Mohonga, South Yarra "Underbelly" trophy home sells

The Mohonga mansion in South Yarra has been sold, but without price disclosure. It was the longtime home of the late Peter Rand, the highly eccentric millionaire property investor.

Court hearings in the Victorian Supreme Court were underway earlier this year regarding the estate, the latest chapter in the litigious history of the estate of Peter Thomas Evan Rand, now in its 15th year. He was the son of the late Sir Thomas Rand and the South Yarra property's name is derived from pastoralist relative, Robert Rand's Mohonga station in regional NSW.

Peter Rand owned and operated brothels and court records suggest he preferred to minimise, even avoid, his obligations to pay tax.

Officially Rand left an estate declared in the probate application at $19 million, comprising mostly Victorian real estate.

The seven-bedroom Domain Road property built in the 1920s by architect Irwin Stephenson was the city abode - owned by Rand since the 1960s.

Situated on 1,058 square metres, the property features five bathrooms, two kitchens, several living rooms and an upstairs terrace with views to Richmond.

In 1993, Rand made the news by paying almost $700,00 for the property next door to cut down a tree that was blocking his own house’s view.

The South Yarra property was listed through Carla Fetter of Jellis Craig Bennison Mackinnon Armadale.

Mohonga was part of a $50 million property portfolio which also included the Sisters estate in Sorrento which sold to the Shelmerdine family for $19 million in 2008.

There was an older-style 42 apartment complex that fetched $11 million on Power Street, Hawthorn in 2008.

Numerous specific devises and bequests were made by the will with the residue held on trust principally for, as to income for life, Douglas Claiborne and Michael Aquilina, each of whom had an intimate personal relationship with Rand.

Mr Aquilina lived with Rand in South Yarra. Mr Claiborne, who abused drugs and could not responsibly look after money and property, then lived in Hawaii, according to a 2012 court judgement by Justice Dixon after issues arose with apartments in Hawaii and Thailand.

Rand outlaid $1.189 million purchasing the five Hawaiian apartments. Three of these apartments were in Aloha Towers, the other apartments were in Aloha Lani and at 444 Nahua Street, Honolulu. Rand also acquired two condominiums in the Jomthien Complex Condotel in Thailand.

Mark "Chopper" Read in his autobiography wrote that if Melbourne ever had a true Mr Big of crime, of vice at any rate, then Peter Rand deserved the championship belt. He wrote somewhat colourfully that Mohonga was "fortress like."

Title Tattle reckons standby for an Underbelly mini series.

Interestingly the patsoralist Robert Rand was a character too. Many stories are told of his ability to handle cattle, and it is said on one occasion he astonished drovers who came to take delivery of a mob of fat cattle by insisting on doing the cutting-out himself at the various cattle camps, and he did it without either stockwhip or dog, merely walking his horse through the mob.

Then there was a report that an alleged son of the Robert Rand made a claim on "the great property of the deceased" in 1895.

Rand had resided at Mohonga in the Urana district for about 46 years having taken up the property in 1849. Rand, who had landed in the colonies from Hadleigh, Suffolk as a mere boy, was known at Albury as a bacholor. He died aged 75 years intestate, the only attempt at a will in 1852, but never signed. The reported total value which included Mohonga and Urangeliue stations was about £500,000. The claimant stated the deceased had married before leaving England that he separated from his wife, but there was issue by the marriage.

But Australian News suggested that the claim he was married before arriving in Australia was the height of absurdity. And nor did the deceased ever return to England after coming to Australia. Too busy building his sheep numbers up to 290,000 presumably.