The Rose Bay property market has a new headline-grabbing listing, with Sicilian-born Orazio Camuglia and his wife Yolanda placing their waterfront compound on the market for an eye-watering $85 million.
The sleek three-residence family compound sits on 1138 square meters of absolute waterfront land on Tivoli Avenue and boasts uninterrupted 180-degree views across Sydney Harbour, featuring seaplanes, regattas, and ocean liners as a constantly changing panorama.
According to Camuglia, the view was so captivating when they first moved in that the family hardly watched television for about six months, preferring instead to observe the daily activities on the harbour from their balcony.
From Coogee Castle to Rose Bay Haven
Camuglia, who arrived in Australia as a seven-year-old from the Sicilian hilltop town of Castiglione di Sicilia, is no stranger to creating architectural landmarks. He previously built the famous “Coogee Castle,” a striking concrete mansion with ocean views designed by his brother-in-law, architect Renato D’Ettorre.
After selling that property to advertising mogul John Singleton in 2003 for $8.2 million (later purchased by crypto entrepreneur Fred Schebesta for $16.85 million in 2021), the Camuglias moved to Rose Bay with a vision for multigenerational living.
A Family Compound by the Harbour
What began as a duplex in 2004 has been transformed into an interconnected three-residence compound where Camuglia’s two sons and their families have lived alongside the couple, each with their own private space.
The property now features eight bedrooms, ten bathrooms, parking for four cars, and is equipped with marine-grade materials chosen specifically to withstand the harbour’s salty conditions.
Mediterranean Touches in Rose Bay
Perhaps most remarkable is how Camuglia has created a slice of Sicily on Sydney Harbour. The grounds include a hillside orchard garden with olives, grapes, lemons, figs, blood oranges, and even prickly pear.
Camuglia explains that he designed the garden to reflect his father’s efforts in Sicily, where he had terraced a garden on the side of a mountain. This Mediterranean touch allows the family to enjoy homegrown produce, with Camuglia noting that the prickly pears can be made into marmalade and liqueur.
Record-Breaking Potential
If the $85 million asking price is achieved, it would shatter the Rose Bay record of $55 million set in February for a Dumaresq Road property. The record was previously held by recycled shopping bag businessman Frank Qiang Geng.
The Tivoli Avenue strip is one of the area’s most exclusive, with neighbouring Villa Florida (once owned by Barry Humphries) selling for $45 million in 2021 to insurance broker founder Jim Angelis, who is currently rebuilding the property.
Forbes Global Properties agents Hui Xu and Ken Jacobs are managing the sale, with Jacobs recently noting that top-end homes are well-positioned to weather market uncertainties following US President Donald Trump’s tariff regime.The Camuglias are planning to split their time between Sydney and Italy, saying their harbour-front home has become “too big to lock up and leave” as they enter a new chapter of their lives.
Published 16-April-2025
