Bold by Design at Cape Schanck
A visionary statement by architectural firm Denton Corker Marshall, the award-winning Emery Residence is the ultimate juxtaposition of contemporary design surrounded by a raw rural landscape.
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Just listed with Kay & Burton Flinders agents Sasha Romensky and Tom Barr Smith, the unique coastal retreat at the southernmost tip of the Mornington Peninsula has a price guide of between $5.5 million and $6 million.
Winner of the prestigious Robin Boyd Award in 2000, this bold architectural landmark was created for prominent graphic designer Garry Emery, founder of Melbourne-based EmeryStudio, which shut in 2016.
Unsurprisingly, the Peninsula weekender of a prominent creative mind cuts a striking asymmetrical figure within its soft bush setting inside the gated National Estate surrounded by the Cape Schanck Golf Course.
Crafted from concrete, glass, and stainless steel, the designer home starkly contrasts its natural environment and the rolling fairways of the golfing green.
Known for their highly contemporary creations, Denton Corker Marshall have been behind an eclectic collection of commercial projects including the Stonehenge Exhibition and Visitor Centre in the UK, the Australian Pavilion in Venice as well as the Anzac Hall and Australian War Memorial in Canberra.
The four-bedroom two-storey house is essentially two rectangular boxes, one perched atop the other, with the upper level rising above the tree tops.
As essentially one free-flowing space, the upper floor hosts the combined living and dining room with a suspended steel hearth wood-burning fireplace.
At its heart, a sleek modern kitchen features a long freestanding island bench, stainless steel surfaces and hidden appliances behind contrasting warm timber cabinetry to promote a sense of minimalism.
The main bedroom on the same level has an ensuite, a walk-in wardrobe plus an elevated centre stage position overlooking the land and out to the ocean.
Downstairs, via a glass-encased, polished concrete staircase, two more bedrooms feature strategically placed angled windows capturing water views.
These rooms with built-ins share a full bathroom and laundry while a separate self-contained studio space with a bathroom and kitchenette, built-in cabinetry, workstations, and a communal meeting area, making it an inspired home office or a guest suite.
Enveloped by more than 4000sq m of lush landscape, the property’s low maintenance grounds feature established native trees and low lying shrubs allowing for the panoramic ocean and gold course views.
Fingal and Gunnamatta beaches are close by, and the 100km Mornington Peninsula Walk or the shorter Two Bays Walking Track or Coastal Walk, offer locals an alternative way to witness the wild ocean coastline and Cape Schanck Lighthouse.
The house is about 72km from Melbourne’s CBD and about 15kms from the townships of St Andrews Beach and Flinders.
Emery Residence at Cape Schanck is listed with a price guide of $5.5 million to $6 million through Kay & Burton Flinders agents Sasha Romensky and Tom Barr Smith.
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Buyer demand, seller confidence and the First Home Guarantee Scheme are setting up a frantic spring, with activity likely to run through Christmas.
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The spring property market is shaping up as the most active in recent memory, according to property experts Two Red Shoes.
Mortgage brokers Rebecca Jarrett-Dalton and Brett Sutton point to a potent mix of pent-up buyer demand, robust seller confidence and the First Home Guarantee Scheme as catalysts for a sustained run.
“We’re seeing an unprecedented level of activity, with high auction numbers already a clear indicator of the market’s trajectory,” said Sutton. “Last week, Sydney saw its second-highest number of auctions for the year. This kind of volume, even before the new First Home Guarantee Scheme (FHGS) changes take effect, signals a powerful market run.”
Rebecca Jarrett-Dalton added a note of caution. “While inquiries are at an all-time high, the big question is whether we will have enough stock to meet this demand. The market is incredibly hot, and this could lead to a highly competitive environment for buyers, with many homes selling for hundreds of thousands above their reserve.”
“With listings not keeping pace with buyer demand, buyers are needing to compromise faster and bid harder.”
Two Red Shoes identifies several spring trends. The First Home Guarantee Scheme is expected to unlock a wave of first-time buyers by enabling eligible purchasers to enter with deposits as low as 5 per cent. The firm notes this supports entry and reduces rent leakage, but it is a demand-side fix that risks pushing prices higher around the relevant caps.
Buyer behaviour is shifting toward flexibility. With competition intense, purchasers are prioritising what they can afford over ideal suburb or land size. Two Red Shoes expects the common first-home target price to rise to between $1 and $1.2 million over the next six months.
Affordable corridors are drawing attention. The team highlights Hawkesbury, Claremont Meadows and growth areas such as Austral, with Glenbrook in the Lower Blue Mountains posting standout results. Preliminary Sydney auction clearance rates are holding above 70 per cent despite increased listings, underscoring the depth of demand.
The heat is not without friction. Reports of gazumping have risen, including instances where contract statements were withheld while agents continued to receive offers, reflecting the pressure on buyers in fast-moving campaigns.
Rates are steady, yet some banks are quietly trimming variable and fixed products. Many borrowers are maintaining higher repayments to accelerate principal reduction. “We’re also seeing a strong trend in rent-vesting, where owner-occupiers are investing in a property with the eventual goal of moving into it,” said Jarrett-Dalton.
“This is a smart strategy for safeguarding one’s future in this competitive market, where all signs point to an exceptionally busy and action-packed season.”
Two Red Shoes expects momentum to carry through the holiday period and into the new year, with competition remaining elevated while stock lags demand.
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