La Gemme A Southern Highlands Showpiece For Sale
A European-inspired country estate reimagined with couture-level detail, La Gemme sets a new benchmark for Southern Highlands luxury.
2 min
La Gemme Estate, a grand getaway meticulously reimagined by The Property Stylist founder Kyara Larcombe, has debuted on the coveted Southern Highlands property market with a price guide of $30 million.
Kyara and her husband Clayton, founder of PAC Capital and Pacific Partners, bought the Bowral estate in 2021 and collectively set about curating a stately country compound that would feel at home alongside the heritage chateaux of Europe.
The finance and design duo purchased the 40ha property as a luxury weekender, then in 2024 held their wedding (after eloping in Lake Como, Italy) at the 40ha estate – a glamorous event later covered in Vogue magazine.
Deborah Cullen and Richard Royle of Cullen & Royle are marketing La Gemme through an expressions-of-interest campaign, closing on March 10 at 5pm.
“It is an absolute divine experience to wander around this estate. The detailing and finishes are on another level,” Ms Cullen said.
“Excitingly, we have had some very well-known families reach out to learn more.”
Over four years, Kyara – whose team has styled private homes worth as much as $100 million and iconic venues such as the Sydney Opera House – exercised her design prowess to bring the dream project to life. Alongside Clayton, the globetrotters travelled throughout Europe to gather inspiration and acquire unique antique pieces to furnish La Gemme.
Rather than a renovation, Ms Cullen said the finished result is a custom-made mansion with all the must-haves of the 21st Century.
The brand-new estate was designed for offshore investors and high-net-worth homebuyers, with a focus on architectural excellence and complete privacy.
La Gemme Estate can house up to 24 guests in the five-bedroom main residence and a separate two-bedroom guest house.
In the primary house, each bedroom has its own ensuite, and there is an additional attic suite. There are formal lounge and dining spaces, a study, a library and lift access.
Designer elements include a bespoke marble kitchen with two large island benches, a Lacanche stove, butler’s pantry with integrated appliances, reclaimed French oak floors retrieved from a historic church in Normandy, Joseph Gilles hardware, and 18th and 19th-century French chandeliers and mirrors.
Modern features include a climate-controlled wine cellar, underfloor heating, ducted air conditioning, a Lutron home automation system and security, and an integrated Bose sound system.
La Gemme Estate is also home to a 14m heated swimming pool and spa with a cabana and limestone-paved courtyard terrace, an outdoor fireplace and a wellness centre with a fully equipped gym and sauna.
Gardens designed by Richard Haigh feature a long driveway lined with mature plane trees, an abundance of established Australian natives, and a koi lake. Additionally, DA approval has been granted for a luxury stables complex and covered arena, ideal for equestrian enthusiasts.
The property, which is about 120 kms from Sydney and 185 km from Canberra, is accessed via two gated entrances; either from Range Rd, Mittagong or Kimberley Dr, Bowral.
La Gemme at 31 Kimberley Dr, Bowral is listed with Cullen Royle via an expressions of interest campaign closing on March 10 at 5 pm.
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Brickworks has enlisted acclaimed architecture studio Kennedy Nolan to explore how homes could become more adaptable, energy-efficient and connected to community.
Brickworks has enlisted acclaimed architecture studio Kennedy Nolan to explore how homes could become more adaptable, energy-efficient and connected to community.
2 minAustralia’s housing debate is often dominated by affordability and supply, but a new collaboration between Brickworks and acclaimed architecture firm Kennedy Nolan argues the conversation should also focus on the quality and longevity of the homes being built.
The project, titled Our Next Neighbourhood, examines how suburban housing could evolve in response to shrinking block sizes, rising energy costs, increasing density and changing family structures.
Rather than proposing luxury dream homes, the initiative focuses on what its creators describe as achievable suburban housing models that are more flexible, sustainable, and better suited to modern Australian life.
Brickworks commissioned Kennedy Nolan to investigate what suburban housing might look like if “design, long-term liveability and enduring materials were placed at the centre of the conversation”.
The result is two housing concepts, known as the Street Terrace and Canopy Terrace, which explore higher-density living while maintaining access to green space, natural light and privacy.
The designs incorporate adaptable floorplans that can evolve as family needs change, along with passive design principles intended to reduce reliance on mechanical heating and cooling.
Brett Ward, General Manager of Marketing at Brickworks, said the company wanted to broaden the discussion around housing beyond simply increasing supply.
“Much of the housing conversation today is understandably focused on supply and affordability, but there is an equally important discussion to be had about the quality and longevity of the homes we build,” he said.
“We wanted to explore how thoughtful design, combined with durable, resilient materials, could create homes that not only function well today, but continue to support Australian families and communities long into the future.”
Kennedy Nolan said the project was partly inspired by concerns that contemporary housing often struggles to adapt to changing household structures and environmental pressures.
The architects said innovation in suburban housing was “essential” to address changing family groupings, energy use, urban heat island effects and growing disconnection from place.
According to the design team, the concepts draw on lessons from some of Australia’s most influential housing projects while seeking to create neighbourhoods with stronger links to landscape, community and local identity.
Rachel Nolan, founder of Kennedy Nolan, said the practice saw an opportunity to reimagine suburban housing as something “more connected to our climate, our landscape, our communities and our Australian identity”.
The project comes as policymakers, developers and planners continue searching for ways to deliver more housing without sacrificing liveability, neighbourhood character or long-term sustainability.
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