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A section of the restored Croply House. A section of the restored Croply House. Featured

ICONIC MANSION RESTORED TO GRANDEUR

Rebirth of stately Cropey House
ILIANA STILLITANO
WHEN the doors of the stately Cropley House reopen this month, they will reveal the stunning results of a year-long and painstaking restoration project that has seen the iconic mansion returned to its former grandeur.


The magnificent 1920s double storey house has long been regarded as a premier wedding and function venue in Sydnmey with its manicured gardens, grand circular driveway and wisteria covered balconies.
 
And now, with the help of renowned designer Angela Neylon of Joanne Green Landscape and Interior, the inside of Cropley House has been fully renovated and given a new lease of life while maintaining the historic property’s old world charm.
 
The stylish renovation was commissioned by family hospitality business, Dockside Group’s managing director, Christopher Drivas, whose priority was to preserve the property’s historical features and add new elements that would deliver a truly multifunctional space.
 
As a result, the new look Cropley House offers a choice of rooms to suit a diverse range of events for up to 450 people from weddings and onsite garden ceremonies, conferences, corporate, private celebrations and school events.
 
And intimate celebrations can now also be held in the upstairs dining rooms – the first time the rooms have been made available exclusively for events since Cropley House was converted from a school.
 
Cropley House sales and event manager, Kristen Zucconi, said a new lift had been installed to improve access to the upper level which was now larger – with an additional four function rooms that accommodate between 30 to 150 people.
 
The layout of the lower level has also been transformed to two rooms, accommodating up to 180 people seated or 250 people cocktail style. These rooms each boast their own ‘green room’, a perfect retreat for bridal parties or as an additional facility for corporates hosting business events.
 
The rooms are dressed with detailed ceiling moulds which add to the home’s historic charm and beautiful chandeliers that make a statement. The carpet is new, the walls freshly painted and the bathrooms tastefully renovated.
 
“The renovations have added a modern flair to the property but a lot of the heritage has been retained, even down to the font of the logo and the colours where the rounded wording on the plaques reflect the original Cropley House branding,” said marketing manager Tracy Knight of TK Consulting.
 
Ms Zucconi, also a Hills Shire local, described Cropley House a “brilliant building” and an iconic landmark in the region.
 
“Many people have a connection to the house in some way, whether it’s from dancing when the house was used by the Johnny Young Studio or they fondly remember riding their bikes through the property as kids or that they were once married here,” she said.
 
The team is looking forward to creating new memories for other guests in the newly unveiled Cropley House which can now accommodates more events including corporate functions and school formals.
 
“The beauty of Copley House is that it can host anything from small intimate events up to larger weddings. Businesses can hold gala dinners, conferences, meetings, Christmas parties, Melbourne Cup luncheons and charity events – and we make hosting an event easy with our fully inclusive packages,” Ms Zucconi said.
 
“We’re in a quiet location, away from the hustle and bustle and yet only 10 minutes from Parramatta or five minutes from Norwest Business Park.
 
“It’s almost like going to the Blue Mountains for a mini getaway but without the travel so it’s ideal for corporate team building days.”
 
A team of chefs are on-site in the new commercial kitchen, on hand to freshly prepare every menu, all under the guidance of executive chef Adam Birtles.
 
Cropley House also boasts a highly qualified and experienced operations team who will help plan your event and ensure it is a success.
 
“The team highly value the local community and Chris especially respects the importance of building relationships which is why we like to use local suppliers,” Ms Knight said. “By nurturing these types of relationships, and by supporting the local community, we can give back to the community a little bit of their history.”
 
Cropley House is at 84 Watkins Road, Baulkham Hills. For more information, phone 9686 7775 or visit cropleyhouse.com. For media enquiries, contact Tracy Knight of TK Consulting on 0467 160 253 or tracy.knight@tkconsulting.com.au.

History of Cropley House

Cropley House at Baulkham Hills enjoys an enviable history, starting out as a school for children left orphaned or in poor circumstances following World War I. The Masonic Lodges purchased a run-down dairy on Seven Hills Road and opened the William Thompson Masonic School in 1922 under the superintendency of Rupert and Beatrice Cropley who lived in a house on the property and devoted their lives to the children from 1922 to 1939 – giving rise to the name, Cropley House.
In January 1942, the Army Medical Services requested use of the site as a general hospital for the duration of the war. The first 40 soldiers occupied the buildings the following year but under the imminent threat of invasion, the hospital went on to shelter 1200 patients and staff. The site was handed back to the Masonic Lodge more than four years later and officially reopened as a school in November 1947. Today, Cropley House is now a premier function centre, with its cottage style garden setting and stunning rooms catering for weddings, corporate events, school formals and private parties.

 



editor

Publisher
Michael Walls
michael@accessnews.com.au
0407 783 413

Access News is a print and digital media publisher established over 15 years and based in Western Sydney, Australia. Our newspaper titles include the flagship publication, Western Sydney Express, which is a trusted source of information and for hundreds of thousands of decision makers, businesspeople and residents looking for insights into the people, projects, opportunities and networks that shape Australia's fastest growing region - Greater Western Sydney.