Stokehouse owners sell Toorak mansion with hidden driveway
An underground driveway that wouldn’t look out of place in a James Bond film has helped the owners of a famous seaside restaurant sell this impressive mansion in just one month.
Stokehouse restaurant owners Frank and Sharon Van Haandel have cooked up a sale for their impressive Toorak mansion with a James Bond-like driveway.
The hospitality bosses, who also own Melbourne bar Fatto at St Kilda eateries Pontoon and Paper Fish, whipped up the big sale in just one month.
Kay & Burton South Yarra agent Robert Fletcher would not disclose the sale price of the house at 7 Ottawa Rd, which had a price guide of $11.2-$12 million.
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“We had very good interest in the home and we had about 80 groups come through to inspect it,” Mr Fletcher said.
The Van Haandels bought the property from catering whiz Peter Rowland, who had installed the hidden cantilevered driveway in the front garden. The unusual feature leads underground to an eight-car garage and cellar.
Other features include a domed skylight at the home’s heart, a rustic stone fireplace, glamorous bathtub and a swimming pool.
CoreLogic records show the French provincial-style pad was snapped up for $8.65 million last time it sold in 2017.
Mr Fletcher said the couple were looking to buy on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland so they could be closer to their acclaimed Stokehouse Q in Brisbane.
The St Kilda Stokehouse was destroyed by kitchen fire in 2014 and reopened with a new look in 2016.
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Originally published as Stokehouse owners sell Toorak mansion with hidden driveway