DESIGN EXCELLENCE
46 BAY STREET, BRIGHTON
TARTE TATIN FROM BISTROX RECIPE
BENNETT POPS UP IN FITZROY LIFESTYLE
SHANNON
SPRING BUYERS STAY ENGAGED
Spring is traditionally Melbourne’s busiest real estate season, and the market has delivered on expectations this year. We continue to see steady enquiry levels, healthy open-forinspection attendance, and competitive bidding when quality homes are presented to the market. While there is a slight sensitivity around price, the overall conditions remain balanced — a good, normal market that leans slightly in favour of vendors who are well-prepared.
Buyers remain motivated, with families focused on school zones, downsizers seeking convenience and lifestyle, and investors gradually re-emerging as rental demand stays strong. For sellers, this means campaigns that emphasise presentation, location and liveability are resonating most strongly, with buyers prepared to act decisively when those criteria are met.
As the season unfolds, we expect activity to track consistently with the rhythms of Melbourne life — moments of pause around school holidays and the AFL Grand Final, followed by increased activity in October and beyond. Importantly, the underlying confidence in the market has not shifted, with vendors and buyers engaging in a healthy, competitive environment that continues to generate strong outcomes.
For those considering selling, now is the time to plan ahead. By preparing early and working with our experienced team, you can ensure your property is positioned to capture buyer attention and benefit from the heightened momentum that follows September’s key events. ■
By John Bongiorno
BOTANIC BRIGHTON: NGVWA GARDEN DAY 2025
DESIGN EXCELLENCE
“This
residence is the perfect balance of bold architectural design and serene liveability. With its seamless indoor-outdoor flow and refined minimalist detailing, it offers a rare opportunity to enjoy both tranquillity and prestige just steps from Brighton’s Golden Mile foreshore.”
ANDY NASR, MARSHALL WHITE DIRECTOR
Just metres from Brighton’s Golden Mile beaches, this architecturally striking four-bedroom-plus-study residence by Stonnington Group balances bold street presence with timeless minimalist design. Set within Eugene Gilligan–designed gardens, the home offers a serene north-facing sanctuary for refined family living and entertaining.
A Zen-inspired water garden and oversized entry door reveal gallery-like interiors with oak flooring, timber joinery and floorto-ceiling glass, seamlessly connecting to outdoor spaces.
The main open-plan zone features a stone island kitchen with Miele appliances, butler’s pantry and adjoining living/dining areas that flow to a bluestone entertaining pavilion with built-in barbecue, flame feature heater, lawn and heated mosaic-tiled pool.
Upstairs, four generous bedrooms include a lavish main suite with Venetian plaster finishes, batten screens and marble ensuite. Additional highlights include a study, two powder rooms, automated blinds, integrated sound, and double garage with extra parking—all just moments from Brighton’s finest schools, shops and beach. ■
FOR ENQUIRIES CONTACT
ANDY NASR 0422 029 324
CAMPBELL BUTTERSS 0432 735 385
SIMON MONNIER-PENNY 0404 283 551
TARTE TATIN from BistroX
Shannon Bennett brings a touch of BistroX to your kitchen with this golden tarte tatin – buttery puff pastry, caramelised apples and warm spice, finished with vanilla ice cream. A simple classic made to share.
INGREDIENTS
400 g caster sugar
300 g French butter, cut into 8 slices
2 vanilla beans, halved lengthways
12 firm Golden Delicious apples
1 kg puff pastry block, rolled into 2 sheets
1 L vanilla ice cream
Eight-spice powder:
2½ tsp juniper berries
5 star anise
2 tsp cloves
1 tsp white peppercorns
½ tsp cardamom seeds
1 large cinnamon quill
1 small pinch saffron
2 tsp Murray River salt flakes
METHOD
1. Dry-roast all eight-spice ingredients (except salt) until fragrant (2–3 mins). Grind with salt until fine. Set aside.
2. Divide sugar between two 18 cm cast-iron pans. Add butter slices, 1 tsp eight-spice powder, and vanilla beans arranged in a cross.
3. Peel, core and halve apples; place cut-side up in pans. Cover with 3–4 mm thick puff pastry, cut 6–7 cm larger than the pan. Tuck edges under apples. Chill for 15 mins.
4. Preheat oven to 190°C. Score pastry in the centre and between apples. Cook on low–medium heat until sugar and butter caramelise (12–18 mins).
5. Baste pastry with bubbling caramel as it rises through the cuts.
6. Transfer pans to oven; bake until golden and puffed, basting halfway (15–20 mins).
7. Remove from oven, loosen edges, and carefully invert onto a board. Slice into 6 portions.
8. Serve with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce.
SHANNON BENNETT POPS UP IN FITZROY
After eight years away from the pass, celebrated chef Shannon Bennett has returned to Melbourne with an unmissable three-month pop-up, BistroX, now open at The StandardX hotel in Fitzroy.
BISTROX, FITZROY
Until 15 October 2025
Breakfast and dinner daily, lunch Friday–Sunday
LEARN MORE
For Bennett, this project is both a homecoming and a new chapter. Joined by long-time collaborators and Vue de Monde alumni, including Cory Campbell, Ryan Henley, and Master Sommelier Carlos Simoes Santos, the chef has assembled a powerhouse team committed to delivering food, wine, and hospitality with equal parts precision and warmth. On the floor, hospitality veteran Steven Kirkpatrick leads service, ensuring the tone stays relaxed yet attentive, designed to feel as welcoming as a local’s favourite.
BistroX draws inspiration from the local neighbourhood bistro: friendly, seasonal, and community-focused. Guests can expect classics reimagined with Bennett’s signature flair –handmade breads, pastas, and elevated comfort dishes made with peak-season produce from trusted Victorian suppliers.
A weekly rotating steak special showcases the team’s focus on provenance, while sustainability and craft underpin every element.
“Being back in Melbourne and back in the kitchen is something really special for me,” says Bennett. “This is about creating a place people want to return to – where great food, energy, and collaboration come together. It’s also about nurturing the next
generation of hospitality talent and being part of the Fitzroy community.”
True to that ethos, the menu is designed to evolve. Feedback from locals and regulars will shape new dishes over the coming weeks, allowing BistroX to feel less like a pop-up and more like a part of the neighbourhood. The wine list, curated by Simoes Santos, follows the same philosophy: approachable, dynamic, and poured by the glass to encourage discovery.
The setting inside The StandardX, with its design-forward aesthetic and location in the heart of Fitzroy, only adds to the experience. The pop-up is deliberately pitched to balance occasion and accessibility: refined enough to celebrate, yet comfortable enough to make a weekly ritual.
Whether dropping in for a glass of wine and pasta on a weeknight, celebrating with steak and dessert on the weekend, or starting the day with breakfast, BistroX has quickly become one of the most talked-about dining experiences in the city.
With Bennett and his team back in full flight, BistroX is a reminder of why Melbourne fell in love with his food in the first place. ■
BOTANIC BRIGHTON: NGVWA GARDEN DAY 2025
Photography Credit -Robyn Lea
Brighton is rewriting its garden story. Long associated with grand homes, tennis courts, and high fences, this bayside suburb is experiencing a horticultural shift driven by a new generation of homeowners who are choosing to plant, preserve, and nurture.
On Thursday 23 October, NGVWA Garden Day returns with Botanic Brighton, opening the gates to a curated trail of private gardens — many never before seen — where landscape is considered as carefully as the architecture. Marshall White is once again a proud supporter of this much-loved event, celebrating the beauty and wonder that gardens inspire.
This year’s program showcases how thoughtful garden design can transform urban life, with a focus on edible planting. Visitors can wander through aromatic herb parterres and seasonal vegetable beds and admire espaliered fruit trees trained across brick walls.
Among the highlights is the landmark 1892 Fairfield Hall, whose 3,400-square-metre grounds have been transformed by renowned landscape architect Paul Bangay into a study in proportion, structure, and softness. Equally compelling is Kelso, a mid-19th-century homestead whose significant edible garden — designed by Eckersley Garden Architecture — reconnects the site to its farming origins with orchards, raised beds and composting systems. From 11am to 1pm, celebrated chef Annie Smithers will meet ticketholders at Kelso to discuss her paddock-to-plate approach. She’ll also contribute seasonal produce from her organic farm for purchase at the stall. Elsewhere, visitors will see restored period gardens, layered planting for year-round texture, and sensitive additions that improve liveability without sacrificing character.
Event Details
NGVWA Garden Day – Brighton (Botanic Brighton) 10am–4pm, Thursday 23 October 2025
Private gardens across Brighton, VIC
Tickets available now. Proceeds support the NGV Collection.
These private green spaces provide shelter, birdsong, and dappled light; they also offer the calming benefits of “dirt therapy,” which has proven advantages for mental and physical wellbeing. As NGVWA Vice President and Garden Day CoConvenor Robyn Lea observes, Brighton is becoming a shining example of the gentle influence of gardens — places that nurture the eye, the body, and the community.
NGVWA Garden Day is, at heart, an act of generosity; of owners who open their gates, volunteers who give their time, and visitors whose tickets directly support the National Gallery of Victoria through the work of the NGV Women’s Association. Join us to celebrate the rise of edible gardens, the beauty of great design, and the joy of green space in our city. ■ LEARN MORE
THE LOCAL EDIT
Hill and Ridge Community Market4th October 2025
184 Arthurs Seat Road, Red Hill, VIC 3937
The Pink Train for BCNA at Mornington Tourist Railway - 4th October 2025
460 Moorooduc Highway, Mount Eliza, VIC 3930
The Lygon Street Market - 5th October 2025
Piazza Italia, Cnr Argyle Street and Lygon Street, Carlton, VIC 3053
Olivia’s Walk and Run for Wellness 2025 - 5th October 2025
145 Studley Road, Heidelberg, VIC 3084
Kimono - Until 5th October 2025
National Gallery of Victoria, 180 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC 3006
Melbourne Royal Show - Until 5th October 2025
Melbourne Showgrounds Gate, 5 Langs Road, Ascot Vale, VIC 3032
French Impressionism - Until 5th October 2025
National Gallery of Victoria, 180 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC 3006
Regional Farmers Market at Abbotsford Convent - 11th October 2025
1 St Heliers Street, Abbotsford, VIC 3067
Mornington Racecourse Market - 12 th October 2025
Mornington Racecourse, 320 Racecourse Road, Mornington, VIC 3931
Nike Melbourne Marathon Festival - 12 th October 2025 Melbourne, VIC
Treasures and Tastes at Trinity Market - 18th October 2025 177 Union Road, Surrey Hills, VIC 3127
Boroondara Farmers Market - 18th October 2025 484 Auburn Road, Hawthorn, VIC 3122
The Bloody Long Walk: Mornington - 19 th October 2025
Point Nepean Quarantine Station, Coleman Road, Portsea, VIC 3944
Melbourne Fringe Festival 2025 - Until 19 th October 2025
Various venues, Brunswick East, VIC 3057
Melbourne Build 2025 - 22nd October 2025
- 23rd October 2025
1 Convention Centre Place, South Wharf, VIC 3006
NGVWA Garden Day 2025 - 23rd October 2025 Brighton, VIC 3186
Mount Eliza Farmers' Market - 26th October 2025
Cnr Mt Eliza Way and Canadian Bay Road, Mount Eliza, VIC 3930
Mt Martha South Beach Market - 4th November 2025
466 Esplanade, Mount Martha, VIC 3934
McClelland Maker's Market - 22nd November 2025
390 McClelland Drive, Langwarrin, VIC 3910
East Malvern Food and Wine Festival - 23rd November 2025
148 Burke Road, Malvern East, VIC 3145
Tour de Cure - 23rd November 2025 - 26th November 2025
Victoria
Point Nepean Portsea Market - 30 th November 2025
Point Nepean Quarantine Station, Coleman Road, Portsea, VIC 3944
Westwood | Kawakubo - 7th December 2025 - 16th April 2026
National Gallery of Victoria, 180 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC 3006
Martin Grant Exhibition - Until January 2026
National Gallery of Victoria, 180 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC 3006
Making Good: Redesigning the EverydayUntil 1st Feburary 2025
National Gallery of Victoria, 180 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC 3006
You Are Here: Melbourne Memory-scapesUntil 6st Feburary 2025
110 Swanston Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000
MECCA X NGV Women in Design Commission 2025 - Until 1st April 2026
National Gallery of Victoria, 180 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC 3006
DEVELOPED BY DESIGNED BY GARDENS BY
This beautifully presented Edwardian home blends timeless character with modern comfort in Brighton’s coveted locale. Featuring four bedrooms plus study, dual master suites, open-plan kitchen and living, and seamless indoor-outdoor flow to a covered deck and gardens. Period details, hydronic heating, and ample parking complete this versatile family residence. ■
SUB PENTHOUSE / 649 VICTORIA STREET, ABBOTSFORD
A residence of rare scale and distinction, the Sub-Penthouse at Walmer offers 324sqm approx. of expansive internal living, complemented by a 206sqm approx. architecturally designed wraparound terrace that frames uninterrupted, north-facing views across Melbourne’s most picturesque parklands. With a private basement garage for four cars, this home sets a new benchmark in both convenience and prestige.
BLUFF STREET, HAWTHORN EAST
A 3-4 B 2-2.5 C 2
From $1,630,000
Discover the perfect blend of urban convenience and natural serenity just steps from Camberwell Junction. Designed by Cera Stribley, these meticulously crafted homes feature cutting-edge design and technology.
A 3-4 B 2-3.5 C 2-8
From $3,190,000
Society Armadale cements its place as an architectural piece for generations to come. A private sanctuary exuding style and unparalleled sophistication - at the forefront of design, materiality, amenity and state of the art technology.
DEVELOPED BY
JONATHAN SCOTT 0426 211 034 SALES BY
