Andy Lee throws doors open to $8.5m Hawthorn mansion before massive renovation
Comedian Andy Lee has given his soon-to-be neighbours a last look inside his $8.5m Hawthorn mansion before the multimillion-dollar renovations kick off in 2024.
Fiona Byrne
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TV and radio heavyweight Andy Lee has thrown open the doors of his crumbling but intriguing Yarra River mansion as he prepares to kick off a $5 million renovation in 2024 of the landmark property.
Lee and his partner Rebecca Harding are embarking on a renovation odyssey to turn skeletal remains of the Melbourne boomtime property into a family home that blends the past with modern comforts.
Lee forked out $8.5 million in 2021 for the derelict mansion, which was built around 1876, on a huge block with Yarra River frontage in Hawthorn.
Work will begin on the property’s new chapter sometime next year after part of the remaining roof on the home fell in.
“The ceiling fell in after some rain,” Lee said.
“Unfortunately, the previous owner had taken out some chimneys and left (part of the roof) open, so the ceiling collapsed just recently, which was not ideal.
“We actually had Christmas drinks for the whole street last week.
“We said ‘you have stared at this place for 30 years in this (rundown) state, so if you have never been in, come and see it. It will be your last chance to see it in this state before the possums, rats and pigeons get evicted.’
“I am worried they (the possums, rats and pigeons) might have squatters rights since they have been there so long.”
When one guest asked how long the party would go for, Lee had a very realistic answer.
“I said ‘well, there is no electricity, no running water and no toilet, so the more you drink the quicker you will want to go home – and we will be in the pitch black by 8.30pm when the sun goes down’.”
Lee, who hosts The Hundred on Channel 9, has had to take the editing scissors to the show’s Christmas special which airs on Sunday.
“An earlier timeslot meant I had to go back into the edit and edit a few things out,” he said.
“When a show moves to 7pm I get funny emails from the classification lawyer saying ‘you can’t say a******* in that context.
“There is a bunch of stuff that is not appropriate for a national broadcast. We love living on the edge with our show, but at times it just crosses over and there are also times, because everyone is sharing so freely, we run into legal problems, so that is the main thing that gets left out of our show.”
Sunday’s episode sheds an interesting light on Australia’s evolving Christmas habits.
“One of the stats is that last year across Australia there were four broken arms due to bonbons or Christmas crackers being opened,” Lee said.
“Australians are moving away from real Christmas trees. Only 23 per cent have real trees.
“Sixty eight per cent of people fight with their family at Christmas.
“The question that surprised me with the passionate argument it sparked was whether or not Die Hard is a Christmas movie.”
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