realestate.com.au
THE WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN
| MAY 9-10, 2020
Richardson&Wrench AUCTION
40 & 41 ‘Fairshore’ 41 Hastings Street Noosa Heads 4 bed | 2 bath | 2 car View Online
- Purchased together or individually. - Tastefully renovated, side by side. - Unrivalled position on Noosa Beachfront - Right in the middle of Hastings street - Pool, gym and games room facilities - An outstanding investment opportunity
www.rwnoosa.com.au/fs
Proudly Richardson&Wrench Noosa | 07 5447 4499
‘Trusted Respected & Operating for Over 30 Years’
Auction Friday 15 May
Shane McCauley 0403 646 930 Frank Milat 0438 528 148
www.rwnoosa.com.au 23 Hastings Street, Noosa
M ANS IO N GLOB AL
MALDIVES
Floating paradise
CLIFFTOP ART DECO RETREAT
An Art Deco home in Cornwall, England, with direct beach access and panoramic sea views has hit the market for £3 million ($5.9 million). The 300sq m clifftop home, known as Gradna, offers total privacy, according to selling agent Ben Davies from Shore Partnership. It occupies a prime coastal spot in Looe, a picturesque fishing village and holiday destination. On 6880sq m, it has a curved elevation, corner windows and a decked terrace, with the beach and cove below accessed via a metal staircase. Extensive glazing gives occupants the feeling of being on the deck of a ship, Davies says. The home was built in the 1930s for the Wills Tobacco family as a seaside retreat. In the 1940s it was owned by Henry Frederick Thynne, the 6th Marquess of Bath. The current owner, British designer Clive Christian, bought it in 2016 and is selling to buy a property in Manhattan. CLAIRE CARPONEN
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Perched above the clear turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean, this overwater villa in the Soneva Jani island resort on Medhufaru Island, Noonu Atoll, in the Maldives offers full-sky sunsets and unobstructed water views, as well as a private pool and its own water slide into the sea. “It’s a novel way to start your day,” says Roz Colthart, area director, Soneva Villa Ownership. Soneva Jani has 25 overwater villas and three island villas. Villa 3, on the sunset side of the resort, is the only three-bedroom villa. Positioned at the end of the lagoon, it has uninterrupted views from every room. The third bedroom, on the second floor, features a retractable roof. This level also has a TV lounge and a gym. There is a large outdoor deck with a 12m lap pool, two outdoor sunken seating areas, sun loungers and a catamaran net. The villa, built in 2016 from sustainably sourced materials including plantation-grown wood, recycled wood and glass, and driftwood, is now on the market for $US6.5 million ($10 million) Guest facilities are located at The Gathering, an overwater, three-storey building with restaurants, bars and shops, as well as a yoga pavilion, a spa and a gym. The island has an overwater theatre, waste management and recycling, organic gardens, tennis courts, and a water sports chamber. Soneva Jani is 35 minutes by seaplane from Malé International Airport and one hour by speedboat from Soneva Fushi.
Among its top-shelf amenities, music star Jon Bon Jovi’s 6ha New Jersey estate boasts its own pub, a music studio, a movie theatre, and a heated pool with cedar cabanas. High Point Estate, on Navesink River Road in the exclusive Monmouth County, is now on the market for $US20 million ($30.94 million) through Gloria Nilson and Kathleen Coumou of Christie’s International Real Estate. About an hour from New York City, the area is “a very private enclave”, says Coumou, adding that the home is “more of a French chateau, which is very unusual in the northeast. You have the French-inspired architecture, and the house is full of French furniture. It’s clearly a passion of his.” The 1672sq m house, built in 1999, has six bedrooms, and there is also a three-bedroom carriage house and a barn.
BILL CARY
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BON JOVI’S MUSIC MANSION
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| MAY 9-10, 2020
South Yarra J ONAT H A N C H A NC E L L OR
Witness to history Poolman House, on the corner of Domain and Punt Roads in South Yarra, retains the name of its Roaring 20s owners. Perhaps it was the installation of a ballroom in 1928 by the Poolman family, who entertained grandly, that ensured their name would live on, or maybe it was their charitable gifting of the house in 1951. Of course the nameplate on the ivy-draped front gate assists in its recognition. Manufacturer Ernest Poolman and his wife Jeannie paid £14,000 for the home in 1921, having previously lived elsewhere on Domain Road. Her name lives on in the Royal Children’s Hospital of Melbourne’s annual $5500 Jeannie H. Poolman Scholarship, awarded so that recipients can undertake postgraduate paediatric education abroad. The Poolmans bought the house from Norman and Mary Falkiner, of the pastoralist family, who then moved just along Domain Road. The Falkiners had bought it for £16,200 three years earlier from Collins Street surgeon Dr John Dunbar Hooper, who took the house’s name at the time, Bathwick, to his next home in Albany Road, Toorak. His father, Sir William Roe Hooper, had been honorary surgeon to King Edward VII. Jeannie Poolman, who eventually downsized to the 1920s apartment complex Amesbury House just a few doors away, donated the use of house to the Red Cross in 1941 during World War 11, and then in 1951 it was given to the Church of England and MAY 9-10, 2020
| THE WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN
became a nursing home for three decades. On her death in 1960, Jeannie Poolman’s estate was worth £464,000. In 1987, the church sold the property for $875,000 to the international interior designer John Coote and his wife Andrea. Their renovation saw the home sold in August 1989 for $3.5 million to the car dealer Noel Gould and his wife, Marlene. In 1992, the couple filed statements revealing debts of $17 million when they proposed their affairs be dealt with under Part X of the Bankruptcy Act. The Goulds, who were social page regulars with a passion for racehorses, disclosed assets made up of just $95 in a Westpac account and $35,000 in furniture. After an unsuccessful auction in 1992, the house was sold for $1.675 million to Martyn Riley and his wife Mary. The grand Victorian home last changed hands 20 years ago when the aged care property tycoon and former Richmond Football Club director John Matthies secured it for $2.7 million. The mansion and its garden sit on 2750sq m, likely to be the largest block in the Domain precinct. There is a bigger holding in South Yarra, the pioneering Avoca House owned by the Myer family, in the Alexandra Avenue precinct. It last sold in 1996 for $1.96 million. Poolman House has had a rich history, says RT Edgar listing agent Antoinette Nido. “The late John Coote impeccably
renovated the home’s classical features to align with modern-day living,” she says. “The current owners of 20 years have updated and refurbished the mansion, maintaining the John Coote classical style.” She says the imposing veranda is reminiscent of the Melbourne Club, and the ballroom has ceiling frescoes painted by Nobby Seymour. The six-bedroom, five-bathroom house with Paul Bangay gardens and tennis court has a price guide of $20 million to $22 million. “With its inspiring archive of grand events, flawless preservation and rare landholding, and location in the tightly held Domain precinct in South Yarra, Poolman House is a once-in-alifetime property ready for a new era,” Nido says. The first residence on the site was built in the early 1860s by woolworker Richard Goldsborough, who didn’t stay long before moving to Abbotsford, where his warehouse business was located. It was next occupied by John Buckley from the rural firm Dalgety & Co. Other families who’ve occupied the home include the Brodribb, McKinley and Borron clans, along with George Grantham. The home was known in colonial times as Glenronald. Sadly, the online Victorian Heritage Council database has no details. Nido’s most recent South Yarra sale was last December, when the billionaire property developer and former Toll Holdings boss Paul Little bought Simonds Hall for around $18 million from Christ Church Grammar School. MANSIONAUSTRALIA.COM.AU
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Together apart Multigenerational living in style
In the mood
Restful tones for a life in retreat
Work-life balance
BRETT BOARDMAN
The Eames chair that does double duty
Staying connected
A clever design for multigenerational living proved prescient, creating a home that is both flexible and sustainable S to r y by SA M D UNCA N P h o to g r a phy by A N S ON S M A RT 38
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As most of the world’s population finds itself in varying degrees of lockdown, separated from family and loved ones for an indefinite period, many of us are vowing to spend more quality time with our ageing parents or children we don’t see often enough — as soon as governments say we can. Long before the current pandemic took hold, architect Emili Fox set out to design the perfect home for her young family with multigenerational living in mind, so she could care for her parents when they are older and know they are close by. She lived with her husband and two young children for four long years in a near-derelict twobedroom house on a 260sq m block where the new home she was designing would be built. “It was a long period to be living in such an unhealthy environment,” says Fox, co-director of Sydney-based architectural practice Fox Johnston. “The strangest thing was the misunderstanding of the external environment and how you could be sitting in the dark indoors, rugged up, and suddenly go outside to see it’s a sunny day. The kids shared a room and didn’t have a window.” It’s no wonder, then, that one of Fox’s priorities for the new design — Ballast Point House — was to get as much northern light as possible into the south-facing site. She wanted the home to be a testing ground for many things: multigenerational living on different levels; the use of sustainable methods, and Accoya and plywood timbers; maintenance-free design; and with the interiors, having “a bit more fun with colour … finding a colour scheme that was bold and calming at the same time.” The steep, sloping site has access from two streets, which Fox used to her advantage by designing a THE WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN
| MAY 9-10, 2020
Ingenious use of a small, sloping site resulted in a multiple-level home with access from two streets Opposite: The colour palette is both bold and calming
The kitchen; joinery throughout the house is a pale plywood. Below: Made by Morgen dining table
self-contained, dual-key accommodation suite and garage on the lower two levels that formed a podium for the two-level house above. With separate access from the secondary street below, the quarters on the lower levels can either be open to the main house upstairs or locked for completely independent living. Fox lives with her husband and kids on the ground and upper floor, with the apartment below reserved for her parents or family guests. “Pre-Covid, my parents were staying in the self-contained apartment,” she says. “But the independent unit is being used by family friends currently. My parents plan on living there in the future and that’s why we have allowed the provision for a lift.” The design gives as much connection or separation as we all need, says Fox, though her husband joked at first that she’d designed a hotel. She says he now realises how well the arrangement works. Fox is a firm believer in sustainability and says it should be “the basis and core of all designs now”. Solar panels with battery storage equip the house to be 92 per cent off the grid. Rainwater is harvested in tanks, with grey water recycled for irrigation. Ceiling fans and operable glazing help moderate indoor air temperature. Sliding cedar screens and wide roof overhangs on the top level protect glazed facades. It has hydronic in-slab floor heating and energy-efficient, low-emissivity window glazing. “The house is designed to work in the hot summer months by closing it down during the day, and opening it up again once the temperature outside starts to fall,” she says. Fox says she finds it strange that people tend to open up their houses when it’s really hot, creating the need for airconditioning. The material palette is robust, refined and maintenance free: the downstairs areas feature recycled bricks, both raw and painted, and exposed concrete floors and ceilings. Joinery throughout is a pale plywood, and the window and door frames are a blonde Accoya wood that’s sustainably sourced. The use of raw, harsh concrete is balanced out by the softer and warmer timbers. The use of stone and rumbled brass in the bathrooms further reflect the human interaction with nature and time. Upstairs, there is a softer palette, with wainscot walls and a faceted ceiling painted in a duck egg blue, with carpets of deep indigo. Creating garden connections was also central to the interior planning. The main living level flows easily from the front walled courtyard to the living room, past a central garden light well and out to a balcony facing the harbour and the city. “I find that gardens bring a sense of calm,” Fox says. “They are really good for my wellbeing, beautiful to look at, and have so many health benefits. They also blur the boundaries of indoors and outdoors and make the space feel bigger. The little courtyard, although small in size, can be seen from everywhere in the house and makes us happy.” With her family well and truly settled in, she says her favourite place in the house is the built-in deep daybed off the kitchen, from where she likes to look out onto the water with a book in hand. 40
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THE WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN
| MAY 9-10, 2020
Etc. S A M YA T E S
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Muted tones
Settle into the cooler months with these relaxed and comfortable companions
3. 4.
The N01 Chair by Nendo for Fritz Hansen combines a moulded plywood seat and back with a solid timber base. In three finishes: oak, beech or black stain. mobilia.com.au
techniques with Tramae, a new ottoman for B&B Italia. Available in three different dimensions, it rounds out its hexagonal shape until the edges are no longer visible. The fabric is a water-resistant polyester. spacefurniture.com.au
2. K I T C H E N
4. C U S H I O N
3. O U T D O O R
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Shape, the new kitchen from the Poliform collection, features a tapered cut and built-in integrated handle. Poliform.com.au
5. MAY 9-10, 2020
1. C H A I R
SEATING unPIZZO, a design studio and textile handicrafts laboratory specialising in interlacing for furnishings, continues to delve into the revival of ancient craft | THE WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN
In a modern update on the classic velvet cushion, Ervine’s pleated surface creates a striking visual effect. Pictured in carbon. sheridan.com.au Olsen + Ormandy luxury hand-knotted Tibetan wool and silk rugs include this one, Seed Pod by Louise Olsen designerrugs.com.au MANSIONAUSTRALIA.COM.AU
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The Aluminium Group Chair
Design classics
C H AR LES & R A Y E A M ES
DAVID MEAGHER
The versatile Aluminium Group Chair comes in a range of styles
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orking from home is really only feasible if your home furniture can adapt to functioning as office furniture as well. Not many chairs can make the transition from office chair to dining chair without losing something in the process. The Aluminium Group Chair, designed by Charles and Ray Eames and manufactured by Herman Miller is an exception to the rule: it’s a chair that has been popular in offices for more than 50 years, but also works well as a dining chair. It’s the perfect all in one. But the item that has become an icon of modern furniture design was originally conceived as an outdoor chair. In 1958 architect Eero Saarinen asked Charles and Ray Eames to design outdoor seating for a house he and Alexander Girard were creating in Columbus, Indiana, for 42
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the industrialist J. Irwin Miller. The Eameses’ innovative design used aluminium for the frame because of its suitability for the outdoors, and upholstered the chairs in a mesh fabric stretched between the edges of the frame – which had the added benefit of making them extremely comfortable. The chair’s seat-back suspension was a major technical achievement and represented a radical departure from the concept of a chair as a solid, padded upholstered object. This one was originally conceived as a low lounge-style chair and was soon put to use in indoor settings. The Aluminium Group chairs come in a range of styles, from high-back to lounge chairs (with or without arms), with casters or fixed legs, and upholstered in mesh, fabric or leather upholstery. Available in a range of colours, fabrics and styles from Living Edge. livingedge.com.au THE WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN
| MAY 9-10, 2020
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