Palatial Mornington Peninsula estate on the market
A 35ha Mornington Peninsula estate has hit the market for up to $13.8 million, offering a rare blend of luxury living, contemporary art and working farmland in Flinders.
2 min
A colourful Mornington Peninsula estate belonging to the billionaire Smorgon family has come to market with price expectations of between $12.8 million and $13.8 million.
Tallagandra is a 35ha working farm in Flinders that has been held by a company linked to Rodney Smorgon and his wife, Anne, for almost two decades.
The Smorgons’ Australian dynasty dates back to the 1920s when siblings Eric, Moses, and Abram Smorgon migrated down under from Ukraine. In Melbourne, the brotherly trio opened a kosher butcher shop on Lygon St, but went on to grow the family empire to include steel manufacturing and mining.
A descendant of Moses, Rodney purchased Tallagandra and its original mid-century house in 2008 for $3.25 million. Since then, the couple have created a glamorous regional retreat in the semi-rural township on the popular peninsula about 90 90-minute drive from Melbourne.
Forbes Global Properties’ Michel Gibson and Robert Fletcher are handling the listing.
Today, the estate at 84 Meakins Rd is home to a palatial main residence, cattle and an alfresco gallery of more than 30 sculptures by local and international artists such as Kiwi artist Phil Price, Chinese creative Goa Xiaowu and Aussie Christabel Wigley.
Blending rolling bucolic scenery with eye-catching contemporary art, Tallagandra is a unique parcel straddling two distinct worlds.
The modernised five-bedroom house, recreated by SJB Architects, is surrounded by landscaping that expertly complements the carefully curated art pieces that are also illuminated by night.
Walls of windows capture the picturesque backdrop and handpicked artworks while a series of living spaces, including a formal lounge room, a games room with a grand billiard table, and a sunken family room, dish up ample options for the avid entertainer. The modern kitchen has a vast central island bench, a butler’s pantry with a cool room, and a full suite of Miele appliances.
There is also a dedicated kids’ playroom and a large home office with a fireplace.
From the primary bedroom suite, the bath and shower overlook a peaceful fishpond and sculpture garden, but there are blackout blinds for privacy. There are also dual walk-in wardrobes, as well as a dressing room with island storage and skylights. An additional accommodation wing houses four more bedrooms and two bathrooms.
For outdoor entertaining, the expansive property has multiple decks that capitalise on the views from every angle, plus a pizza oven and barbecue area, a pool and a flood-lit tennis court.
Beyond the art and architecture, Tallagandra has cattle, a 900-tree olive grove, a chicken coop, 110,000 litres of filtered water storage, three dams, a spring-fed stream, a worm farm system, and more than 600 native trees planted to attract local fauna. Outhouses include a large four-car garage and a hangar-style work shed.
Surrounded by the Peninsula’s renowned vineyards and cellar doors, such as Nazaaray Estate Winery, as well as thermal springs, golf courses and popular restaurants, Tallagandra is approximately 7kms from Flinders and 95kms from Melbourne’s CBD and 120kms from the airport.
The Mornington Peninsula property at 84 Meakins Rd, Flinders is being sold via expressions of interest campaign through Michel Gibson of Forbes Global Properties.
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At the northern tip of Point Piper, hidden from the street and positioned directly on Sydney Harbour, “Radford” combines cinematic views, rare waterfront access and a fascinating connection to one of Australia’s most storied estates.
The five-bedroom residence occupies land once belonging to Paradis Sur Mer, the celebrated three-block waterfront estate that made Australian property history in 1982. The original mansion became the country’s first home reported to have sold for more than $5 million—and may also have inspired one of its fastest and most profitable resales.
Property developer and yachtsman Bernard Lewis purchased the estate at auction for $5.25 million, only to sell it within hours to English betting magnate and thoroughbred breeder Robert Sangster. Lewis reportedly made a $500,000 profit in the process.
Sangster renamed the property Toison D’Or—French for “Golden Fleece” and the name of one of his racehorses—and established it as a Sydney base with his then-wife, Susan. The estate subsequently changed hands and identities again, becoming Paradis Sur Mer, or “Paradise on the Sea”, during Susan’s marriage to financier Sir Frank Renouf.
After another headline-making sale near the peak of Sydney’s late-1980s property boom, the original mansion was eventually demolished and the waterfront holding subdivided. “Radford” now stands on one of those prized parcels, carrying a thread of that extraordinary history into the present day.
Harbour views take centre stage
Designed by award-winning architect Victor Berk and constructed in the early 1990s, the three-level modernist residence has been planned around its exceptional position.
Panoramic views stretch from the Sydney Harbour Bridge across Shark Island and Rose Bay to Manly. A prized northerly aspect fills the home with natural light, while bedrooms and living spaces open to decks, balconies and terraces overlooking the water.
The main living areas flow to a broad alfresco entertaining terrace, sunny swimming pool and level harbourfront lawn. Beyond the garden, a private jetty completes the quintessential Sydney waterfront lifestyle.
Inside, generous proportions make the home equally suited to private family life and large-scale entertaining. The formal dining area can accommodate up to 14 guests, while a Gaggenau-appointed kitchen incorporates an island, walk-in pantry and casual breakfast area opening to the poolside deck.
A fireplace anchors the principal living space, complemented by high ceilings, travertine floors and expansive glazing that keeps the harbour present throughout the home.
A private sanctuary on every level
The main bedroom is accompanied by two walk-in wardrobes, a sitting area and an ensuite featuring a spa bath, separate shower and twin basins. Three further bedrooms each have an ensuite, while a gym with its own kitchenette, built-in storage and bathroom can serve as a fifth bedroom or private guest retreat.
Additional spaces include a fitted home office, an upper-level family area, sauna, two powder rooms and a substantial laundry. A lift connects all three levels, and the central staircase sits beneath an atrium-style glass roof fitted with an electric retractable blind.
Ducted and zoned air-conditioning, extensive storage and a security alarm add everyday practicality. Internal access leads to an oversized secure double garage, with additional driveway parking.
Set in an elite cul-de-sac on one of Australia’s most prestigious waterfront streets, “Radford” is close to Lady Martins Beach, Prince Edward Yacht Club, the Royal Motor Yacht Club, Rose Bay’s marinas and leading schools. Double Bay’s restaurants, boutiques and village amenities are only minutes away.
It is an exceptional harbourfront residence in its own right—but its connection to the record-breaking Paradis Sur Mer estate gives it a place within the wider story of Sydney real estate.
Property details
Address: Wolseley Road, Point Piper, NSW
Bedrooms: Five, including a flexible gym or guest suite
Bathrooms: Five, plus two powder rooms
Parking: Oversized double garage and additional driveway space
Key features: Northerly aspect, panoramic harbour views, private jetty, swimming pool, level waterfront lawn, lift, sauna, home office and Gaggenau kitchen
Architect: Victor Berk
Agents: Michael Pallier, Sydney Sotheby’s & Brad Pillinger, Pillinger
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