Many historic mansions can be found in South Yarra.
Heritage registered houses include Como House (1847), one of Melbourne's earliest mansions on its large estate on Williams Road, now owned by the National Trust and known for its long association with the Armytage family, Richmond House (1859), in Avoca Street, formerly home to Sir Rupert Clarke Bt, Barwon (1881) and Airlie House on Domain Road, once the townhouse of the Chirnside family of Werribee Park fame, which now serves as a leadership college for Victoria Police.

Other grand South Yarra houses include Wavendon, formerly home to film director Fred Schepisi, in Walsh Street, and Raveloe, in Domain Road, former home of Dame Mabel Brookes.
Domain Road, with its proximity to the Kings Domain, the Royal Botanic Gardens and Government House, is at the centre of the exclusive Domain precinct.
Fairbairn, built for the pastoralist Fairbairn family and the next-door property, Poolman House, on the corner of Domain Road and Punt Road, are among the largest mansions in South Yarra.
Poolman House, originally known as Ernest Poolman House, was built by stock and station agent Richard Goldsbrough in 1865 and extended in 1880.
Poolman House was owned by the Poolman family from 1921, who entertained grandly in the ballroom that they added in 1928.
In 1956 Mrs Audrey Poolman donated the house to Christ Church South Yarra, who used it as a nursing home for genteel old Anglican ladies for thirty years, until in 1986, the house was bought from the Church of England by  international interior designer the late John Coote, who restored Poolman House at vast expense.
Snainton at 80 Clowes Street, South Yarra, is a notable example of grand Federation architecture, as is its sister property at 72 Clowes Street, South Yarra, which sold for a notable $8.8 million in 2008.
Caroline House, a Victorian mansion with a tower at 72 Caroline Street, changed hands in 2014 by way of off market transaction for $12.5 million.
Caroline House was formerly home to Australia's foremost art dealer Joseph Brown who between 1966 and 1999 gifted 154 works of art valued at $30 million to the National Gallery of Victoria.

South Yarra also has some notable clusters of terrace house.
Park Street features rows of Melbourne's best preserved, richly decorated and highly sought-after Victorian terrace houses, some as high as three and four storeys.
Adjacent Leoopld Street has a highly original Victorian streetscape being lined on both sides by Victorian terraces built during the 1880s land boom.
Domain Road, Toorak Road West (overlooking Fawkner Park), Surrey Road as well as Darling and Caroline Streets are also known for their double-storey late 19th century terraces.

An important area for Art Deco enthusiasts can be found along Alexandra Avenue, Lawson Grove and Darling Street.
This area was subject to renewal in the 1920s and 1930s by entrepreneurial builder Mr Lawson, as a kind of medium-density village enclave development.
As a result, a large number of Art Deco apartment buildings were built in a Hollywood Hills style overlooking the Yarra River.
One of the most famous of these apartment buildings, "Beverly Hills", on Darling Street, retains the original 1930s grotto-style swimming pool for the use of all residents.
Nearby in Lawson Grove the Lawson Grove Café can be found on the ground floor of a 1930s Art Deco building.
It was originally intended to run as a convenience store for local residents, but is now a chic café for those in the know.

The Beverley Hills Apartment Block is a 1930s development in the Spanish Mission style.
Many historic mansions can be found in South Yarra. Heritage registered houses include Como House (1847), one of Melbourne's earliest mansions on its large estate on Williams Road, now owned by the National Trust and known for its long association with the Armytage family, Richmond House (1859), in Avoca Street, formerly home to Sir Rupert Clarke Bt, Barwon (1881) and Airlie House on Domain Road, once the townhouse of the Chirnside family of Werribee Park fame, which now serves as a leadership college for Victoria Police.
Other grand South Yarra houses include Wavendon, formerly home to film director Fred Schepisi, in Walsh Street, and Raveloe, in Domain Road, former home of Dame Mabel Brookes. Domain Road, with its proximity to the Kings Domain, the Royal Botanic Gardens and Government House, is at the centre of the exclusive Domain precinct. Fairbairn, built for the pastoralist Fairbairn family and the next-door property, Poolman House, on the corner of Domain Road and Punt Road, are among the largest mansions in South Yarra. Poolman House, originally known as Ernest Poolman House, was built by stock and station agent Richard Goldsbrough in 1865 and extended in 1880. Poolman House was owned by the Poolman family from 1921, who entertained grandly in the ballroom that they added in 1928. In 1956 Mrs Audrey Poolman donated the house to Christ Church South Yarra, who used it as a nursing home for genteel old Anglican ladies for thirty years, until in 1986, the house was bought from the Church of England by  international interior designer the late John Coote, who restored Poolman House at vast expense. Snainton at 80 Clowes Street, South Yarra, is a notable example of grand Federation architecture, as is its sister property at 72 Clowes Street, South Yarra, which sold for a notable $8.8 million in 2008. Caroline House, a Victorian mansion with a tower at 72 Caroline Street, changed hands in 2014 by way of off market transaction for $12.5 million. Caroline House was formerly home to Australia's foremost art dealer Joseph Brown who between 1966 and 1999 gifted 154 works of art valued at $30 million to the National Gallery of Victoria.
South Yarra also has some notable clusters of terrace house. Park Street features rows of Melbourne's best preserved, richly decorated and highly sought-after Victorian terrace houses, some as high as three and four storeys. Adjacent Leoopld Street has a highly original Victorian streetscape being lined on both sides by Victorian terraces built during the 1880s land boom. Domain Road, Toorak Road West (overlooking Fawkner Park), Surrey Road as well as Darling and Caroline Streets are also known for their double-storey late 19th century terraces.
An important area for Art Deco enthusiasts can be found along Alexandra Avenue, Lawson Grove and Darling Street. This area was subject to renewal in the 1920s and 1930s by entrepreneurial builder Mr Lawson, as a kind of medium-density village enclave development. As a result, a large number of Art Deco apartment buildings were built in a Hollywood Hills style overlooking the Yarra River. One of the most famous of these apartment buildings, "Beverly Hills", on Darling Street, retains the original 1930s grotto-style swimming pool for the use of all residents. Nearby in Lawson Grove the Lawson Grove Café can be found on the ground floor of a 1930s Art Deco building. It was originally intended to run as a convenience store for local residents, but is now a chic café for those in the know.
The Beverley Hills Apartment Block is a 1930s development in the Spanish Mission style.
South Yarra, Victoria