Exclusive: Luxury penthouse breaks Melbourne sale record

A high-profile businessman has snapped up a plush penthouse for $30 million, smashing the previous record for the most expensive apartment sale.

Bucking the city’s real estate slump, the apartment’s sale price is 20 percent higher than the previous Melbourne record and equates to $40,0000 per square metre.

Located inside the soon-to-be redeveloped St Kilda Novotel Hotel, the 1000-square metre dwelling boasts sweeping views of the bay to the city skyline, seven bedrooms, two pools, a 10-car garage a gym and a cigar room.

Nine News understands the buyer is property industry figure, Antony Catalano.

Once built, Mr Catalano is set to enjoy the penthouse’s raft of impressive “gravity defying” features, include an internal pool, floating fireplace and a two-storey water feature.

Then there’s a spiral staircase that leads to every wine connoisseur’s dream: a 1,000 bottle, temperature-controlled wine cellar.

Melbourne property developer Gurner is behind the Novotel’s $580 million dollar makeover, which will see the block renamed “St Moritz” and involve its three towers being transformed into “ultra-luxurious” residences. The opening of the site is slated for 2022.

“It’s a really important time for St Kilda,” the developer’s synonymous founder, Tim Gurner, told 9News.

Gurner, 36, took out third place on last year’s Young Rich List, with a staggering fortune of $631 million.