House once owned by Geelong Grammar gets a glow-up, resells for $17 million-plus

A Toorak house that Geelong Grammar School sold during lockdown for $6.21 million has had a stunning transformation and resold for more than $17 million.It comes amid a flurry of activity in Melbourne’s top-end property market in recent weeks, which has otherwise had a quiet winter.The Toorak house has been transformed.Marshall WhiteThe school sold two neighbouring properties near its Toorak campus in lockdown, including a five-bedroom house bought by Peter Johnston, a director of Melbourne luxury home builder Royale Construction.When it last traded, the home had white interiors and scope for updates.It was returned to the market last spring with a Christopher Doyle-designed transformation as a five-bedroom, six-bathroom, seven-car residence asking $19 million to $20.5 million, later adjusted to $18.9 million.The glamorous home has a grand staircase, arched loggias, a wine cellar, home theatre, sparkling chandeliers, a swimming pool, home gym and sauna.The Toorak home sold for more than $17 million.Marshall WhiteMarshall White director Marcus Chiminello confirmed the home had sold in excess of $17 million but would not be drawn on details of the buyer.The home office.Marshall WhiteA sale at that level marks a sharp uplift on the last price paid for the address. Melbourne’s top-end homes sometimes perform differently to the broader Melbourne market as they can be less affected by rising interest rates, although results can be property-specific.A caveat lodged on the title shows the purchasers are the van Rooyen family, although the exact sale price will only become public on settlement.The home before its transformation.DomainAnother Toorak house that found a buyer is the luxury South Yarra home of Melbourne arts patron Jennifer Shaw, for more than $30 million.The contemporary home is a smart rebuild that combined two apartments behind a 1930s facade, with a design by architects Powell & Glenn.One source with knowledge of the deal but not authorised to comment publicly said the sale price was in excess of $30 million and towards $35 million. A second source thought it was $33 million.The South Yarra home has been rebuilt. Marshall WhiteChiminello confirmed the sale but declined to disclose the exact price or buyer.Shaw is an arts patron whose donations support the National Gallery of Victoria, the McClelland Gallery, the Melbourne Museum and the Royal Botanic Gardens.The five-bedroom, six-bathroom home features a rooftop terrace with a swimming pool, Calacatta marble in the kitchen, a gym, wine cellar, sauna, steam room, home theatre and garaging for 12 cars.It was listed last year asking $40 million to $43 million. The guide was later adjusted to $35 million to $38 million, then revised to $34 million to $35 million. The buyer is understood to be a local family.Meanwhile, a sculptural Toorak house also sold for about $17 million, Chiminello confirmed, although he did not reveal the buyer.This architect-designed Toorak home has also sold. The architect-designed home features angular folded shapes across the ceiling and walls, a spacious outdoor entertaining area, a wine cellar and basement garage.A caveat on the title shows the buyer is Alexandra Hogg, a member of last year’s AFR Rich Women list with an estimated wealth of $312 million. Her late father, Lindsey Hogg, had an art collection worth more than $500 million, and she and her sister are working towards a gallery to display the artworks, which would be owned as part of a charitable trust, AFR reported.The sale comes as a grand home on blue-chip St Georges Road, Toorak, owned by Melbourne’s wealthy property developer Deague family is relaunched to the market with a price guide of $31.5 million.David and Kristene Deague last year bought a $20.95 million penthouse in the same suburb and plan to downsize, offering their grand home on a 1600-square-metre block for sale through Chiminello.The five-bedroom, seven-bathroom, nine-car home features a swimming pool and spa, a tennis court, fountain, a grand staircase with centrepiece chandelier and landscaped terraces.The guide has been revised from a previous range of $30 million to $33 million.St Georges Road is one of the most highly sought streets in Melbourne, and its top sale is crypto king Ed Craven’s purchase of a knockdown-rebuild for more than $80 million in 2022.Toorak’s median house price is $3.67 million, on Domain data.Property listingsFrom our partners