SYDNEY LUXURY HOME LISTED WITH A CHEEKY $1 RESERVE
An opulent Ryde home, packed with cinema, pool, sauna and more, is hitting the auction block with a $1 reserve.
< 1 min
In a move that is equal parts audacious and inspired, luxury real estate group Black Diamondz has listed a newly completed five-bedroom mansion in Ryde with a reserve price of $1.
The property at 26 Clermont Avenue is anything but bargain basement – featuring four lavish levels, a concrete structure, a private cinema, a mineral lap pool, a wine cellar, a sauna and even lift access.
Meanwhile, Ryde’s median house price is hovering around $2.5 million.
“This is not just another house. It’s a showpiece,” says Monika Tu, founder of Black Diamondz. “We’re not asking the market to guess its worth; we’re inviting it to experience it.”
Spicing things up further, the sales campaign doubles as a philanthropic effort.
Tu, along with agents Courtney Wong and Blake Morris, is using the high‑profile auction to raise awareness (and funds) for the Children’s Cancer Institute as part of the 2025 Dare to Cure challenge.
“We believe in creating value beyond the transaction,” says Tu. “Shining a light on the Children’s Cancer Institute turns luxury into legacy.”
Property Highlights
-
Five bedrooms, four bathrooms, three en-suites
-
Private cinema, sauna, gym and wine cellar
-
Gourmet kitchen with Miele appliances and butler’s pantry
-
Tundra limestone, Venetian plaster finishes, mineral lap pool
-
Quiet street near top schools, parks and Top Ryde Shopping Centre
Whether the $1 reserve is a marketing masterstroke or the future of auction theatrics, one thing’s sure: this isn’t your average Ryde listing.
Bidding starts with a gold coin. Final sale price? That’s anyone’s guess.
From snow-dusted valleys to festival-filled autumns, Bhutan reveals itself as a rare destination where culture, nature and spirituality unfold year-round.
Odd Culture Group brings a new kind of after-dark energy to the CBD, where daiquiris, disco and design collide beneath the city streets.
A former Paul Bangay estate in the Macedon Ranges blends heritage charm, sculpted gardens and pavilion living across 108 hectares.
2 min
Seemingly borrowed from a scene in Bridgerton, or plucked from the pages of a Brontë novel, St Ambrose in the picturesque Macedon Ranges of Victoria is a masterclass in English-inspired charm.
It’s no surprise, then, that the expansive 108ha estate, whose grounds are known as The Enchanted Garden, is the former home of celebrated landscaper Paul Bangay.
St Ambrose is a property with a genuine narrative. The story begins in the 1880s, when the original bones of the modernised homestead were just a humble schoolhouse.
Just over a century later, Bangay bought the country compound and spent a decade transforming it into a magical escape showcased in his iconic book, The Enchanted Garden.
Arranged as a sequence of “rooms”, the grounds are connected by sculptured hedges and framed planting that has been handpicked to connect with the surrounding Macedon landscape.
Now the estate is back on the market via an expressions-of-interest campaign with Campbell Kilsby and Tony Ryan of Kay & Burton Bayside, who are seeking offers between $8 million and $8.8 million. According to title records, it last traded in 2023 for $8 million.
A line of perfectly placed pencil pines frames a structured forecourt, anchored by a central, calming water feature.
Beyond the landmark gardens, the residence has also been revived, crafted into a series of connected pavilions balancing old and new. The former schoolhouse is still part of the story, now integrated into the main living zones.
Inside, the house features epic proportions with high ceilings, big fireplaces, spacious rooms, and expansive glazing that captures the romance of the outdoors from every angle.
The central country kitchen has stone surfaces, an island bench, shaker cabinetry, and French doors to the patio.
There are four bedrooms, including a main suite with a quiet garden outlook, while additional bedrooms are positioned for privacy. At the far end of the vast floor plan, there is also a fully self-contained one-bedroom guest residence for extended family or visitors.
Two separate garages have raked western red cedar ceilings, polished concrete floors, and custom timber doors that open the space up for entertaining in the stately setting. Ordinarily, the garage can accommodate more than five vehicles.
In addition to the heritage-style gardens, the grounds feature a newly rebuilt 20m wet-edge pool with an integrated spa, as well as an upgraded reflection pond complete with new filtration and lighting.
Other recent behind-the-scenes renovations include hydronic heating, air conditioning, irrigation, and water storage.
St Ambrose is close to Woodend Station and is approximately 70kms from Melbourne’s CBD.
St Ambrose at 7 Wood St, Woodend, Victoria, is listed through an expressions-of-interest campaign with Kay & Burton Bayside. Offers close on May 27 at 5 pm, and the price guide is $8 million to $8.8 million.
An opulent Ryde home, packed with cinema, pool, sauna and more, is hitting the auction block with a $1 reserve.
The era of the gorgeous golden retriever is over. Today’s most coveted pooches have frightful faces bred to tug at our hearts.
