TAOIST master Laozi once said the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.
After arriving on a hot day at the end of Point Walter Drive, I climb the steep driveway to begin my own journey into this vast Bicton mansion.
Electronic gates are emblazoned with an artistic snake feature. An odd touch, I think, but it’s a mere taste of the far-Eastern influence that echoes throughout this otherwise modern house. As I cross the arched timber bridge at the entrance, I gaze down at the enormous stone yin-yang mosaic in the driveway and half-expect a butler in a tux to bring me a fruity cocktail.
“We’ll start from the top floor,” says the vendor, leading me to the enormous main suite, which takes full advantage of the jaw-dropping, panoramic views. Circular and arched feature windows gaze across the river north and west.
“We are on the edge of the reserve: nobody can build from here onwards,” the vendor proclaims, gesturing proudly to the glass fence that surrounds his sparkling pool. We both stare placidly out at the no-man’s land before us: the eucalypts of Point Walter reserve, the cliffs of Blackwall Reach, the river, Freshwater Bay yacht club, and Perth in the far distance. I am filled with a sense of calm.
We take a small elevator — that accesses all three floors — to the open-plan living area. This incorporates an office “nook”, a beech-panelled kitchen with granite benchtop, and a few spacious lounge and dining areas that open onto the curving pool and that $7 million view.
The opulence of this house — six bedrooms, five marble bathrooms, two timber-panelled kitchens — is offset by tasteful ties to the landscape, with a balance of cool grey paint and warm panelling reflecting the tones of the coastal scrub that surrounds it.
What garden it has is either paved or decked, with a few pot plants and hedges dotted around. It all makes for easy maintenance and low water use. The outdoor area is designed for lounging and al fresco dining: if you’re wanting to burn off some mojitos, hop across the road to the golf course, explore the walk trails of Point Walter reserve, or even the small unsealed trail that leads right to the river.
This house is of course perfect for a large family or those with guests and family always wanting to stay. Friends can stay in the pool-side “guest house”, which has a private en suite. Meanwhile you can put your own overgrown offspring in the self-contained apartment downstairs, complete with a kitchen of its own, and an enclosed zen courtyard visible through shoji-inspired windows.
There’s space for five cars and a cellar for 1000 bottles.
by JESSICA COCKERILL
127 Point Walter Road, Bicton
$7.5 million
Elain McCormack
0404 753 301
Mark Dimmock 0404 048 277
William Porteous Properties International
