Lyon's Lair


Lyon's Lair (Private Property) - The descent of the divas, by Cindy Martin - 24th October 2004
(Credit: The Sunday Telegraph)
Placed / tipped off by Greg Tingle

Still in Queen-sland, but at the fashionable Airlie Beach, it seems I missed a fabulous gala event when developers Karen and Craig Lyons, of La Mercia Developments of Distinction, launched their latest product.

Just 50 guests were honoured by the maestros of entertaining, including Richard Wilkins, Kate and Phil Ceberano, Jon Stevens and Rick Price.

And while overseas guests were few, Airlie Beach is not short of international connections.

Ivana Trump (left) is touting the Trump name at her luxury resort, Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson is eyeing off Airlie as a potential shoot location for his "Quest for the Best," and the simply fabulous Scottish actor Sean Connery has also not gone unnoticed in the area.

The Lyons' development is part of the $1.5 billion of construction underway at Airlie Beach, now the golden property hotspot of the Whitsundays.

*complete 'Private Property' feature is as follows:

Pomeroy, Winten's new creme de la creme celebrity digs at inner-city Potts Point, is the talk of the town as residents start to move in.

Those taking up residency include arts aficionado Leo Schofield, winemaker Lisa McGuigan, designer Lynne Malone and former head of the Australian Medical Assoc-iation, Kerryn Phelps, and her partner Jackie Stricker.

But the celebrity line-up doesn't stop there.

According to those who have already moved into the 38-apartment complex, lift chatter is all abuzz with talk that Dame Joan Sutherland has also bought in the block and another sale is being negotiated on behalf of actor Naomi Watts.

Meanwhile, Watts' ex, fellow actor Heath Ledger, is yet to find his perfect digs.

Reports he has bought in the chic beachside development The Eyrie, at Coogee, are not true.

bouquet for rose

I wish I had a more a colourful reason for deserting you the past six weeks, but boring old illness is my only claim.

However, some people have an extraordinary imagination and I can promise those asking about my health that Rose Porteous had absolutely nothing to do with my absence.

Numerous emails suggested that word had it Rose and I had a cat-fight in the grounds of her Perth mansion Prix d'Amour and I'd spent the past weeks recuperating.

Alas, it was nothing so dramatic. In fact, Rose and husband Willie Porteous were perfect hosts when they showed me around their opulent and flamboyant palace.

Their home is tipped to sell for an Australian record, with forecasts of between $30 million and $40 million.

Set on 8117sq m, it has three street frontages, six bedrooms, five bathrooms, four living rooms, two kitchens, an eight-car garage, a multitude of fireplaces and the biggest non-commercial chandelier in Australia.

"We have been here for 15 years and we spent $15 million getting the house the way we wanted it," Rose says.

"We have loved it here, but it is time to move on and we really don't need anything this big for just the two of us."

But Willie insists the move will be about their five dogs, all poodles.

"Whatever we buy will be with the dogs front of mind," he says. "Probably we will look at a much smaller house, but with substantial grounds for them.

"And considering homes around here are fetching $4000-$5000 a square metre, we are expecting to crack the record, not only for Perth, but for Australia."

rona buyer tipped

So, who will be the new master of John Schaeffer's eastern suburbs manor, Rona, at Bellevue Hill?

Well, Bart Doff of Laing + Simmons Double Bay is advertising that the property must be sold by November 4 and Private Property will be interested to see who snares it.

With the closing sale date so close to the Melbourne Cup, I wouldn't mind betting on the new owner.

Doug Moran, health care multi-millionaire, lover of heritage homes and owner of the magnificent Swifts, at Darling Point in the east, which is also for sale, might just win it by a nose if his interest in the property is anything to go by.

portside model

Well, if you want to mix with a who's who, simply head down today to Jones Street Wharf at Pyrmont.

The model for the sensational Brisbane development, Port-side, is displayed in Sydney for the first time from today.

And while we are yet to confirm if singing sensational Delta Goodrem did buy in the development after singing at the launch recently, Portside is attracting its own fair share of celebrity buyers.

Among them is veteran television producer Reg Grundy, who secured the penthouse for $5 million.

As Queensland's an-swer to Sydney's Walsh Bay and The Wharf, you can expect some big Sydney names to snatch up an investment at Portside to escape NSW's 2.25 per cent exit tax.

lyons lair

Still in Queen-sland, but at the fashionable Airlie Beach, it seems I missed a fabulous gala event when developers Karen and Craig Lyons, of La Mercia Developments of Distinction, launched their latest product.

Just 50 guests were honoured by the maestros of entertaining, including Richard Wilkins, Kate and Phil Ceberano, Jon Stevens and Rick Price.

And while overseas guests were few, Airlie Beach is not short of international connections.

Ivana Trump (left) is touting the Trump name at her luxury resort, Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson is eyeing off Airlie as a potential shoot location for his "Quest for the Best," and the simply fabulous Scottish actor Sean Connery has also not gone unnoticed in the area.

The Lyons' development is part of the $1.5 billion of construction underway at Airlie Beach, now the golden property hotspot of the Whitsundays.

weekend prize

On Saturday, art gallery owner Maree Mizon and husband Greg are selling their waterfront reserve home in Battery St, Clovelly, in the east.

Set over 700sq m, the four-bedroom home has attracted widespread interest with its Mediterranean-style heated pool and spa and breathtaking ocean views.

With formal lounge and dining rooms opening on an entertainment deck, it is expected to fetch more than $4 million through Daniel Unger of Laing + Simmons Coogee/Clovelly.

* Email Cindy Martin at martinc@sundaytelegraph.com.au

xanadu snubbed

How can you mistake stunning songstress Olivia Newton-John when she's hardly aged a day in the past 20 years? Seems you can't.
A number of readers say they saw Newton-John checking out a home at Bungan Beach, on the northern beaches, with a friend last weekend.

The three-bedroom home in Karloo Pde has postcard views of the beach, ocean and coastline.

For sale through Janise Borgman and Ryan Petrie of LJ Hooker Mona Vale, you probably will not see Newton-John at the November 9 auction.

Newtown-John, who is in Australia promoting her new album Indigo: Women Of Song, loves her house at Byron Bay in far north NSW and, by all accounts, she isn't ready to open her cheque book for a Sydney base just yet.

auction beat

* On Tuesday, sculptor Marilyn McGrath's Lavender Bay investment property is up for auction through Francis Henry-May of Laing + Simmons North Sydney. The Lavender St property is expected to sell for more than $1.1 million.

* On Wednesday, medico Laurence Kalnin's Upper Pitt St unit at Kirribilli goes to auction through Jane Johnson of Wagglens First National. The three-bedroom, three-bathroom apartment with Opera House and Harbour Bridge views is expected to fetch $2.5 million.

* On Thursday, Maserati dealer Tony Graziani auctions his Woolloomooloo home, which is expected to fetch $7 million. With five bedrooms, seven bathrooms, regal formal living areas and eight-car garaging, the Cathedral St property is for sale through David Vereker of Alan Stanton Real Estate.

* Also on Thursday, landmark country property Crooks Park, at Dungog, goes under the hammer with Chris Meares of Meares & Associates and Dillion & Sons First National. The restored Georgian homestead on 87ha is tipped to go for more than $2.75 million.

* On Saturday, fashion
publicist Marie Claude Mallat has her Mandalong Rd, Mosman unit up for grabs through Priscilla Ouvrier and Deanne Hobday of McGrath, while Brendan McGrath of McGrath is selling The Chalet, home of late artist Nora Heysen, the first woman to win the coveted Archibald Prize.

* But the auction of Saturday will be the clifftop home of Jigsaw ragtrader Malcolm Webster and wife Eileen. About $7 million is expected to buy the Rayner Rd, Whale Beach house, sold through Jennine Leonarder-Collins of Christie's Prestige Homes and David Mackay of LJ Hooker, Avalon.

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