Property of the week: 16 Garema Road, Gwandalan
This much-loved family estate is being offered for the first time in more than 20 years
2 min
A retreat in every sense of the word, Lakeside Lodge has been a prominent property clan’s dream getaway since 2003. Surrounded by towering trees and framed by peaceful farmland beside Lake Macquarie, the Rose family have spent more than two decades visiting the estate, which also features a freestanding chapel, guest cottage, boathouse and private dock.
Stuart Rose of the Rose Group, a brotherly duo of property developers behind a string of successful real estate projects including the transformation of the former AGL gasworks site on the Parramatta River into Breakfast Point, bought the Gwandalan estate for $5 million according to title records.
“The property has been in our family for over 20 years and used as a retreat and place for us to gather together with our friends,” Stuart says.
“It‘s been a difficult decision for us to let go, but as our lifestyles evolve and our children grow up, we’ve decided its time for another family to enjoy it the way we have.”
Stuart and his brother Bryan are selling the 8ha estate after the February passing of their father and Financial Review Rich Lister, Bob Rose AM, who was chair of The Urban Taskforce from 2003 to 2009.
Listed with Mat Steinwede and Trevor Hamilton of McGrath Terrigal, the residence at 16 Garema Rd has a price guide of $20 million and is being sold through an ‘expressions of interest’ campaign closing at midday on November 27.
Positioned with a prime due north aspect overlooking the tranquil lake, the eight-bedroom lodge-style residence is a blend of coastal chic and farmhouse charm. While the lake is the main event, the spacious house wraps around a grand central courtyard complete with landscaping and a pizza oven, as well as a direct line of sight straight out to the water so the enviable view won’t be missed.
Each room opens to the shore, courtyard or paddocks with a choice of several living spaces, ideal for a multi-family holiday. There is a main lounge room, a second living space, a media room plus a large piano lounge area opening to its own covered terrace.
Most bedrooms have an ensuite or neighbouring bathroom while the vast main suite has a walk-in wardrobe, a dressing room, an adjoining study, bath ensuite and sweeping lake views. Additionally, another office space is next to the primary bedroom with an inspiring water outlook.
The expansive property features a charming chapel with kitchenette amongst the trees, making the rambling estate the ideal spot for a wedding venue, potentially offering an extra source of income. In the separate cottage, or independent games room, there is a bathroom and kitchen and the ground also feature a tennis court, a pool, fire pit, two large dams, fenced paddocks, a warehouse, a chicken coop, a private jetty and a boatshed with dry dock. Added elements include solar panels, security alarms, surveillance cameras and a private gated entrance.
Designed to entertain on a grand scale, the holiday home has garage parking for up to 10 cars with space for many more. Sitting on the shores of Lake Macquarie, Lakeside Lodge is approximately 130kms from Sydney’s CBD.
Lakeside Lodge is listed with McGrath Terrigal through an expressions of interest campaign closing on November 27 at midday.
From making unpopular decisions to learning when to listen, leaders from five businesses reveal what nobody prepared them for — and how running a company has challenged their expectations.
Technology and semiconductor shares fell sharply as investors questioned the debt financing the AI infrastructure boom and confronted higher rates and Chinese competition.
4 min
Toorak’s reputation has been built on grand estates, tightly held boulevards and some of Melbourne’s most valuable residential land. Yet one of its rarest attributes is largely hidden from the street: direct frontage to the Yarra River.
Although the river traces much of Toorak’s northern boundary, just over 20 homes in the blue-chip suburb are believed to border the water—and fewer still provide genuine river access. There is no definitive public register of Toorak homes with private jetties, but prestige agents have consistently described them as only a handful.
It is rare, then, for a property offering both river frontage and direct water access to become available in Melbourne’s so-called billionaire’s playground. The newly built Solara on Orrong Road presents precisely that opportunity.
Set on approximately 1,129sqm, the five-bedroom residence descends towards the river, culminating in a private, double-tiered jetty. Here, the Yarra is more than a distant outlook: it becomes part of daily life, offering a place to launch a boat, relax beside the water or travel towards the city from home.
That distinction is significant in Toorak. Many of the suburb’s finest properties offer scale, security and architectural pedigree, but very few combine all three with direct access to the river.
Architecture shaped by the site
Designed by Melbourne studio Alta and constructed by EASTON, Solara has been conceived as a series of interconnected levels descending towards the Yarra.
Rather than presenting as a single imposing volume, the house responds to its sloping site through stepped terraces, landscaped outdoor areas and large expanses of glazing. The architecture gradually reveals the water, drawing the eye through the interior and towards the river below.
The design has earned Solara a nomination in the 2026 Master Builders Excellence in Housing Awards.
Inside, a restrained material palette allows texture, proportion and natural light to carry the design. Stone, timber, glass and finely detailed joinery establish a sense of permanence without overwhelming the river setting.
The principal living area is arranged beneath a dramatic double-height ceiling, giving the room the scale expected of a major Toorak residence while maintaining a strong connection to the garden and water.
Full-height glazing opens the house to its outlook, while multiple living and entertaining spaces allow the property to transition between intimate family use and larger gatherings.
A private resort beside the Yarra
Solara’s principal living spaces open onto an expansive river-facing terrace containing a swimming pool and spa.
The outdoor area has been positioned to take advantage of both the northern light and the relative seclusion of the riverbank. Mature landscaping provides another layer of privacy, softening the architecture and creating the atmosphere of a private resort.
Below, the grounds continue towards the double-tiered jetty.
The residence also incorporates a dedicated wellness area and gym, reinforcing the sense that the home has been designed to provide a complete lifestyle within its boundaries.
Its accommodation includes five bedrooms and six bathrooms, with the principal suite occupying a private domain of its own. The house also provides garaging for four cars—an important consideration in a property of this scale.
Across the residence, the emphasis is less on overt decoration than on volume, outlook and craftsmanship. Sightlines have been carefully managed so that the river is encountered repeatedly, rather than being confined to a single formal room.
A different expression of Toorak prestige
Toorak’s luxury market is often associated with historic mansions and large European-inspired estates. Solara represents a more contemporary interpretation of the suburb: architecturally ambitious, highly private and organised around lifestyle rather than formality.
Its position also places it within a particularly scarce segment of the market.
Riverfront homes have previously appeared along addresses including St Georges Road and Edzell Avenue, although they tend to remain in the same ownership for long periods. Even among these properties, private jetties and convenient access to the water are not universal.
That scarcity separates Solara from other prestige homes that may offer river views without actually reaching the river.
For buyers operating at the upper end of Melbourne’s residential market, the value proposition is therefore not simply the size of the house or its list of amenities. It is the combination of new architecture, substantial land, resort facilities and an attribute that cannot readily be recreated: private access to the Yarra from Toorak.
Solara is being marketed with a guide of $16.8 million to $18.3 million through Jamie Mi of Kay & Burton.
Property snapshot
Address: 803 Orrong Road, Toorak, Victoria
Guide: $16.8 million–$18.3 million
Agent: Kay & Burton agent Jamie Mi
Land: Approximately 1,129sqm
Accommodation: Five bedrooms, six bathrooms and four-car accommodation
Design: Alta
Builder: EASTON
Key features: Private jetty, direct river access, gym, indoor spa and double-height living volume
The sports-car maker delivered 279,449 cars last year, down from 310,718 in 2024.
A 30-metre masterpiece unveiled in Monaco brings Lamborghini’s supercar drama to the high seas, powered by 7,600 horsepower and unmistakable Italian design.
