BELLA Vista at Mayfield has hosted British royalty, BHP heavyweights and at least 2000 weddings, but has been earmarked for a new life after almost a century as one of the city's most admired buildings.
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Owners John and Sheryl Nisner have invited interested couples and companies to book their event at the wedding venue and function centre before they retire on December 22 next year.
“It’s time to move on,” said Mr Nisner, whose family operates the Marina Views function centre at Wickham.
“We have 12 grandchildren and have had no time to travel because we’ve been working. Our plans are to do a bit of boating, hopefully around the Whitsundays, to travel and spend more time with our families.”
The Nisners have engaged City Plan Services to prepare a development application for a boutique townhouse community around the building, which they will preserve and possibly live in.
EJE Architecture is preparing the heritage and conservation management plan.
“We love Bella Vista and we don’t want over-development,” Mr Nisner said.
“We want to make sure we respect it’s heritage and people can still drive past and say ‘Isn’t that magnificent?’”
The Nisners started running the award-winning Bella Vista function centre business in 2000 and purchased the freehold from Phillip Proctor at auction in 2007.
“It’s just a beautiful place,” Mr Nisner said. “I love coming to work every day.”
The two-storey Edwardian mansion on 9420 square metres of manicured gardens was built in 1919 for BHP steelworks manager, David Baker, and was later used to entertain dignitaries.
Edward Prince of Wales visited the home in 1920, before he became King Edward VIII in 1936.
The Prince was accompanied by Lord Louis Mountbatten, who in the late 1940s served as Viceroy and later Governor-General of India.
Then Governor-General Prince Henry, the Duke of Gloucester, stayed in 1946 and Queen Elizabeth II visited during her tour of Newcastle in 1954. G.D. Delprat was also a guest, as was his son-in-law Antarctic explorer Sir Douglas Mawson.
Errol Flynn was even rumoured to have planted a tree in its grounds.
Mr Nisner said the property would have hosted “at least 2000 weddings” since it’s conversion to a function centre, including singer Catherine Britt’s nuptials to James Beverley.
“A lot of people have asked for privacy about where they got married and what they did, but yes, a lot of them have been entertainers,” he said.
“Outside of the Hunter Valley we’re the only one-stop-shop.
“We offer accommodation to stay the night before or afterwards; the garden for the wedding; lots of photo spots throughout the yard; and the reception in either the ballroom or smaller dining room.”
The six upstairs bedrooms include the Louis Mountbatten, Queen Elizabeth II and Duke of Gloucester suites.