MARSHALL WHITE DIRECTOR LISTS $9M ESTATE

When introducing the 2026 Marshall White Prestige Property Index, the company’s group sales director, John Bongiorno, said he had high hopes for the luxury real estate market.

This positive outlook may have influenced his decision to sell his own home, Musk Ridge Farm. The 8ha Mornington Peninsula property has come to market with a price guide of $9 million to $9.5 million.

“Looking ahead, international influences are likely to remain an important factor shaping Melbourne’s prestige market throughout 2026,” he wrote.

“Australia’s reputation as a stable and desirable place to live will continue to attract strong interest from expatriate buyers returning home, and we are already seeing an increase in enquiries from this group, particularly for properties in Melbourne’s most established school zones and blue-chip suburbs.”

No doubt the company director expects demand to extend into regional Victoria. His

Flinders estate, which has pastoral and bushland views to the waters of Westernport and Phillip Island, last traded in 2017 for $4 million.

Its 2026 price guide is in line with other recent Flinders transactions. In late 2025, 2275 Mornington Flinders Rd sold for about $8.75 million, and 88 King St sold for $12.25 million.

Bongiorno’s landmark peninsula property was designed by architect Stephen Akehurst to create a coast-meets-country lifestyle estate for avid entertainers or weekend guest retreats.

The private seven-bedroom, eight-bathroom residence features manicured English-style gardens, a self-cleaning mosaic-tiled pool and spa, converted stable guest quarters, a separate games room with bar, a barbecue pavilion, and a self-contained manager’s cottage.

With more than four decades of prestige-market experience, Bongiorno says the same guidance he gives clients has shaped his own property decisions: desirable locations and long-term lifestyle appeal will sustain high demand.

“Regardless of market conditions, quality real estate fundamentals remain the most important consideration. For me, that has always been about location, quality of construction and a home’s ability to stand the test of time,” Bongiorno says.

“Homes that consistently perform over the long term are those positioned in tightly-held locations with genuine lifestyle appeal and quality design that will remain relevant for years to come.”

His Hamptons-style homestead features spacious interiors and designer elements, including a large entry foyer, American Oak floors, high ceilings, and multiple French doors opening onto patios and terraces. Modern amenities include hydronic heating, integrated cooling, smart home technology, and CCTV security.

The palatial main living zone is bookended by twin open fireplaces and crowned by a central iron-ring chandelier. A glass conservatory dining area captures the natural backdrop, and a quartz stone kitchen features a big island bench, Bertazzoni appliances, a butler’s pantry, a SubZero fridge/freezer, and two Vintec wine fridges.

Off the kitchen, there is also a mudroom, a powder room, a bathroom, and a commercial-grade laundry.

The ground-floor main bedroom suite includes two walk-through wardrobes, a shower ensuite, a fireplace, and access to the wraparound veranda. Upstairs, there are two additional bedrooms with en-suites and built-in wardrobes, along with a study area.

Outside, beyond the pool terrace and barbecue pavilion, the grounds feature fenced paddocks, a spring-fed dam, an automatic front gate, a machinery shed, a double garage, plus multiple driveway parking bays.

Bordered by the Main Ridge Nature Conservation Reserve and Manton Creek, Musk Ridge Farm is close to Red Hill and Flinders townships, and is surrounded by world-class wineries, golf courses, and the peninsula’s popular beaches.

Luxury in Bellevue Hill has traditionally been measured through land, elevation and harbour outlooks. At Ōtium, a boutique residential development taking shape at 206B Victoria Road, the defining quality is quieter: a sense of separation from the city without leaving Sydney’s eastern suburbs.

Positioned above Cooper Park, the development turns away from the movement of Victoria Road and towards the reserve’s dense green canopy. Its north-western rear orientation has been designed to capture natural light, parkland views and the Sydney skyline beyond.

The result is a collection of residences conceived around privacy, space and a close connection with the surrounding landscape.

Award-winning architecture practice MHN Design Union has designed the building, using its elevated setting to establish a distinctly different outlook from many of Bellevue Hill’s apartment developments. Rather than treating the park as a distant backdrop, the architecture draws it into the residences through broad openings, private terraces and living spaces oriented towards the trees.

The Victoria Road elevation uses brickwork to give the building a grounded, enduring street presence. To the rear, the architecture becomes more open, with the residences extending towards private outdoor areas overlooking Cooper Park.

Inside, Ennen & Co has developed a warm and restrained material palette influenced by the building’s architectural forms and natural setting. Clean lines are offset by stronger moments of colour and texture, including deep green tiling, natural stone, marble and bespoke joinery.

The approach is deliberately understated. Instead of relying on conspicuous finishes, the interiors have been designed as a flexible backdrop for furniture, art and the individual preferences of each owner.

Ōtium comprises just eight homes; a garden residence, six upper-level residences and an expansive penthouse. The garden residence offers the most direct relationship with the landscaping, while the penthouse takes advantage of the development’s elevation with views across the parkland canopy towards the city.

A communal rooftop terrace provides another perspective over Bellevue Hill and Sydney. The space has been planned for quiet morning use as well as private gatherings, giving residents access to an elevated outdoor area beyond their individual terraces.

Construction is being undertaken by Ultra Building Co for developer Concretive. Ultra describes the development as a $16 million project and says its work has focused on natural stone, custom joinery, bespoke tiling, acoustic and thermal performance, and carefully resolved transitions between indoor and outdoor spaces.

The location places residents close to several distinct neighbourhood centres. Bellevue Road Village provides local cafés, shops and daily services, while Plumer Road, Double Bay and Bondi Junction extend the dining, retail and transport options. Cooper Park itself offers walking trails and tennis courts, with Sydney’s eastern beaches and the Royal Sydney Golf Club also within easy reach.

It is a location that allows daily life to remain highly connected while creating a more secluded atmosphere at home.

Ōtium is being marketed by Ray White Double Bay Projects, with agent Daniel Ungar noting the development’s strong appeal among buyers.

“Ōtium has resonated strongly with buyers because it offers a combination that is increasingly difficult to find in Bellevue Hill, generous, house-like proportions, privacy and a genuine connection to nature, without the maintenance of a freestanding home,” Ungar says

Above Cooper Park, Ōtium makes stillness itself part of the proposition, an increasingly valuable quality in one of Sydney’s most tightly held residential markets. It offers the security and lower-maintenance qualities of apartment living, but with larger interiors, private terraces and a natural outlook more commonly associated with a freestanding home.

Project details

Project: Ōtium
Address: 206B Victoria Road, Bellevue Hill, NSW
Developer: Concretive
Architect: MHN Design Union
Interior design: Ennen & Co
Builder: Ultra Building Co
Status: Under construction
Selling agents: Daniel Ungar & Zorick Toltsan | Ray White Double Bay Projects
Contact: 0400 112 202 | 0411 227 784

MARSHALL WHITE DIRECTOR LISTS $9M ESTATE

Prestige property veteran John Bongiorno is selling his sprawling Mornington Peninsula retreat, Musk Ridge Farm, complete with a pool, guest quarters and sweeping coastal views.