In a move that would make it Melbourne’s most expensive home, the century-old Toorak mansion owned by the Myer family has been listed for sale, and it’s the city’s first property to cross the $100 million price threshold.
The stately heritage-listed home has been owned by the Myer family, of the eponymous retail giant, since 1921 when the late Sidney Myer and his second wife Dame Merlyn Myer purchased the property.
Before he was a hugely successful businessman and philanthropist, the then-penniless Sidney Myer first came to Australia from Russia in 1899 and established a small door-to-door sales drapery shop in Bendigo. Following its success, he sold this business to purchase another: Wright & Neil drapery in 1911. With a few additions and acquisitions, Wright & Neil went on to become the eight-storey emporium we now know today as Myer in Bourke Street.
Following the retail magnate’s commercial success and expansion of the Myer chain nationwide, Sidney was able to purchase the stately mansion Cranlana 10 years later.
Sidney Myer lived at Cranlana Estate for 13 years until his death in 1934, aged 56. He was survived by his wife, Dame Merlyn Myer, who lived in the home until her passing in 1982, aged 82, with their four children: Kenneth, Sidney, Marigold and Neilma.
Following the purchase of an additional neighbouring property, the estate was remodelled between 1929 and 1930 from plans by the architects responsible for Bourke Street Mall and Lonsdale Street (now Emporium Melbourne) Myer stores, HW & FB Tompkins.
In the years since, it has remained in use for family gatherings and to host charity events, and at one stage was even rumoured to be in the running for the Prime Ministerial base when the Australian PM spends time in Melbourne.
62 Clendon Road, Toorak has been listed by Marcus Chiminello of Marshall White. It sits on 11,366 square metres, with nine-bedrooms, eight-bathrooms, a ballroom, library, tennis court, swimming pool and a multi-car garage.
Expressions of interest in the historic estate close on Monday 11th November at 3pm.
On the market!
More than 120 years have passed since its construction, and the Italianate Arts and Crafts mansion in Melbourne’s east is now being sold for a new generation to enjoy.
“With over 100 years of family ownership, and with our fifth generation expanding, the time has come to pass the keys of our home and its magnificent garden to a new owner and custodian,” Myer Family Investments chairman Sidney Myer said.
Marcus Chiminello of Marshall White is the agent appointed to sell the storied home. In speaking with the AFR, Marcus said, “Once-in-a-generation opportunities like these often create their own market. We anticipate interest from buyers locally, nationally, and from afar that will be excited about the opportunity to become the new custodian of Cranlana.”
If it were to sell for the predicted $100 million figure, it would still be eclipsed by John Symond’s jaw-dropping $200 million Point Piper mansion, Wingadal, which – should it sell – would become Australia’s most expensive home.
The current record for Australia’s most expensive home is held by Elaine in Potts Point, the $130 million, 160-year-old waterfront mansion owned by Atlassian co-founder Scott Farquhar that sold in October of this year, and Uig Lodge, the $130 million Scottish baronial mansion also owned by Scott Farquhar.
Inside Cranlana Estate, Melbourne’s most expensive property
Morning room
Originally built in 1903 and purchased by the Myers in 1921, Cranlana is a nine-bedroom, heritage-listed home and landscaped grounds set on more than 11,000 square metres on Clendon Road — one of Toorak’s largest blocks.
Interiors
Emerging from the central hall, a morning room, drawing room, library and grand formal dining room, with original fireplaces and garden outlooks.
Ballroom
Designed in the popular Arts and Crafts style, amongst other original spaces, Cranlana features an untouched parquetry-floored ballroom with bay windows and ornate chandelier, perfect for lavish entertaining.
Living room
An abundance of sitting rooms and multitude of guest bedrooms and self-contained apartments can be found in each wing of the sprawling estate.
Office
Rich in mahogany and red walls, the office on the ground level caters to any requirement.
Formal dining
The large formal dining space invites elaborate affairs, and also enjoys stunning garden outlooks.
Formal dining
Oh to be a fly on the wall.
Landscaped grounds
Cranlana is possibly most famous for its heritage-listed, Harold Desbrowe-Annear-designed grounds, sunken formal gardens and fine entry gates by Caslake’s, hand-wrought in the Italianate style. In the heritage report, Cranlana is described as being “of exceptional aesthetic and architectural importance in possessing a landscape design of outstanding quality making a masterly use of the site”.
Grounds
These highly recognisable gardens were said to have been inspired by Beatrix Farrand, one of America’s most celebrated landscape architects.
Pool
Behind a 100-year-old Wisteria hedge sits a picturesque pool with pool house and tennis court. Additional annexes include a self-contained cottage, former stables, potting shed, workshop, and gardener’s headquarters.
Tennis court
The ground’s most significant attributes are listed as being “the spatial relationship of the residence within the landscape”, the sunken formal garden “which is the finest example of its type in Victoria”, and the lawns and open spaces.
