Luxury Homes

Luxury is no longer defined by what we own. It is defined by how we live.

The most exceptional homes are those that enrich everyday life They balance architectural beauty with warmth, innovation with simplicity, and create spaces that feel as extraordinary to live in as they are to admire Today's luxury is thoughtful, personal and designed around the people who call it home

That same evolution can be seen beyond the front door From the vehicles we drive to the spaces we inhabit, modern luxury reflects considered choices, timeless craftsmanship and a growing appreciation for quality that endures It is less about making a statement and more about creating an experience

Within these pages, we present a curated collection of Ray White's finest properties, each showcasing its own interpretation of contemporary luxury Alongside them, we explore the ideas shaping the premium market today, where design, innovation and liveability come together to define a new standard of luxury living

L U X U R Y R E D E F I N E D .

BELAHHOUSE: WHERELUXURY LEARNSTOLIVE

CIARA SULLIVAN

RAY WHITE COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

AT BELAH HOUSE, JAMIE AND AMEKA DURIE

PROVE THAT THOUGHTFUL DESIGN, NATURAL MATERIALS AND EVERYDAY LIVEABILITY ARE THE TRUE HALLMARKS OF MODERN LUXURY

Luxury homes have long been designed to impress Today, the most memorable ones are designed to be lived in

Perched above Pittwater on Sydney's Northern Beaches, Belah House certainly possesses all the hallmarks of exceptional design

Yet what lingers long after you've left isn't the scale or the spectacle It's something far more elusive: how the home makes you feel

For Jamie and Ameka Durie, that feeling was always the ambition

"Home is an extension of who you are," says Jamie "It should indulge all the senses You don't want it to feel cold, you want it to feel warm"

Ameka shares that philosophy

"IT'S A COLLECTION OF LIFE," SHE SAYS. "IT'S WHERE YOUR PERSONALITY, YOUR STYLE AND YOUR MEMORIES COME TOGETHER."

That thinking quietly reveals itself throughout Belah House Despite spanning more than 720 square metres, the home never feels overwhelming Carefully considered joinery and layered living spaces create intimate zones for conversation, quiet moments and family connection, proving that great architecture isn't simply about creating more space; it's about making space feel better

Designed by award-winning Sydney architects Silvester Fuller, Belah House reveals its sophistication gradually Behind its warm, luxurious interiors lies a highly considered technological infrastructure, including a discreet touchpad home automation system that controls virtually every aspect of the house

One of Jamie's favourite features is the sculptural staircase, crafted from sustainably sourced spotted gum harvested from the surrounding forests Taking months to complete, every fixing has been concealed so the warmth and beauty of the timber take centre stage He describes it as the home's "warm vertebrae", drawing nature deep into the architecture

Nearby, an oversized pendant of solid alabaster stone glows above the dining table Rather than simply lighting the space, the natural stone diffuses a soft warmth that transforms the room as daylight fades - another example of how the home's atmosphere is shaped by thoughtful, understated design

“The details are incredibly important," Jamie says "It's the curves repeated through the joinery, the furniture and the architecture People might not consciously notice them, but together they create a feeling"

That idea is perhaps best understood through Jamie's long-standing passion for furniture design While widely recognised for his landscape architecture, he has spent more than two decades designing furniture for international manufacturers, including Italian maker Riva 1920 At Belah House, furniture isn't treated as an afterthought but as an integral part of the architecture, creating continuity between indoors and out

For Ameka, however, beautiful design only succeeds if it enhances everyday life

"Even though it's luxurious, it still has to be functional," she says "It's where you rest, regenerate and gather with family and friends"

That commitment to liveability extends to the home's environmental systems Seven geothermal probes extend 125 metres into the ground as part of a closed-loop system harnessing the earth's natural temperature exchange A German-engineered heat pump provides hot water, hydronic underfloor heating and water-cooled air conditioning, while high-performance insulation and double-glazed windows help maintain an indoor temperature of between 21 and 23 degrees year-round

Advanced technology is equally discreet in the home's wellness spaces, which include a steam room, Finnish sauna, gym, Pilates reformer, running, walking and rowing machines, and a solid cedar ice bath that can also be converted into a hot bath on the terrace during winter Even the 37-speaker home theatre has been designed around experience rather than spectacle

“OUR GOAL WITH BELAH HOUSE WAS TO CREATE AN OFF-GRID HOME WITHOUT COMPROMISE AND IT IS A DREAM TO LIVE IN,” SAYS JAMIE.

It's a perspective that feels increasingly relevant as luxury evolves Rather than favouring excess or perfection, Belah House embraces warmth, craftsmanship, technology and everyday liveability

Perhaps that's the greatest luxury of all Not a home designed simply to be admired, but one designed to be experienced And yet, after seven years of planning and construction, the Durie family has decided to let the home go

During the build, the family spent time at their holiday farm in the Byron hinterland Now, with their children aged three and five, they have chosen to give them a few years of farm life before returning to private school and city life

"There are so many things we will miss about this home and its incredible outlook," says Jamie "It's a very special piece of land that will never be built out"

"I know the right custodian for this house will love it just as much as we do, and the more time they spend in the home, the more it reveals its special secrets," he says "We will create something special again It may not be Belah House, but it will be special"

LUXURYVEHICLES

RAY WHITE GROUP HEAD OF RESEARCH

VANESSA RADER

Australia’s luxury vehicle market captures a sophisticated convergence of traditional prestige and technological disruption For high-net-worth individuals investing in premium properties, their automotive choices increasingly mirror the same values driving residential decisions: quality, performance and environmental consciousness Just as wellness features and sustainability credentials have become expected in luxury homes, electric powertrains are rapidly transitioning from novelty to necessity

THE SUV SUPREMACY CONTINUES

The most striking trend across luxury brands remains the dominance of SUVs over traditional sedans BMW’s X1 and X3 models, Mercedes-Benz’s GLC Wagon, Audi’s Q3 and Q5, and Lexus’s NX collectively represent the core of luxury sales in 2025 This preference reflects practical Australian realities: versatility for urban driving and weekend escapes, commanding road presence, and perceived safety

Just as buyers increasingly demand homes that serve multiple purposes, luxury SUVs have become Swiss Army knives on wheels They’re sophisticated enough for business meetings, practical enough for school runs, and capable enough for weekend adventures This versatility explains why traditional luxury sedans continue to lose market share

BMW’s leadership with 26,842 sales, followed by Mercedes-Benz at 22,850 and Audi at 16,014, confirms that German engineering prestige still commands the market These three brands collectively represent over 65,000 vehicles sold, demonstrating that established brand equity matters immensely to luxury buyers

However, not all luxury brands weathered 2025 equally Porsche experienced the steepest decline among premium marques, down 1,896 units, while Volvo dropped 1,659 units These drops contrast sharply with the relative stability of BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi, highlighting how even established luxury brands can quickly lose momentum if product cadence or positioning falters

THE ELECTRIC REVOLUTION

The most significant narrative in 2025 isn’t which traditional brand sold most but how rapidly electrification has moved from experimental to essential Battery electric vehicle sales exceeded 100,000 units for the first time, reaching 103,300 vehicles, while plug-in hybrids almost doubled to 53,484 units Electric vehicles now command 13 1 per cent of new car sales, a 38 per cent year-on-year surge

Tesla’s Model Y remained Australia’s best-selling vehicle overall, proving that luxury buyers are embracing electric vehicles enthusiastically when the product delivers on performance and technology

New entrants like Polestar (2,373 sales) and Zeekr (1,994 sales) signal how electrification creates opportunities for challengers Zeekr’s entry demonstrates Australian buyers’ growing willingness to consider Chinese luxury brands, provided the product proposition is compelling and focused on advanced electric powertrains

For buyers not yet ready to commit entirely to electric motoring, plug-in hybrids have become the pragmatic middle ground The near-doubling of PHEV sales reveals a market segment seeking electric efficiency for daily commutes while retaining combustion backup for longer trips This mirrors property buyers who adopt sustainability features while maintaining connections to traditional utilities as backup

ULTRA-LUXURY: WHERE EXCLUSIVITY REIGNS

Beyond established luxury brands, Australia’s ultra-luxury marques tell a different story While Ferrari (220 sales) and Lamborghini (272 sales) represent a fraction of overall volumes, their importance extends far beyond numbers These vehicles serve as rolling statements of achievement, often complementing harbour-side mansions and penthouse apartments

What’s fascinating is how even these bastions of combustion theatre are cautiously embracing electrification Ferrari has announced hybrid models, Lamborghini is developing plug-in powertrains, and Rolls-Royce has introduced its first fully electric model, the Spectre Not even ultra-luxury brands with V12 heritage can ignore the electric transition

For these brands, electrification presents unique challenges Their customers aren’t buying transportation but emotion, sound and exclusivity Yet even these buyers are accepting that electric powertrains can deliver extraordinary performance, providing that exclusivity and craftsmanship remain uncompromised

THE LIFESTYLE PARALLEL

For Australia’s luxury property buyers, the automotive market’s evolution provides a telling mirror The same demographic investing in wellness-focused homes with sustainability credentials and smart technology also expects their vehicles to reflect these values

The shift toward electric powertrains isn’t driven by budget constraints but by environmental consciousness and appreciation for cutting-edge technology

This parallels premium property buyers who choose solar panels and advanced home automation because these features align with their expectations of what luxury means in 2025

From the practical luxury of BMW and Mercedes-Benz SUVs to the ultra-exclusive realm of Ferrari and Lamborghini, Australia’s luxury vehicle landscape demonstrates that sustainability and performance are no longer opposing forces but complementary expectations of what premium truly means The wealthy Australians buying prestige homes are the same ones driving luxury vehicle adoption toward zero emissions, smart technology integration, and brands that align with their values

No. 1 Church Lane is a boutique collection of just 25 residences in the quiet village end of North Sydney Offering panoramic harbour, city and district views, these three bedroom homes have been designed by nettletontribe to deliver house-like proportions, expansive outdoor spaces and premium interiors that prioritise comfort, privacy and quality

Residents will enjoy natural stone kitchens with integrated Miele appliances, elegant bathrooms, individual lock up garages with EV ready connectivity, a private gym and reformer Pilates studio, all within moments of cafés, harbourside walks, Victoria Cross Metro and North Sydney Station.

SOLIS IS A BOUTIQUE COLLECTION OF JUST 16 RESIDENCES, POSITIONED MOMENTS FROM SHELLY BEACH, THE ESPLANADE AND THE CAFÉS, RESTAURANTS AND SHOPS OF CRONULLA

Garden residences open to private landscaped courtyards, while upper level homes are filled with natural light and capture ocean, district or treetop views, creating a true connection to the surrounding coastal setting

Every residence has been thoughtfully designed with spacious open plan living, natural stone kitchens featuring premium Gaggenau appliances and custom joinery, engineered timber flooring, beautifully appointed bathrooms and secure basement parking.