Sydney's Moran family takes the prize as National Trust offloads Juniper Hall for $4.5 million

By Jonathan Chancellor
Wednesday, 26 September 2012

The NSW National Trust has secured a $4,551,000 sale of Paddington's Juniper Hall to the well-known Moran healthcare family, who own a portfolio of heritage properties.

They plan to turn the historic Oxford Street premises into an art gallery.

"We are delighted that Juniper Hall will be restored by the Moran family, a family who have a dedicated passion for heritage and the arts,'' Brian Scarsbrick CEO of the National Trust of Australia (NSW) said.

"Their track record for restoring heritage properties is impeccable," The Wentworth Courier reported.

Family matriarch Greta Moran is a distant relative of Sarah Cooper, who was the wife of the entrepreneur Robert Cooper, who built the two-storey Georgian house Juniper Hall.

The Oxford Street premises dates back to 1824, believed to be the oldest surviving mansion from the days of Governor Lachlan Macquarie.

The Moran family are renowned for restoring historic homes across Sydney, including Redleaf in Wahroonga, Blandford in Leura, the Gothic home Swifts at Darling Point and the more contemporary Liner House in Bridge Street, Sydney.

The family intend to turn the ground floor into a gallery to house the Moran Prizes, which are sponsored and administered by the Moran Arts Foundation.

The original four rooms on this level would be permanently opened to the general public. They are likely to have the first floor and attic converted into a private residence for one of the family members.

Local controversy surrounded the sale local residents petitioning to keep the National Trust property in public hands.

But the sale was of a 99-year leasehold title, with the family assuming the responsibility for its restoration.

“The marketing campaign succeeded in generating a significant response from a broad variety of uses,” said Tony Anderson of Cushman & Wakefield.

“As such, the property was the subject of competitive bidding and the price achieved represents fair market value,” he said.