Property Of The Week: Middle Dural Mansion Eyes Record $18m Sale
A sprawling French Provincial-inspired estate on two hectares has hit the market with a $17 million to $18 million price guide.
2 min
A grand 2ha family compound in Sydney’s north west has come to market with expectations it could break through the current price benchmark for the sprawling semi-rural suburb.
The Middle Dural estate at 65 Cranstons Rd is listed with William Brush of Manor Real Estate and has a price guide of $17 million to $18 million.
If the trophy home hits its target, the six-bedroom, five-bathroom residence will become the district’s priciest property.
Currently, the house price record for Middle Dural and the broader Hills District sits with 3 McLeod Rd. That stately mansion, also on 2ha, achieved $15 million last June through Manor Real Estate.
American architect John Henry designed the elaborate two-storey Cranstons Rd house, which merges French Provincial sophistication and Hamptons glamour alongside indulgent resort-inspired amenities.
Beyond security gates, a sweeping driveway and statement fountain announce the modern mansion with its classic columns and elegant porch.
Inside, a dramatic entrance foyer immediately captures attention upon arrival, with soaring 6m ceilings, a chandelier, and an elegant double-curved staircase as a standout centrepiece.
The home’s spacious floorplan covers approximately 1200 sq m of living space, specifically crafted to accommodate every event, from intimate family gatherings to large-scale entertaining.
Formal and informal lounge and dining areas flow out to multiple alfresco spaces, including the vast casual family zone and a stone kitchen complete with a fireplace, high-end integrated appliances, a long eat-at island bench, and a fully equipped butler’s pantry.
There is also a home theatre, a billiards room with a marble cocktail bar, a walk-in wine cellar and tasting room, a large home office or guest suite with bathroom, and a fully equipped gymnasium.
The detailed craftsmanship throughout the home includes herringbone timber floors, coffered ceilings, bespoke joinery and walls of windows framing the leafy outlook and grounds.
Upstairs, a mezzanine gallery separates two accommodation wings. On one side, the palatial main bedroom has a sitting area, a private balcony, and a large dressing room featuring two accessory tables. In the spacious ensuite, there are dual vanities, two showers and a freestanding bathtub.
Five more bedrooms, each with a walk-in wardrobe and ensuite, and an upper-level library that is ideal for children’s study or as a second home office.
The outdoor amenities at the Middle Dural compound rival a five-star resort with a 20m swimming pool, a championship-sized floodlit tennis court, and a separate entertainer’s pavilion that includes an outdoor kitchen, an open fireplace, a bathroom, and a sauna.
Additional features include elaborate chandeliers and feature lighting, a wine display wall, ducted air conditioning, decorative wainscoting, wallpaper, carpeted bedrooms, security and solar panels.
Surrounding the manor, the manicured gardens consist of expansive lawns and sculpted hedges, with an established neighbouring forest.
Popular schools, shopping centres, cafés and everyday amenities are within easy reach, with Sydney’s CBD approximately 40 km away.
The Middle Dural estate at 65 Cranstons Rd is listed via private treaty with William Brush of Manor Real Estate.
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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
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