Toorak, with its old money, Victorian families and rows of palatial mansions, may well be the undisputed epicenter of Melbourne’s high society.
But Portsea and Sorrento, two sun-drenched seaside suburbs at the tip of the Mornington Peninsula, are fast eclipsing it as an enclave for the ritzy ‘in’ crowd.
They are refreshingly free of chaos and congestion while still within a luxury drive from the city, and have been Melbourne’s answer to the Hamptons.
Portsea Polo On Point Nepean’s annual event is an unmissable fixture on the social calendar, with Melbourne’s wealthiest families raising charitable amounts while mingling with socialites, celebrities and titans of industry.
And with views to die for from the secluded, secluded blocks, the area’s homes are a summer retreat for Australia’s wealthiest, privacy-obsessed and well-connected families – and, increasingly, the playground for the young, hot and rich.
So we talk to our society’s spies to find out who’s who in the so-called ‘Portsea and Sorrento Set’. Some of the names will be familiar, but others may be a surprise…
Not surprisingly, some of Melbourne’s most elite socialites live in the seaside suburbs of Portsea and Sorrento. (Pictured: Chris and Rebecca Judd)

Comedian Andy Lee and his model fiancée Rebecca Harding (pictured) are also big names
Leading the pack are Rebecca and Chris Judd who are often seen attending A-list events at the prestigious Portsea Polo.
The couple, who live in a stunning $7.3 million mansion in Brighton, are revered on Melbourne’s social scene and are also fixtures on the Mornington Peninsula.
Next comes the comedian Andy Lee and his model fiancee Rebecca Hardingwho are regular customers in the best restaurants and boutiques in the area.
They live in the posh seaside suburb of St Andrews Beach and are often seen in Portsea.
Andy has also opened a pop-up for his portable food business, Dimmies e Tinnies, at the Sorrento General Store.
glamor couple Nick and Rozalia Russianthat have a bustling and nocturnal place Bar Bambi, also made the list, in part due to its reliable presence at the annual polo.
They join the ultra-private cricket couple Ricky Ponting and his wife Rianna, who bought a luxurious $3.5 million home near the famous Portsea Hotel in 2019.
They also own a $20 million six-bedroom stack in Toorak, bought just before unloading an even larger mansion on Brighton’s Golden Mile for $16 million.
Their three-bed Portsea is developed on a 1,068 sq m plot near Fishermans Beach, and includes a swimming pool, full-size tennis court and private lane access to the secluded sandy strip.

Glamorous couple Nick and Rozalia Russian (pictured), who own late night bar Bambi, also made the list and are regulars at the exclusive Portsea Polo

Australian Cricketing Great Ricky Ponting and his wife Rianna (pictured) bought a $3.5 million luxury home in the beach suburb of Portsea in 2019

Society Melbourne couple Nick and Camilla Speer (pictured) recently sold their Portsea Clifftop mansion, Rovina, for around $25 million

Influencer Brooke Hogan and her hotelier husband Myles Pitt (pictured) are a notable couple on the Portsea-Sorrento social scene

Brooke was an in-demand model before settling into Sorrento life (pictured in 2018)
Melbourne Society Couple Nick and Camilla Speer He also runs in the same circles, and recently sold his Portsea Clifftop mansion, Rovina, for approximately $25 million.
man of influence Brooke Hogan and her hotelier husband Myles Pitt They are a notable couple among the enclave’s elite.
Myles’ family owns the prestigious Sorrento Hotel near the suburb’s iconic Ferry pier and ferry, an A-list favourite.
Shane Warne’s ex-wife Simone Callahan And their children are also part of the peninsula’s social scene. The late cricket legend was Planning to build a $5 million mansion in Portsea before his sudden death in 2022.
Also making the list are Coco, Bella and Hannah FoxThe grandchildren of billionaire trucking magnate Lindsay Fox.
Antonio ‘The Cat’ Catalanothe domain CEO turned property magnate who owns Raes at Wategos in Byron Bay, and his wife Stephanie, They are also among Portsea’s elite.

Shane Warne’s ex-wife Simone Callahan (pictured) and their children are also part of the scene


Also making the list as Melbourne’s biggest elite are Coco (left), Bella and Hannah Fox (right), the grandchildren of billionaire tycoon Lindsay Fox

Antony ‘The Cat’ Catalano, a property magnate who owns Raes at Wategos in Byron Bay, and his wife Stefanie (both pictured) also occupy a lofty position at the top of Portsea’s social ladder

Founder of design and event agency Dot Dot Dash Shirin Pulitano (pictured) also works in the same circles

PR expert Lucy Nettlefold attended an event hosted by Andy Lee in Sorrento last weekend
Joining the list is brewery investor Grupa żywiec John Higginswho picked up the Ilyuka Spanish mission-style mansion for $26 million in 2011.
The Higgins Heritage home held the record for the neighborhood’s most expensive for a decade, but was dethroned by private equity boss Ben Gray’s purchase of the luxurious 1882 Westbank Clifftop Estate for $30 million in 2022.
Public relations expert Nettlefold and founder of design and events agency Dot Dot Dash Shirin Pulitano Also runs in the same circles and attended Andy’s hospitality event in Sorrento last weekend.
The Diagues, the McIntoshs, the Becks, the Littles and Knowles families Round out the elite Melbourne clans who prefer Portsea to the big city.
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