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News.com.au
2 days ago
- Business
- News.com.au
Inside the state's best church conversion properties
They were once Houses of God – now they're home to a big spending elite seeking luxury living with a divine twist. A growing number of historic churches across NSW have undergone jaw-dropping makeovers into up-market homes with cathedral ceilings, stained-glass windows and alters turned into showpieces for big screen TVs. The former churches – many buildings that once housed large congregations before falling out of use – have become a magnet for developers cashing in on the city's hunger for character homes. It's a real estate resurrection powered by both shifting values and brutal economics. As congregations dwindle and church attendance drops across Australia, many religious institutions are left grappling with the rising cost of maintaining ageing buildings. Dozens of churches, particularly in regional NSW, have been quietly sold off over the past decade, attracting builders with bold visions and big budgets. Real estate agent Holly Newbigging of One Agency, who has sold church conversions, said buyers were drawn to many aspects of owning one. 'There's something truly special about them,' she said. 'The character, the history, the sense of space you simply can't recreate with a standard build. 'Homes like this offer a rare opportunity to own a piece of architectural history, transformed for modern living.' One of the most recent sales was one of two residences converted from the old Mill Hill church in Bondi Junction. The home sold for $4.25 million in February. A previous owner, Julie Phillips, told The Sunday Telegraph shortly before selling the home in 2021 that she had been 'intrigued' by the 'dramatic' style of the church-turned-home. She revealed that the home had a 'wonderful atmosphere' and that occasionally she would get people knocking on her door wondering when church proceedings would start. Out in Downside, just north of Wagga Wagga, an old Presbyterian Church remodelled into a modern five-bedroom, three-bathroom residence is now up for sale. Ms Newbigging said the home on Downside Rd was an 'exemplary blend' of past and present. 'The main living, dining, and kitchen area occupies what was once the Downside Presbyterian Church, built in 1937,' she said. 'Original brickwork and soaring ceilings have been beautifully preserved, creating a sense of space and grandeur.' The home is listed for $2.4 million, $1.7 million above the median house price in Wagga Wagga. MORE: Brutal reaction to 3D printed public housing In Waratah, a northwestern suburb of Newcastle, a church on Station St built in 1955 has been converted into a home, now up for sale. No price guide has been released but an automated valuation on estimated the home to be worth about $2.6 million. Once used by Uniting Church, the property comprises the church and hall next door. The former nave is now a living area which maintains its high cathedral ceilings and a centrepiece stained glass window. In Orange, a church at 1 Bathurst Rd that was operational for over 100 years is being offered as a potential conversion site. The church, which held its last service in 2018, is up for sale with McGrath Orange director Scott Petersen. 'I've had a huge amount of interest from far and wide,' Mr Petersen said. 'The recent DA approval opens up options such as a wine bar, cafe, restaurant or small events venue.' According to Churches Australia, it was the site of the declaration of Orange as a city in 1946. Returning to Sydney, a striking sandstone church on Mocur St in Woollahra remains one of the oldest churches to be converted into a residence. Built in 1877 by architect Benjamin Backhouse, the revamped gothic cathedral turned luxury house sold for a cool $4.8 million.
ABC News
25-06-2025
- General
- ABC News
Montana's house was gutted by an accidental fire. Then her landlord accused her of starting it
Montana Adams is still piecing her life together more than a year after a fire gutted her house. The mother of eight was asleep at her rental home in Macquarie Fields in south-west Sydney on May 28, 2024, when her fire alarm rang out in the middle of the night. "It was the piercing sound of the smoke alarm, then once I opened my door, I smelt the smoke," she recalled. Ms Adams scrambled to collect all eight children, including two with disabilities, before they piled onto the street in just their pyjamas and watched the house go up in flames. The two-storey home was gutted by the inferno, with family possessions melted. A Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) report determined the cause of the blaze was accidental and sparked by a power board in the living room. In the weeks following the incident, the family moved between various short-term accommodation homes while they found their bearings. "The kids just had their pyjamas, no shoes, nothing at all," Ms Adams said. There have been 158 house fires in NSW since the start of winter; three have been fatal. Ten days prior to the May 28 fire, a faulty air conditioning unit at the home suddenly caught alight in an unrelated incident. The blaze didn't cause any internal damage to the house, and FRNSW installed new smoke alarms after the home's alarms didn't sound. Ms Adams said she first contacted One Agency Macquarie Fields on December 6, 2023, asking for a handyman to investigate the house's air conditioning units after they appeared to trip the house's power and blow hot air. After the second fire on May 28, Ms Adams filed a claim through the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) alleging the agency had failed its obligations by not following through with repairs. In her claim, Ms Adams said she requested the real estate agency undertake an inspection of the house's electricity supply after the first fire. The 46-year-old requested the maximum of $15,000 in compensation from the landlord for both economic and non-economic losses. NCAT found the agency was in breach of not repairing the air conditioning units but that Ms Adams had not suffered compensable loss as a result of the first fire. It determined the cause of the second fire was not a result of landlord inaction, and the landlord was not fined. "That was something I could not prove and therefore it was dismissed," Ms Adams said. A spokesperson for One Agency Macquarie Fields said the second fire was "caused through [Ms Adam's] own negligence". "After being confirmed by the experts that they [sic] claims are incorrect, they now knock on the media's door," the spokesperson said. In a follow-up email, the spokesperson said the matter had been resolved at tribunal. "Our property manager at the time presented the Fire & Rescue Incident Report, which confirmed that the fire originated from a failure of a power board and a charger plugged into it," the spokesperson said. On September 23, 2024, One Agency Macquarie Fields filed a counter NCAT claim requesting $15,000 in compensation from Ms Adams, accusing her of starting the second fire, despite the cause of the fire being deemed accidental by FRNSW. A report filed by the agency to NCAT stated the landlord did not have home insurance or tenant insurance for the property. The claim was dismissed by NCAT before it could go to hearing. Despite being equipped with documentation and fire reports, Ms Adams said she felt like the NCAT tribunal process was weighed in the power of real estate agencies and landlords. Leo Patterson-Ross from the Tenants Union NSW said tenants had few rights during house fires or natural disasters. Under the state's tenancy act, real estate agents are not required to offer temporary accommodation to tenants if neither party is deemed to be at fault. If the property is uninhabitable, the tenancy agreement is typically terminated — meaning tenants won't pay rent. If the property is habitable but requires repairs, tenants can request a rent reduction. "Often you won't get alternative accommodation paid for, but you can use that rent reduction to fund some other accommodation," Mr Patterson-Ross said. "There is really a lack of support for people, particularly for recovering goods after a fire ... often you are left with very little." A spokesperson for One Agency Macquarie Fields said Ms Adams was offered a six-bedroom house as an alternative rental but that "she was not interested in the offer". Mr Patterson-Ross said it was crucial to keep records of conversations with the real estate agency or landlord if you intend to pursue the matter through the tribunal system. "Document every conversation you have, so if you are having a phone call, write down what you understood that phone call to be and send that to the agent or landlord so they have a record if there's a dispute later on." Ms Adams still drives past the Macquarie Fields home, which remains intact but taped off from the public. The NSW government introduced tougher reforms to the rental system in May, aimed at improving stability for the state's 2.3 million renters. But Ms Adams is concerned the system is still unfairly weighted in favour of landlords, who have more resources to pursue tenants through the tribunal system. "Not only did I feel powerless going to NCAT, but I had lost everything," she said.
Herald Sun
14-06-2025
- Business
- Herald Sun
Mildura real estate: Full list of sales, auction results for June 14 week
Mildura proved to be a hot market last week with 11 properties selling for a total value of $5.1 million. See the latest auction and sales results. Don't miss out on the headlines from Hyperlocal. Followed categories will be added to My News. A four-bedroom house in Mildura was the most expensive sale reported in Mildura last week. The property at 50 Henrys Run Drive sold for $832,500 by private sale. Only one property was sold via auction last week. data division Proptrack has reported 23 local auction and private sale results in the past seven days. Guide to reading auction and private sale results PI - Passed in PT - Sold by private treaty S - Sold at auction SA - Sold after auction SB - Sold before auction VB - Passed in on vendor bid W - Withdrawn from auction Auction and private sale results in Mildura Click on the address to know more. Haven 58 Old Hamilton Road, 4-bedroom house, SB, $785,000 Agency - Elders Real Estate - Horsham Merbein 3 Crosbie Place, 3-bedroom house, PT, UndisclosedAgency - One Agency Mildura - MILDURA 167 Commercial Street, 4-bedroom house, PT, $451,000 Agency - Area Specialist - Victoria Mildura 2 Allunga Court, 3-bedroom house, PT, UndisclosedAgency - Tierney Real Estate Mildura - MILDURA 3/19 Argyle Street, 2-bedroom unit, PT, Undisclosed Agency - Collie & Tierney - First National 41 Hutchinson Street, 3-bedroom house, PT, Undisclosed Agency - Tierney Real Estate Mildura - MILDURA 1/40 Cherry Avenue, 2-bedroom unit, PT, $262,500 Agency - Ray White - Mildura 1/9 Langtree Parade, 2-bedroom unit, PT, Undisclosed Agency - Collie & Tierney - First National 22 Hunter Street, 3-bedroom house, PT, $330,000 Agency - Barry Plant - Mildura 50 Henrys Run Drive, 4-bedroom house, PT, $832,500 Agency - Barry Plant - Mildura 465 Etiwanda Avenue, 3-bedroom house, PT, $354,000 Agency - One Agency Mildura - MILDURA 852 Fourteenth Street, 3-bedroom house, PT, $405,000 Agency - Ray White - Mildura 20 Melrose Drive, 3-bedroom house, PT, $468,800 Agency - Barry Plant - Mildura 16 Melrose Drive, 3-bedroom house, PT, $525,100 Agency - PRD Real Estate - Mildura 7 Dunning Drive, 3-bedroom house, PT, $596,700 Agency - Barry Plant - Mildura 4 Laguna Court, 4-bedroom house, PT, $695,000 Agency - Barry Plant - Mildura 1 Cedar Avenue, 2-bedroom house, PT, $332,500 Agency - Ray White - Mildura 2/35 Cureton Avenue, 2-bedroom house, PT, $325,000 Agency - One Agency Mildura - MILDURA Ouyen 31 Farrell Street, 3-bedroom house, PT, $178,000 Agency - Ray White - Mildura Red Cliffs 1 Jamieson Avenue, 5-bedroom house, PT, UndisclosedAgency - Collie & Tierney - First National 2 Ella-Mae Court, 3-bedroom house, PT, Undisclosed Agency - Collie & Tierney - First National 18 Joseph Court, 3-bedroom house, PT, Undisclosed Agency - One Agency Mildura - MILDURA Wentworth 167 Darling Street, 4-bedroom house, PT, Undisclosed Agency - Wentworth & District Real Estate Pty Ltd - WENTWORTH Track the value of your home today. Hyperlocal As we move into winter what can locals expect tomorrow? We have the latest word from the Weather Bureau. Hyperlocal As we move into winter what can locals expect tomorrow? We have the latest word from the Weather Bureau.
