Aussie comedian and one-half of the iconic Hamish and Andy duo, Andy Lee, has spent the past four years tackling his biggest project yet: the renovation of a dream home with his fiancée, Rebecca Harding.
This 150-year-old mansion is about to have a full re-vamp.
Since breaking ground in June 2023, the reno has been full steam ahead at Andy and Rebecca’s historic Ravenswood estate in Melbourne’s Hawthorn.
How much did Andy Lee buy Ravenswood for?
The couple snapped up the property back in 2021 for a cool $8.5 million and they’ve been busy ever since turning it into their dream home (with just a few tradie visits and paint swatches in between).
“Mum saw a story about the house on the news, she filmed it off the TV and sent it to me with the message, ‘I think I’ve found your new home’ as a joke,” Andy shared with The Australian Women’s Weekly in May 2024.
“We were out looking at another house, and sort of joked with one another, ‘Let’s drive past that weird place your mum showed us,’ and by chance it was open,” Rebecca added.
“We stepped inside and looked at one another like, ‘Whoa … ’ We both had the same feeling – that feeling people tell you about when they find the perfect property. Something just felt so right and we’d never had that feeling before.”
Where is the Ravenswood mansion?
The Ravenswood mansion is located at 18 Yarra Grove, Hawthorn, an inner-eastern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria.
The home sits on a generous 950-square-metre block with frontage along the Yarra River.
Where is Andy Lee’s renovation up to?
Since starting the reno, Andy and Rebecca’s crew have been hard at work stripping the historic home back to its bones, as well as laying concrete foundations that will support a second building.
The new wing is set to be an entertainer’s heaven, with a golf simulator, home theatre, gym and a bar to top it all off.
Out the back, the crew have started laying the groundwork for an infinity pool that’ll take full advantage of the views of the Yarra River.
The renovation has been careful in restoring the mansion’s original features, matching historic details like intricate moldings and polished timber floors with fresh, modern finishes.
Currently, as of July 2025, the tiles are about to go on the roof and the internal walls are up in the heritage house.
Keep an eye out on the Ravenswood Instagram here for regular updates and photos.
What is the history of Ravenswood?
Built in 1876 for a ship’s chandler, Alexander Tough, this manor is a treasured part of Melbourne’s history and was officially protected in 2018 as part of the ‘Rookery’ heritage precinct.
The heritage precinct is in Hawthorn and is renowned for its collection of Victorian-era mansions and villas.
