Prestige Property: 22 Leyden Avenue, Portsea VIC

Portsea has long been the coastal playground of choice for Melbourne’s well-heeled. Here, is one of the private peninsula’s finest.

This stately, 5-bedroom, 4-bathroom, 7-car parking property, of 3047sqm, enjoys an enviable location in the Portsea cul-de-sac overlooking Percy Cerutty oval.

Embracing a Hamptons-inspired, timeless style – every feature and material is of the highest quality, providing the ultimate family compound for multi-generational living.

The main residence sees communal spaces, with hardwood flooring underfoot. Here, a chef’s kitchen fitted with a Paul Bocuse oven with butler’s pantry sits alongside a dining and living room, with open fire.

A private parent’s retreat is downstairs, with gas log fire and cellar and bar adding some adult sophistication to the space.

Additionally, a stone terrace runs the length of the building, serving as a spectacular setting for alfresco dining with integrated BBQ, pizza oven and woodfire.

Across the garden sees the second residence, providing three further bedrooms, two, bathrooms, a living space with gas log fireplace and a large lower floor rumpus. Also, here, basement and security parking for multiple vehicles.

However, it’s the gardens – designed by Robert Boden – that steal the show, playing host to a championship sized mod-grass tennis court, established hedges, stone paving and the aforementioned heated, self-cleaning saltwater pool.

The listing is with Rob Curtain (+61 418 310 870) of Peninsula Sotheby’s International, price guide between $15m-$16m. melbournesothebysrealty.com

Is this Whitsunday’s best home?

Hayman Island may have been ravaged by Cyclone Debbie in 2017, which saw the island, one of the smallest of the major Whitsunday islands, all but shut down, but the 390-hectare paradise has made an extraordinary comeback.

The InterContinental brand took over the island’s only resort, which was completely devastated by the Category 4 cyclone. The same year the cyclone hit, The Residence at Hayman was built, one of just two private residences on the island.

Constructed by Hutchinson Builders, a Tier 1 builder better known for delivering some of South East Queensland’s finest multi-residential developments, the lavish home is made from reinforced concrete with a blend of glass and timber battening.

It was designed by the late, internationally renowned architect Kerry Hill, widely regarded as a key figure in refining tropical modernist architecture. Hill was an island specialist, having designed several major resorts in Bali.

The Residence at Hayman spans three levels and offers over 1,400 sqm of living space, including around 580 sqm of internal living areas. The remainder comprises breezeways, terraces, and balconies designed to embrace the island’s subtropical climate.

Entry to the home is via the upper level, as the property tiers down the site with direct access to the beach. The top and lower levels accommodate most of the home’s eight bedrooms, as well as a study and a double garage with buggy parking, the preferred mode of transport throughout the Whitsundays.

The middle level is home to the main kitchen, living, and dining areas, complete with a full butler’s pantry. It opens to a large, L-shaped terrace featuring an outdoor kitchen, alfresco dining and lounge zones, and a sundeck. The terrace flows to the basalt-clad infinity swimming pool, deck, and cabana with integrated seating, as well as a pool house.

Owners or guests of The Residence also have access to the InterContinental Hayman Island Resort facilities, including 24-hour room service, butler assistance, private chefs, and the resort’s wellness centre.

Whitefox agents Cheyne Fox and Nic Whitehead are marketing The Residence as “a rare and extraordinary find.”

“This is more than just a home, it’s an opportunity to own a piece of paradise, a legacy to share with family and friends for generations to come,” Fox said.

The only other private residence on Hayman Island, Hayman House, is also on the market. Commissioned by Terry Peabody, former billionaire and Transpacific Industries founder, Hayman House was first listed last year with hopes of $27 million, later reportedly reduced to $20 million in early 2025.

Designed by Kerry Hill and also built by Hutchies (in 2010), Hayman House shares a similar design ethos to The Residence, albeit on a smaller scale. Its 18-week construction endured three cyclones, with all site access via the beach, which had to be reinforced to prevent heavy vehicles from sinking into the sand.

Prestige Property: 22 Leyden Avenue, Portsea VIC

An architectural masterstroke is one of the peninsula’s finest homes.

Designed by the late Kerry Hill and built by Hutchinson Builders, The Residence at Hayman Island blends tropical modernism with absolute waterfront luxury.