Comedian Andy Lee has highlighted a preserved ship’s porthole from his multi‑million‑dollar Melbourne renovation as he continued to respond to critics of the project.
Lee, 44, and his partner Rebecca Harding, 35, have spent about two years restoring a 150‑year‑old derelict house by the Yarra River. In an Instagram post this week Lee shared photos of the build and wrote, “We’ve found a place for the porthole! ⚓️” He said the circular window was installed by a previous owner in 1939 as a nod to a career in shipping and that it originally sat on the back of the house, which is now the front as nearby streets developed.
In the images Lee appears beaming through the large porthole frame while Harding is shown laughing and pointing toward the installation. Lee said the couple always wanted to keep the feature and that it will greet them as they arrive home from the garage.
The property, known as Ravenswood, was purchased by Lee for about $8.5 million in 2021. The couple secured council approval for their development application in June 2023 and began a Block‑style rebuild later that year. The holding covers roughly 1,950 square metres and the restoration has been publicly estimated at about $5 million.
As Lee has shared architectural renders and progress updates, the scope of the project has drawn online criticism over its scale, including comments that the comedian had “lost touch with the common man.” Lee addressed the backlash on social media, explaining practical uses for the expanded site. He said the original house would be used partly as an office and that the plan includes a guest room on the ground floor and separate offices upstairs.
To reconcile heritage elements and modern needs, the architects proposed constructing a second building behind the original house and connecting the two with an underground tunnel. Lee described the new building, dubbed the “river house,” as to be clad in oxidised copper similar to the Statue of Liberty, which he said will give it a green‑blue tone intended to provide warmth and allow it to recede against the sky.
Planned amenities for the property include a home theatre, gym, swimming pool and what Lee has described as a “mega bedroom.” Lee and Harding said the scheme is designed to allow guests to visit while retaining private spaces.
The refurbishment has been presented by the couple through staged social posts and renderings; the work remains ongoing. Council approval and the continued public documentation of progress have framed much of the discussion around balancing heritage preservation with contemporary additions on the riverside site.