COASTAL DREAMING: A WORLD CLASS BEACH HOUSE UNVEILED

Former Aussie Rules player Jeff Chapman’s dream beach house, which has had its praises sung by The Independent in the UK, is back on the market with a revised – and more competitive – price guide.

The contemporary pavilion-style residence Alinghi, created by celebrated architect James Grose, was voted one of the top five beach houses in the world by the British newspaper and has been operating as a luxury holiday rental earning up to $7000 a week.

The one-time Melbourne forward and founder of Bennelong Funds Management, and his wife Carena Shankar, listed the five-bedroom getaway back in mid 2024 with hopes of about $8 million. The prestige property is now back with new agent Pauline Karatau of Ray White New Farm and the amended guide now sits at $6.5 million.

As part of the private 5ha Rocky Point estate, at the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef overlooking Honeymoon Bay, the glamorous holiday home shares not only a private beach with just four other neighbours, but also a 30m saltwater pool, a full-size tennis court, a beach cabana with barbecue facilities and a full-time live-in caretaker on site.

Alinghi seemingly floats against the cliffs of North Queensland’s Capricorn Coast consisting of two pavilions and shallow reflections pools for ultimate serenity. Residence number 5 is home to a two-storey main pavilion with large living spaces spilling onto semi-enclosed areas framing enviable ocean views. Upstairs there are four bedrooms, including two with ensuites. The second pavilion is a private retreat housing the main bedroom suite with an additional study or wellness space.

Crafted by Grose to leave minimal impact on its natural environment, the house features external materials sourced locally including rich cedar, plus glass and Travertine stone specifically chosen to blend and weather with the landscape over time.

The low maintenance property is also relatively self sufficient thanks to water tanks collecting the region’s abundant rainfall. Despite it’s northern Queensland address air-conditioning is an after-thought due to the clever cross-ventilation design principles and deliberate orientation capturing ocean breezes that flow through the large footprint.

Alinghi’s external lightning has also been carefully designed to be low voltage with minimum impact upon the local wildlife including wallabies, echidnas, goannas, turtles and even a diverse range of native birds. From the private terraces throughout winter, homeowners can also track the migratory whales.

Alinghi is a 90-minute drive away from Agnes Waters and its sister town of 1770 (also known as Seventeen Seventy). It is approximately 120kms from Bundaberg, which is home to a well-serviced domestic airport.

Alinghi is listed for sale with a price guide of $6.5 million via Ray White New Farm agent Pauline Karatau on 0418 733 773.

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