Neighbours feared the Swifts mansion might turn into a noisy party venue and so it came to pass that the famous Sydney property hosted the celebrity wedding of the year.
Radio shock jock Kyle Sandilands and long-time partner Tegan Kynaston married on Saturday at the renowned heritage-listed Victorian Gothic Revival mansion located in the exclusive Eastern Suburbs locale of Darling Point.
The original home was completed in 1877 and was extensively renovated in 1997.
By most estimates it is worth north of $100m, to be one of the most valuable homes in Australia.
MORE: Buyers divided over ‘ninja hide-out’
‘Lambo guy’ pays record $39m for epic penthouse
Houso with 3 homes reveals big mistake regular buyers make
Last year Swifts mansion owner Dr Shane Moran, of the Moran aged care empire, signalled plans to rent out the celebrated venue for top-end events in order to help pay for the maintenance of the home and its grounds, which likely runs into the millions of dollars annually.
It’s one of the few Sydney grand Victorian mansions still used as a family home.
Radio star Sandilands’ wedding bill came in at around $1m, a significant portion of which surely went towards hiring the venue.
Guests included Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, NSW Premier Chris Minns, Jeff and Suzee Fenech, Guy Sebastian, pop star Samantha Jade and Kings Cross identity John Ibrahim, ex-NRL star Beau Ryan and Karl Stefanovic and Jasmine Yarbrough.
The event continued a tradition of almost 150 years of top end socialite shindigs at the home, which was originally built by beer baron Sir Robert Lucas Lucas-Tooth in 1882 and at one stage was owned by the Roman Catholic Church.
MORE: Inside the NRL’s slickest homes
So indulgent was the original build, the home has over 50 rooms and is said to have at one stage boasted an opium den.
“There are so many interesting rooms. There is a smoking room and the remains of an old opium den, which traces back to when opium was legal,” Dr Moran said.
The opium den is a type of sitting room and is known as the Moorish Smoking Room or the Moroccan room, where the depressant drug would have been smoked many years ago.
According to reports, aspects of the room at times remained shrouded in secrecy and the hand painted decor in the room was rediscovered during the home’s renovation. It features detailed Oriental exoticism in its designs and chattels from that part of the world. It is believed to be the only room of its kind in Australia.
There is no suggestion opium was consumed by anyone attending the Sandilands wedding.
Sitting on 1.35Ha, a tennis court and an eight car garage were part of the most recent improvement.
The home has occasionally hosted open days, where the average Sydneysider could visit the mansion and bask in its grandeur.
Dr Moran said the Camelot-like towers and turrets that make up the exterior were restored to their original 1870s design.
“The property is very similar to Government House in many respects. The original brief for building it, in fact, was to build a house with a ballroom bigger than the governor’s,” Dr Moran told The Wentworth Courier in a 2016 interview.
Inside the home is more reflective of Downton Abbey than Camelot and it is easy to imagine the British aristocracy milling in the library, preparing for festivities in the ballroom or simply greeting guests in the lavish foyer.
MORE: Inside the AFL’s slickest homes
“The property is very similar to Government House in many respects. The original brief for building it, in fact, was to build a house with a ballroom bigger than the governor’s,” Dr Moran said.
Today the Morans have the home set up in a similar fashion. A long table in the formal dining room is dotted with silver candlestick holders while its surrounds include period pieces, ornate clocks and a buffet table set with silverware.
MORE: Crypto Kings’ staggering wealth revealed
Rabbitohs stars splurges on new luxury home
Packer throws down the gauntlet in battle of the penthouses
He said it was hard to know just how many bedrooms the property had, because the rooms could be used for any purposes (officially it has 56 rooms). The original staff quarters were broken up into small rooms.
“We kept the 1870s layout, which split the home into a male and female side. The male side features lots of wood and there’s a billiard room. The female side is brighter.”
Dr Moran said many people he had spoken to about the home have shared their gratitude that the family has taken the time and money to restore the home. However there are the occasional passers-by who have expressed their envy.
“I’d like to think people aren’t envious,” he said.
“Some people would think we’re crazy taking on a challenge like this. No (financial) support comes from heritage or the government as it does in a lot of countries. We feel it is important to maintain the home for future generations.
“The whole house was built as a home and it’s wonderful to be able to continue using it as a home,” he said.
Originally published as Inside the $100m+ mansion where Kyle Sandilands’ wedding was held
Read related topics:SydneyncG1vNJzZmivp6x7r7HWrGWcp51jrrZ7xaKlmqaTmnyzscClZJ6rpJbBpnvSspunnaliu7TDjqKlrKGUmnq1tMRmaGlonWK6orrSoqanZaedsrOxjKSwpZ1dqK6vsMilmKeco2LEprDDoqWgZaeWwG60xKWbaKaVrMBuv9OoqbJnkWqyo3zCaXBtaWNqhnN%2Bwp5vmm1ga4ClhJZtbGudZ24%3D