Centennial Park Heritage
The Superintendent’s Cottage is one of the newly opened buildings
One of the joyful quirks of Centennial Park is the array of charming historic buildings situated near some of the entrance gates. These cottages, once the homes of the groundskeepers, succumbed to the too-common fate of disrepair for many years, standing unused and beginning to fall apart. Now two of them have not only been given glorious, luxurious new life, but new public use.
The Hughenden Hotel in Paddington has obtained permission to restore two of the most stunning examples, and open them as boutique accommodation. The houses, one at the Robertson Gates and one at Paddington Gates, can be rented as self-contained accommodation, and used for all kinds of functions, with or without additional services and catering from the Hughendon.
For James Ruben, Executive Director of the Hughendon, restoring the houses has been a labour of love. It has taken enormous amounts of time and care to restore the extensive damage from years of neglect, but there is a perfection of scale and finish in the result that has rewarded that effort. “I’m very excited to see such special Heritage items open to the public”, James says.
A cosy corner
The heritage importance of these cottages has been respected, juxtaposed with luxurious updates to kitchen and bathroom. Polished wooden floors have been restored, and the furniture and artwork have been chosen from period examples. It is possible to look at the original paint scheme in a preserved strip that has been kept intact, to show how homes of this time were decorated when they were built.
Beautiful private gardens are perfect for outdoor functions, but it is also possible to ask the Hughenden to cater and serve in the dining room, for a smaller group of guests.
It is wonderful to see a piece of important Sydney heritage, which so easily could have been lost, now given back to happy weekends and special occasions.
The master bedroom
The dining room
An exposed strip showing the original paint scheme