Melbourne’s most expensive rental homes cost up to $10,000 a week

A rich-lister family is asking $10K a week – and the bond costs more than most cars. Step inside the exclusive world of the city’s most expensive rentals.

Samantha Landy

@SamLandy

3 min read

July 26, 2021 - 12:00AM

South Yarra’s luxurious Poolman House is on the rental market asking $10,000 per week.

A landmark South Yarra mansion awaiting a tenant with $10,000 a week to spend tops Melbourne’s priciest available rentals.

A consortium comprising the Victor Smorgon Group, the Kanat Group and Trenerry Property Group put Poolman House, at 253-257 Domain Rd, up for rent last month, after buying it for about $18m from businessman and former Richmond Football Club director John Matthies.

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Poolman House has its own ballroom …

… and a pool.

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They planned to lease the 1865-built mansion with a ballroom, pool and tennis court while they worked on redeveloping it, according to the agent who sold the property and is now working to lease it, Christie’s Prestige Homes’ Sean Cussell.

“It’ll have a commercial use, ultimately,” Mr Cussell said. “It was a pub in a past life, so they expect it will return to something of that ilk.”

The successful tenant will need to lodge a $60,000 bond to secure Poolman House, which hosted Liberal Party soirees, with Scott Morrison and Tony Abbott among the attendees, under Mr Matthies’ ownership.

A classy kitchen in the South Yarra mansion.

A refined living room.

Mr Cussell expected them to be “a family relocating to Melbourne, or a family that is renovating a large home in the area”, and said the owners were open to them signing a six or 12-month lease. He noted the six-bedroom residence had attracted solid interest, but they “just haven’t found the right tenant”.

Joining it on the market is a fully furnished penthouse at 801/74 Eastern Rd, South Melbourne, with a $5500 weekly asking rent and $22,000 bond.

The three-bedroom pad offers “unhindered views” across the CBD and Port Phillip Bay from full-height windows and a rooftop pool. It also has a marble kitchen and a bar, the listing states.

It sold in November for $6.6m, CoreLogic records show.

This South Melbourne apartment with a pool and impressive city views could become your home – for $5500 per week.

Kick back and enjoy the view.

The South Melbourne penthouse’s marble-drenched kitchen.

Levantine Hill winery managing director Samantha Jreissati has also listed her half-floor apartment in Eureka Tower for $4495 per week, furnished and with a $29,970 bond required.

The sleek 7301/7 Riverside Quay pad is for sale too, and has been since 2019, with Ms Jreissati unwilling to budge on her $8.8m asking price.

Her father, property developer Elias Jreissati, is also seeking a buyer for his Eureka Tower penthouse, for $25m.

Kay & Burton leasing consultant Paul Tunney has the four-bedroom rental listing, and said demand for high-end Melbourne rentals remained strong, even during the pandemic.

The view from 7301/7 Riverside Quay, Southbank, will wow tenants, too.

The Eureka Tower apartment is on the rental market for $4495 per week.

The Southbank apartment has four bedrooms and takes up half a floor in Eureka Tower.

“There are so many families returning to Melbourne from overseas – from New York, London, Hong Kong – emailing us saying, ‘can you find us a large home that meets our criteria?” Mr Tunney said.

“They’re after high-end homes with four to five bedrooms plus swimming pools, tennis courts, all those sorts of luxuries.”

He added while some of his expat clients were physically touring rentals before committing to them upon returning to Melbourne, other top-end homes were being leased sight-unseen, off the back of virtual tours.

Melbourne’s median weekly asking rent for a house is $430 and for an apartment, $400, according to realestate.com.au.

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samantha.landy@news.com.au

MELBOURNE’S PRICIEST RENTALS

253-257 Domain Rd, South Yarra

Weekly asking rent: $10,000

Bond: $60,000

801/74 Eastern Rd, South Melbourne

Weekly asking rent: $5500