Moonee Ponds church conversion listed for sale

A remarkable church conversion in Moonee Ponds has been listed for sale.

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The conversion of an 1892 Anglican Moonee Ponds church was designed by owner and architect duo Dominic and Marie Bagnato.

The Gothic-style timber church was originally built by Tadgell Brothers following the general consensus at an 1890 residents' meeting that the area needed a church for religious purposes and Sunday school.

The church was officially opened by then Lord Bishop of Melbourne Dr Goe. The treasurer of the consortium who built the church was Robert Hedge, who was honoured in a 1901 memorial. which still existed in 2008.

The church acted as a venue for sports meetings, working bees and other social activities. The church was part of the St Thomas parish, before leaving temporarily in 1915 and permanently in 1960.

In 1904, an extension to the church was built at the rear and in 1918 a vicarage was built nearby. A church hall was built in 1927. The current vendors bought the church itself in 2007.

Heritage documents say the front gable of the church is adorned with a decorative barge board standing proud from the main wall.

“There is a small Gothic-style porch centrally located in the main facade. The design of the church building is symmetrical. The interior of the building matches the overall design in its simplicity,” Heritage Victoria documents say.

“The arched windows are plainly pointed, the walls are with a timber dado, the ceiling has timber lining and the exposed trusses are also constructed from timber. Most interior fittings such as the pews, the pulpit, altar and font have been removed.”

Upstairs pictures on page 2

The five-bedroom conversion includes an open plan living, dining and entertaining area situated arranged around a Nero Tempesta marble fire-place and looking out over the swimming pool.

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It has limestone floors, Baltic pine ceilings and a Calacatta marble kitchen with a butler's pantry.

Upstairs has a mezzanine lounge, which leads onto a loft with city views.

There is a 700-bottle capacity wine cellar, a gym and a day bed retreat.

The conversion is being sold by Jellis Craig agent John Morello. It goes to auction on December 1 with price hopes for more than $2.4 million.

It comes on 445 square metres.

Recently a Bullarto Church with toilet complications sold for $115,000.

And an unconverted church in Collingwood sold for more than $2.5 million to a couple looking to renovate and occupy.

Hocking Stuart agent Charles Atkins sold the property.

“It was a great result, we were very pleased. At the time there were a lot of people looking at it for commercial purposes, but it ended up being purchased a couple looking to occupy as home,” Atkins says.

And a church in nearby Napier street sold for more than $2 million in September. Agent Grant Sutherland says it was bought by a developer looking to turn it into apartments.