For five generations, the Buxton family has contributed to the growth of Melbourne through their real-estate and property development businesses. They have left their mark in every epoch, from the magnificence of Rochester Terrace to the elegance of 333 Collins Street, from inner-city developments in South Melbourne in the 19th century to Docklands in the 21st, and from eastern suburban projects to fully planned communities at University Hill and Merrifields.

The Buxtons are one of only a few families who were successful in the gold rush era and are still prominent today. They have survived and prospered through two world wars, two calamitous depressions, numerous recessions and any number of political and economic crises.

In The Buxtons Peter Yule brings their story to life, tracing how this one family left a distinctive mark on Melbourne's landscape.