First published 13 Sep 2026, 9:12pm
The Block has moved to the coast for its 22nd season, with contestants taking on five brand new homes in Victoria's stunning Mornington Peninsula.
Mount Eliza, an affluent suburb around an hour from the Melbourne CBD, is known for its stunning coastline and multimillion dollar homes.
But in a softening property market, the stakes are high and contestants are being urged to consider their buyer pool if they want a good result come auction day.
This is the official order for the season:
This year, expensive finishes alone will not be enough to impress buyers, with the five teams told to embrace “quiet luxury".
Read more: Every room reveal from The Block Mount Eliza
Winning $50,000 off their reserve price, Rick and Tayla’s efforts garnered considerable praise, with Darren describing the steps set at the perfect distance and the colour scheme against the stone as “yum, yum, yum.”
The expanse of turf was a win for Dave, while a water feature and topiary tree was applauded.
“How beautiful is this? We've never seen anything like this on The Block ever,” Shaynna said.
“It's so clever, and the simplicity of the architectural details here sells the dream.”
Shaynna commented the space might be the only one the father and daughter had fully finished in the course of the series.
“This front facade and that whole entrance from the street through here is absolutely knocked it out of the ballpark,” Darren said.
More plants to shield the pool and create privacy was needed, with Shaynna likening it to being in a fishbowl.
Moody walls, solar batteries, and a car wash station in the garage were praised, but it was the wine storage that garnered the biggest applause, with Darren comparing it to an installation in an art gallery.
“Buyers value the entry and exit experience, and this packs such a punch because it burns in buyers' minds. They walk out of here, and they will not forget this wall,” Marty said.
There were no faults in the courtyard with the space’s arbour and styling deemed magazine cover worthy.
Winning the week by a mere quarter of a point after playing their bonus gnome point, Adam and Jolene’s efforts were mostly praised despite Shaynna criticising the dining table placement which blocked the view.
But the kitchen area was a massive hit with Marty loving the spotted gum decking and the amenity it offered.
“Like the data shows that outdoor entertaining in this area is extremely important - one of the major things that helps sell the house is because it sells the dream,” Darren said.
Marty said the kitchen “exceeds the market” with no other home for sale nearby with “an outdoor kitchen as good as this.”
Securing three perfect scores for their efforts, Courtney and Sev’s kid’s bedroom was applauded for its perfect execution of colours.
Darren noted the space could “age up with its occupants” as there was nothing childish about the room apart from the way that it had been styled.
“You could put a king bed in the centre with really good size bedsides, and this is an amazing adult room,” Marty said.
The addition of a fireplace and a mirror as part of the living room’s redo were hits.
“This is perfect…I just want to sit down because I am at home, wow,” Marty said.
With perfect scores from Marty and Shaynna, Darren said he was besotted with every single decision the team made.
“This is hands down my favourite room thus far on The Block,” he said.
Timber cabinetry with shelves concealing a television and a kitchenette were highly praised.
“The feeling of being able to sit in here with this level of luxury, this level of finish, then imagine that open once that’s finished with the landscaping- it's like atrium-like. It's going to have such a different feel to the first three houses,” Marty said.
The laundry with its large sink, a big tumble dryer, a simple palette and beautiful layout featured all the amenity you could need, Marty said.
Scoring a perfect ten from Marty, and a 9.5 each from Darren and Shaynna, saw Adam and Jolene take out the win after playing their gnome point.
House 1's winning kitchen. Picture: Channel 9/9Now
Dubbing the space as spectacular, Darren noted: “It's so beautifully cohesive, and it feels so natural. Like every single colour I see in here, I see out there.”
A sprawling island bench sans a sink meant it commanded attention, Marty noted.
“Looking at the layout, it's probably one of the best kitchens I've ever seen,” he said.
Adam and Jolene spent $25,281.82 on their winning kitchen. Picture: Channel 9/9Now
A wine cabinet and wine area were hits, as well as the taps and door handles, which were described as “jewellery” by Darren Palmer.
The powder room was hailed by Darren as “probably one of the most beautiful finished rooms in this house.”
Scoring three ten out of tens for their room, Courtney and Sev’s efforts were praised as hard to fault by Marty.
“This is the first room today that I feel like I could live here,” Shaynna said.
Courtney and Sev spent $32,418.98 on their guest suite. Picture: Channel 9/9Now
The ensuite felt like it glistened, Shaynna noted, while Marty said the stone, beautiful tapware, and horizontal towel rails made for a room that had it all.
“I mean, this is a hero of the campaign. There's so many shots in here,” he said.
Courtney and Sev's winning guest suite. Picture: Channel 9/9Now
“There's such a beautiful sizzle to their campaign, and this will sing.”
The judges praised the girls for scale, luxury, amenity, a clever, moved doorway, self-contained design and polished ensuite.
It marks their third win of the series so far.
Taking out their first win for the season, the judges were impressed, with Marty noting it was “ticking a lot of boxes.”
Adam and Jolene spent $40,054.36 on their winning living, dining and terrace area. Picture: Channel 9/9Now
“I feel like they've come leaps and bounds. They've grown, but their texture and colour palette makes it feel so warm. It feels rich. It feels inviting,” Shaynna said.
“I feel like it’s the best room they’ve done, and I wouldn't have known it was Adam and Jolene if I hadn't been told, because they have grown so much.”
Adam and Jolene's winning living, dining and terrace space. Picture: Channel 9/9Now
The placement of the dining table drew some criticism with Darren noting if it were turned 90 degrees, more views would be on offer.
The father and daughter duo secured their first winning room reveal after playing their bonus point gnome to edge out House 2's Chantel and Wyatt by half a point.
Rick and Tayla's winning main ensuite. Picture: Channel 9/9Now
“I think using the same tile everywhere succeeds. It feels very coastal. It feels very beach. It looks like a landscape from above. I think it's really, really great,” Darren said.
Marty praised it as luxurious, classy and appropriate for the location.
The father-daughter duo played a bonus-point gnome for the win. Picture: Channel 9/9Now
“It's the Goldilocks of everything that we've seen today,” Darren said.
Winning their first room reveal of the season, Lisa and Rosco’s walk-in robe drew huge accolades.
“It absolutely ticks the description of quiet luxury, and it definitely feels coastal. So it's like tick, tick, tick, tick, tick,” Darren said.
Lisa and Rosco's winning main bedroom. Picture: Channel 9/9Now
A curve in the wall behind the bed was a hit for its homage to the nearby coastline.
The couple spent $28,560.50 on their main bedroom and walk-in wardrobe. Picture: Channel 9/9Now
“I think of the beach when I look at it,” Marty said, who praised the room’s minimalism and pops of colour and tones.
Marty said it was a space hard to fault until Shaynna noted there was no blackout blind or curtain.
Lisa and Rosco's House 3. Picture: Channel 9/9Now
“This very nearly, is perfect,” Darren said.
Taking out the win for the second week in a row, Courtney and Sev were awarded $250,000 worth of kitchen upgrades - which will make them hard to beat come Kitchen week.
Courtney and Sev won for a second straight week. Picture: Channel 9/9Now
“Look at this marble. Like that is a lot of money thrown into a powder room, and the curve in the wall, and all rendered beautifully,” Shaynna said.
In the bathroom, Darren loved the Velux and said there was a lot to love because the team had done a lot.
Their spend raised questions, with a cash spend of $53,272.33. Picture: Channel 9/9Now
“They've literally pulled everything out of their repertoire and thrown it in here, and it's landed perfectly,” he said.
Setting the benchmark so far for the season, Sev and Courtney’s ruched, suede style padded wall bedhead instantly impressed the judges.
“These guys are thinking outside of the box,” Shaynna said.
Courtney and Sev took out the win for their guest bedroom. Picture: Channel 9/9Now
“This is so different, and this is really engaging the senses,” Marty added.
The wall sconces, textured ceiling, a marbled ledge and attention to detail were all highly applauded.
“They're giving themselves work though, because if this is the quality of the guest bedroom, imagine the living, the main. This could go next level,” Marty said.
After winning week one - the house decider challenge - Courtney and Sev got first pick of the house they will renovate for the rest of the season. They chose House 4, swapping with Lisa and Rosco who've moved into House 3, while everyone else remained where they were.
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