Friday 25th March

Russell Crowe swoops on $10m home

After a gruelling four-year property search, Russell Crowe and his wife, Danielle Spencer, have finally purchased a home in the prestigious suburb of Rose Bay in Sydney.

The couple have been living in Crowe's Harbour-side Woolloomooloo apartment, but have been keen to secure a house with a backyard for their sons Charlie and Tennyson, now aged seven and four.

Named Te Puke, pronounced ‘teh-pook-eh’ and meaning ‘the hill’ in Maori, their new home dates back to 1909. The home was updated in 1927, and is a classic example of the Arts and Crafts style and displays the era’s simple forms where function typically comes before form.

The home, set on 1200 square metres of landscaped grounds, overlooks the fairways of the Royal Sydney Golf Club and includes six bedrooms.

The property, which Crowe bought before auction, was last sold in 2001 for $5.5 million.

Moving to new Heights

A stunning, state-of-the-art sanctuary has hit the market in Elanora Heights, North of Sydney.

The home’s cutting edge architectural design evokes space age forms and clean, uncluttered spaces.

Surrounded by Garigal National Park on a secure 5 acre estate, the residence was created to be as much a piece of art as it is a place to live.

The home offers over 500 square metres of living space and includes six bedrooms, six bathrooms, spacious formal and informal living areas, a professional home office, home cinema, and a separate self-contained guest suite.

It also includes an underground five-car garage, extensive walls of glass, swimming pool, and sweeping lawns.

“To own a property in Australia’s largest city, surrounded by pristine National Park is unique in itself. To know this property even exists can only be done from the air,” says agent Anthony Walls.

For further information, find it on Millionplus.

Canterbury Estate turns heads

One of Melbourne’s most coveted streets, Mont Albert Road in Canterbury, is famous for its sizable and established estates, and this classic Spanish-Mission-style masterpiece stands up to some of the best of them.

Set on over 2000 square metres, the private landscaped grounds showcase stunning gardens, a championship size flood lit tennis court, alfresco dining area, and an impressive swimming pool with cabana.

The grand home features five bedrooms, three bathrooms, study, formal lounge, separate dining, open-plan kitchen and meals area, billiards room, and an informal sitting room.

The property also features a double lock up garage, four additional car parks, Cbus, hydronic heating, air conditioning, and separate self-contained accommodation.

For further information, find it on Millionplus.

Designed by pure passion

Lee and Ray Crane, of Coastal Interior Linings, are selling their pride and joy in the Queensland suburb of Sovereign Islands for $3.95 million.

Lee and Ray Crane purchased the home in 2007, which consisted of a two level traditional property, and with their combined passion and design expertise, they made some clever structural changes to maximize the size of the block and encompass the north facing waterfront views. Defined by their ideas, they personally designed and built a contemporary modern residence finished to a consistent standard of excellence.

“Even as you approach [this property] you know that this residence is going to be unique,” says Ian Adams of Neo Property.

Completed in 2010 the residence now spans three levels and comprises five bedrooms, six bathrooms, private office, cinema, library, and a three-car garage.

For true entertaining, there is a sports bar, backlit and finished in Onyx. The bar includes commercial refrigeration and amenities, including a BBQ with teppenyaki grill, hot plates and gas wok burner for indoor/outdoor entertaining.  The property boasts an expansive lounge, and formal dining area serviced by a designer kitchen with a separate butler’s pantry. Expansive bi-fold doors open to the pool and entertainment deck and provide unhindered water views.

An elevator, for easy access to the upper levels, takes you to the en-suited bedrooms and surround sound cinema, with bar. The third level is dedicated to the private master suite with kitchenette. A picture window in the master bedroom frames the stunning views to the ocean waters and hinterlands.  A huge waterfront terrace with spa tub, plasma TV and cedar sauna completes this luxury offering.

Complementing the modern architecture and design scheme of this home is a 2.4 metre aquarium and internal pond with glass bridge from the garage.

For the boating enthusiast the home provides a pontoon and bridge free direct ocean access.

Ian Adams says, “We expect a lot of interest in this residence as without a doubt this is a lifestyle choice and one that is found only in the movies.”

For further information, find it on Millionplus.