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THE WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN, AUGUST 28-29, 2021 theaustralian.com.au/property
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AUSTRALIA
Martin Hamilton-Smith at his home in Stirling (main) and the kitchen, living area, exterior and part of the gardens
Country splendour restored AT HOME
A sympathetic renovation of an Adelaide Hills home has returned it to its 19th century glory RODERICK EIME From the cut and thrust of the elite military and South Australian state politics to the preservation of heritage properties, Martin Hamilton-Smith now finds solace in 19th century splendour. The comforts of a beautifully appointed, stately semi-rural home may seem incompatible with a man who has spent much of his life surviving in hostile environments. As both a highly trained SAS officer and a long-serving state politician, Hamilton-Smith has endured both theatres of conflict. Walking through the bright, airy expanses of St Ann’s in the forested surroundings of Stirling, the dress circle of the Adelaide Hills, it is clear that a meticulous eye has been cast over the decor and layout of this dignified residence. That eye belongs to HamiltonSmith’s partner, teacher Stavroula Raptis. The couple are well-known in property circles after the sale of their 1684sq m, century-old grand bluestone mansion at Mitcham, which fetched $3.75m in 2014 and was billed as the most expensive home in Adelaide at the time of sale. Much of the value of that imposing manor, in the heart of
the electorate that HamiltonSmith represented for 20 years, was thanks to the meticulous, sympathetic restoration conducted by the couple, who found the property in a less than ideal state 10 years earlier. Looking to downsize from the estate that boasted a swimming pool, tennis court, three levels and five bathrooms, Raptis spotted Victorian-era St Ann’s for sale in 2015 and instantly saw the potential. “What struck me immediately was that the house had great ‘bones’,” Raptis says. “All that was needed was cosmetic. I mean, this room (the formal sitting room) was blue sponged, which was the trend in the early 80s. Other rooms were yellow and pink with friezes.” Hamilton-Smith adds: “We also removed several non-original features like art-deco arches and skylights that dated to the 60s and 70s and replaced them with those more indicative of the period. “For these renovations we worked with painter and decorator Steve Rylands, along with Rob Rollison of Reinstate Building Services. “They weren’t cheap, but they were the best and worth every penny.”
“And we gutted both the kitchen and the bathroom, which had been renovated and renovated again over the years,” Raptis says. The thoroughly refreshed 350sq m now play host to the couple’s impressive collection of antique furniture and period decorations. Along with the installation of a large cast-iron, wood-fired (but non-functioning) stove as a feature element, an elaborately carved wooden bar was found in the downstairs informal entertaining area. This turned out to be quite the discovery. Upon consulting their carpenter and specialist builder Jon Bingham, it was revealed that this incongruous fit-out was, in all likelihood, an 18th century pulpit imported into the country 100 years earlier. Its original purpose, whether to serve in a church or just as a salvaged item, remains a mystery. Either way, it now takes pride of place in the Hamilton-Smith
household as a functional ornate kitchen island. While one of the attractions of St Ann’s was the ability to live on a single level, its 14 rooms include a usable space under the house, now a rumpus, TV and relaxation area. A wall-sized portrait of Marilyn Monroe looks across the room to an impressive display of Hamilton-Smith’s military memorabilia. The massive 4600sq m block came without such superfluous accoutrements as a swimming pool and tennis court, but did include a substantial garden, which required attention of its own. “I really wanted to simplify the garden and pare it down, as well as give it some formality,” Raptis says. “In particular, to complement these beautiful hybrid rhododendrons.” The result is an exquisite reworking of the plants, flowers and shrubs that creates a more harmonious landscape perfectly in keeping with this distinguished country home now returned to its former glory.
Abandoned but not forgotten: trashed Mosman mansion a TikTok sensation JOSEPH LAM
It’s no secret that despite Sydney being home to some of the nation’s most expensive homes, some properties in the city are the least well kept. Despite not being in tip-top shape, one-bedroom properties with holes in the roof have been known to sell for as much as $1.62m in the city’s inner west. Meanwhile, rusted-out weatherboard homes in Cronulla have gone for $2.7m. Lesser known and recently rising in interest are the nation’s mansions, with some abandoned waterfront properties worth almost as much as five run-down inner-west homes. These huge abandoned dwellings, from Sydney to the central coast and even Melbourne, have been the target recently of TikTok enthusiasts, who are keen to uncover how they have fared long after losing their inhabitants. The hashtag #abandonedaustralia has more than 4.7 million views on TikTok, while #abandonedmansion has well over 6.3 billion. One home that has caught the attention of many is Morella. Along an 800m stretch in the Sydney suburb of Mosman, where the median house price is $4.56m
The abandoned house in Morella Rd, Mosman and the average rent is $1700 a week, the five-bedroom waterfront mansion has sat empty for decades. Designed by Eric Nicholls of Burley Griffin and built in 1939, Morella is rumoured to have hosted parties for some of the city’s elite. The site it sits upon was purchased by Leo Parer, a co-founder of Stanford X-Ray Co, in 1936 for £500. After he and wife Helena died, the property was handed to their son Anthony. Anthony Parer lived in the property with his livein carer, Chew Ho Hong, until he died aged 84 in 2015. Just a stone’s throw from Clif-
ton Gardens reserve, wharf and beach, Morella was hot property when it went up for sale in 2016. “Unmatched in both location and outlook, the property looks down onto idyllic Clifton Gardens Beach and Chowder Bay while also gazing over the harbour itself to the eastern suburbs and out to the Pacific Ocean,” read property notes. Ms Ho Hong was the vendor, according to property searches. Today, it sits empty, missing much of the roof, covered in graffiti and trashed. While the property had caught the attention of adventure-seeking TikTokers, it was hardly livea-
Balmoral on offer
TROPHY HOMES AROUND THE NATION LISA ALLEN
One of the most significant homes in the NSW Central West, “Balmoral”, has hit the market with a price guide of $1.45m$1.55m. Built in 1890, on a 2023sq m site fronting 41 Hill St, Parkes, Balmoral has been held by the same family for 70 years. It is being sold by Ed Frecklington, the depot manager of fuel distributor Oilsplus who plans to downsize. Balmoral was built in the 1890s after miner William Haselhurst discovered gold in Parkes at his Phoenix mine. It is being marketed by McGrath Estate Agents’ Matthew Gale. The design includes wide verandas, high ceilings, stained glass windows, Italian marble,
Balmoral in Parkes, NSW cast-iron lacework and a grand timber staircase. Thomas Frecklington bought the sevenbedroom Balmoral around 1950 and it has stayed in the family ever since.
Rugby stars’ offloads Former rugby union footballer Tim Horan and wife Katrina have listed their Gordon St,
ble, said north shore real estate agent Geoff Smith of Ray White, who sold the property to Edward Wei in 2016 for $6.6m. “I wouldn’t suggest that anyone goes into the property because it’s quite dangerous,” he said. Mr Wei, a former architecture student of the University of NSW, reportedly left for China upon graduation. Mosman Council, which has for years received complaints from frustrated locals about the state of property, received a development application three years after it was bought from a company associated with Mr Wei, Zobon Australia. The plans, reported by Sydney’s Daily Telegraph, included partly demolishing the property to make way for a swimming pool and spa, rumpus room, bar and cellar. “The existing building is now 80 years old and in ruinous condition (which) arises from a complete absence of maintenance and repair actions for almost 50 years when under the ownership of the Parer family,” the plans said. But late last year the plans were knocked back by the Land and Environment Court on the grounds that the property is heritage-listed. Mr Smith said the real issue with Morella was developing it. “People love the position of (the property) – but the challenge was dealing with the DA,” he said.
Hawthorne residence through Ray White New Farm agent Matt Lancashire. The five-bedroom property overlooking the Brisbane River has an auction date of September 10. Meanwhile, ex-Wallaby Stephen Moore has listed his opulent Queenslander that was built at the turn of the century. The 1600sq m estate has seven bedrooms and is slated for auction through Ray White’s Cameron Crouch and Douglas May on September 15. Molonga features automatic gates, ducted and split system airconditioning as well as under-home parking for three vehicles and off-street parking for another two vehicles, as well as a ground-floor workshop with a powder room, and locking compound for tools.
Brighton | South Australia 1 Indra Tce
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598 sqm
RLA 226868