High society mother and daughter's legal war over Christmas Day access to a $11million seaside mansion's kitchen is ended by a judge - after the matriarch left a VERY pointed message inside the house
A mother and daughter from an exceedingly wealthy family are at loggerheads over the use of a kitchen on Christmas Day in their sprawling $11million mansion.
Toorak millionaire Celia Burrell first took her mother Janice Shelmerdine to court in July, claiming she had tried to sell the clifftop estate despite promising it to her.
The property on the Melbourne's Mornington Peninsula looks out over Shelly Beach in Portsea and boasts a main house, a three-level bungalow, grass tennis court and the use of a boat shed.
Ms Burrell was of the belief that the home would be hers upon the family matriarch's death after she agreed to pay out a sibling $4.5million for his share and secured the right to buy out her other brother's stake in the home.
But things took a nasty turn on November 21 when Mrs Shelmerdine locked her daughter out of the mansion dubbed 'Positano' and left her a passive-aggressive message - a copy of the book The Good Daughter's Guide.
In the Victorian Supreme Court last Friday, an application was heard over whether the mother or daughter should have access to the main house - with the kitchen a key focus - on Christmas Day.
Celia Burrell (right, with husband Will and her eldest daughter) is engaged in a bitter feud with her mother over the use of a kitchen in a $11 million mansion on Christmas Day
Ms Burrell, who owns the famed El Questro resort with her husband Will, first took her family matriarch to court after learning she had tried to sell the waterfront Portsea home
Mrs Burrell wants access to the main kitchen to cook for her large family because the mansion's separate multi-level bungalow lacks a 'proper kitchen'.
Additionally, she requested access to the main house bedrooms and bathroom.
Mrs Shelmerdine said she 'doesn't want' her daughter in the main house on December 25 - but will allow her to use the three-level bungalow.
The widowed family matriarch recently bought a $2million home in the area, and according to Mrs Burrell's affidavit, no longer lives in the Portsea home.
The dispute between the affluent pair began on November 21 when Mrs Burrell discovered the locks to the mansion had suddenly been changed.
She also discovered a very pointed message left by her mother.
'A book entitled The Good Daughter's Guide had been placed on the spare bed next to the only door that had been left unlocked,' Mrs Burrell said in her affidavit.
Justice Steven Moore granted Mrs Burrell's request and ruled she will be allowed to use the main house for food preparation only (pictured are the views from the $11million home)
Mrs Burrell is adamant she had a longstanding agreement in place to use the entire property, and claims to have spent close to $1million over the past two decades on repeated renovations.
'At the bungalow I have one small microwave, one small plug-in electric hotplate/cooker, one small plug-in oven (approximately 30cm and only big enough to heat a pie) and one outdoor BBQ,' Mrs Burrell said in an affidavit.
Mrs Shelmerdine's lawyer, Jack Rush QC, told the court it's not hard to determine there has been an 'absolute breakdown' in the relationship between the mother and daughter over the course of the past year.
'For the daughter to say she intends to use the bedrooms in the house and the kitchen "as my own", we say is close to preposterous in the circumstances,' he said.
He added that people should not be expected 'to share' the same house and facilities after such a breakdown, and claimed his client planned to use the property over summer.
Shelly Beach (pictured above) is a key attraction for many visitors to Victoria's Mornington Peninsula (stock image)
But Justice Steven Moore granted Mrs Burrell's request and ruled she will be allowed to use the main house for food preparation only, between the hours of 7am to 10pm daily until February 26 next year.
Justice Moore did not grant Mrs Burrell access to the toilet in the main house.
'In circumstances where the defendant has moved out of Positano, it is vacant, it is difficult in my assessment to justify why the plaintiff should be precluded from accessing the kitchen in the main house over the coming summer period while she and her family are staying in the bungalow,' he said.
Mrs Burrell and her husband Will are the owners of the famed El Questro Resort in the Kimberley region of Western Australia.
The pair bought out the cattle station in 1991 and transformed it into a wilderness park destination.
They share four children together, with Mr Burrell regularly showing off the family's luxury lifestyle on his personal Instagram account with snaps of overseas holidays, lavish yacht rides, horse riding and hunting trips.
Mrs Burrell and her husband Will are the owners of the famed El Questro Resort in the Kimberley region of Western Australia