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Inside My Kitchen Rules’ ‘desperate housewives’ Cyn and Mell’s multi-million dollar mansion

THEY have been dubbed “desperate housewives” by jealous rivals - and this is the luxury pad where they hosted their pop-up restaurant.

Mel and Cyn over worry about crab shell in the entree

MY Kitchen Rules’ Cyn and Mell have been dubbed “desperate housewives” by fellow contestants — now this. It appears the pair do have something to smirk about.

A large modern kitchen, sprawling land with manicured gardens set inside three storeys, make up the multi-million dollar mansion, where the duo hosted their instant restaurant.

Wollongong law firm owner Cyn and sidekick Mell, who have openly said people call them “pretentious, stuck up cows”, have morphed My Kitchen Rules into Grand Designs.

The house is situated on a large property.
The house is situated on a large property.
An outdoor seating area to soak up those views.
An outdoor seating area to soak up those views.
A foyer area inside the house.
A foyer area inside the house.

And while the episode proved a mega-expensive kitchen can’t help when you’re not really that great a cook, it did make it pretty clear that the law doesn’t pay too bad in the Gong.

The incredible home, pictured on realestate.com.au, is situated at the end of a very steep, private driveway and sits on more than 8000 square metres of land — although most of that is thick bush — in the affluent northern Wollongong suburb of Balgownie.

MRK contestants Mell and Cyn
MRK contestants Mell and Cyn
Inside the large modern kitchen
Inside the large modern kitchen
My Kitchen Rules Mell and Cyn's large open space
My Kitchen Rules Mell and Cyn's large open space

With four bedrooms, three bathrooms, about 400 living areas and a kitchen fit for a TV cooking show, it’s easy to see why The Housewives of Wollongong tag was bandied about before the episode.

Surrounded by massive eucalypts and with the occasional deer making an appearance, the area has the feel of being rural while only minutes to the CBD.

It didn’t take long for the not-so-subtle hints about how loaded Cyn was to start being dropped.

“I think people’s perceptions of us will be ‘we have it all’,” Cyn said at one stage, pointing out at another that she needed to climb 25 stairs to get from the kitchen to the ‘pinnacle’ — that third level room where they were hosting the other contestants and judges Colin Fassnidge and Darren Robertson.

The front of the multi-million dollar mansion
The front of the multi-million dollar mansion
One of the many eating areas inside the house
One of the many eating areas inside the house
Those views! The eating area overlooks the greenery.
Those views! The eating area overlooks the greenery.

Normally little is mentioned about the houses of the instant restaurant hosts, but if you were flicking channels last night, you could easily have assumed you’d landed on some kind of home show there were that many references to it.

Cyn and her husband, who own a law firm in Wollongong, purchased the property from well-known neurosurgeon Dr Peter Moloney in March 2015 for just under $2 million — putting it at the ‘Housewives-eligible’ end of the coastal city’s property market.

The living area with a library.
The living area with a library.
A large games room, which can fit a pool table.
A large games room, which can fit a pool table.
The bathroom with a large spa bath.
The bathroom with a large spa bath.

In a glaring testament to the ridiculous housing explosion that has taken place in recent years, the block of land — all 8007 square metres — was bought for $175,000 in 1988. Even in Wollongong, you’d be pushed to find half a parking space for that much money these days.

A balcony overlooking the views.
A balcony overlooking the views.
A formal seating area inside the house.
A formal seating area inside the house.
The manicured gardens and the view from upstairs.
The manicured gardens and the view from upstairs.

The two wannabe chefs actually work together at the law firm, with Mell a conveyancer at the firm, but on their team page on the show’s website Cyn doesn’t mind pointing out that “technically I’m her boss”.

Might be a little bit awkward back in the office after the dishes they served up last night.

One of the bedrooms inside the mansion.
One of the bedrooms inside the mansion.
Inside the high-end bathroom with double vanities.
Inside the high-end bathroom with double vanities.
Another bedroom inside the mansion.
Another bedroom inside the mansion.

Originally published as Inside My Kitchen Rules’ ‘desperate housewives’ Cyn and Mell’s multi-million dollar mansion

Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/home/interiors/inside-my-kitchen-rules-desperate-housewives-cyn-and-mells-multimillion-dollar-mansion/news-story/80a6e969ffd89f2e6b78170e75352a95