Grand $45.5m Melbourne house sells – and is likely to be knocked down

A Toorak mansion that was listed for sale with a price guide of $45.5 million to $50 million has found a buyer in what could prove to be the exclusive suburb’s highest sale for the year so far.

The seven-bedroom, nine-bathroom 1920s Mediterranean revival-style home was listed for sale in October last year and offered as an opportunity for the buyer to replace it with their dream home.

A caveat appeared on the title on Wednesday revealing the buyer is Patrick Quinlivan, who corporate records show is a shareholder of Gaiya Skin Pty Ltd and is based in Surfer’s Paradise, Queensland. Quinlivan also owns a house in Malvern bought for $20,350,000 in 2023, public records show.

The exact sale price of the home will become public on settlement, but even a result at the bottom end of the guide would surpass Toorak’s other sales for the year so far.

The home is the deceased estate of Zofia Kipen, whose husband was the late Symcha (Sam) Kipen, brother of Israel Kipen, co-founder of Mount Scopus Memorial College, Australia’s first Jewish day school. It was for sale for the first time in five decades.

The property was listed by Sotheby’s Melbourne co-managing directors Antoinette Nido and Max Ruttner, who were contacted for comment.

The residence sits on just over 3500 square metres of land in the heart of Toorak, near Toorak Road.

A wraparound driveway enters into a grand, palatial reception hall, leading to a series of opulently wall-papered and light-filled rooms. The rear dining and entertaining rooms look out onto lush green grass, mature trees and an oval swimming pool.

Elsewhere in the suburb, Regis Healthcare co-founder Bryan Dorman reportedly sold his Toorak mansion for about $20 million.

But for deep-pocketed buyers, there are plenty of grand homes for sale in the area. The Myer family’s Cranlana on Clendon Road is on offer with a price guide of $96 million to $105 million.

Toorak is home to Melbourne’s record-setting sale, Coonac, which sold in February last year for a price tipped by some to be as much as $135 million and others at closer to $115 million.

Toorak’s median house price is $4,125,000 on Domain data, as of the December quarter last year.

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