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Berith Park, Wahroonga facts for kids

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Berith Park
(1)Berith Park-2.jpg
An undated photo of the house
General information
Status Complete
Type House
Architectural style Federation Queen Anne
Location 19 Billyard Avenue, Wahroonga, Upper North Shore, Sydney, New South Wales
Country Australia
Coordinates 33°43′07″S 151°07′24″E / 33.7186°S 151.1233°E / -33.7186; 151.1233
Completed c. 1909
Client Alfred Smith
Owner Karthika Gunalingam
Dimensions
Other dimensions
  • Tennis court
  • Swimming pool
  • Golf range and gym
Technical details
Floor count 1
Floor area 743 m2 (8,000 sq ft)
Grounds 7,583 m2 (2 acres)
Design and construction
Architect Francis Ernest Stowe
Other designers Annie Wilkes (garden)
Invalid designation
Official name: Berith Park
Type: Ku-ring-gai Council local heritage (built)
Designated: 4 November 1989
Type: House
Category: Residential buildings (private)

Berith Park is a beautiful old house located in Wahroonga. This is a suburb on the upper north shore of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The house was finished around 1909. It was built in a style called Federation Queen Anne. Berith Park is so special that it is listed on the local heritage register. This means it is an important historical building that needs to be protected.

History of Berith Park

Berith Park was designed by Francis Ernest Stowe. He designed it for Alfred Smith, who bought the land in 1897. The house was completed about 1909.

By 1914, Sir Arthur Rickard owned the house. He was the person who started the Dr Barnardos charity for children. Sir Arthur Rickard made many big changes to the property. He added tennis courts, a swimming pool, a ballroom, and even an ornamental lake. He also built a cricket oval and beautiful gardens.

Later, Alderman Stanley Crick bought the house. He was once the Lord Mayor of Sydney, which is like the main leader of the city. He also helped start Fox Studios. Berith Park was used a lot as a filming location for movies. Stanley Crick later began selling off parts of the large property.

In 1955, the Catholic Church bought the house. They used it as a home for the Dominican Fathers and then for the Dominican Sisters. The house was sold again in 1979, and more changes were made. In 2004, even more land was sold off from the property.

Vivian and Wendy King bought the house in 1990 for $5 million. They sold it in 2002 for $5.59 million. In December 2016, Warwick and Karen White sold the house to Karthika Gunalingam. She is a corporate lawyer, and she bought it for more than $11 million.

What Does Berith Park Look Like?

Berith Park is a single-storey house. It has a large area of over 743 square metres (8,000 sq ft). The house sits on a big piece of land, about 7,583 m2 (2 acres).

In the early 1900s, previous owners added some fun features. These include tennis courts and a swimming pool.

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