Juniper Hall

Juniper Hall is a unique art gallery. Believed to be the oldest surviving mansion from Governor Macquarie’s time to be found in Sydney, it was built by emancipated convict Robert Cooper in 1824 to fulfill a promise to give his third wife Sarah the ‘finest house in Sydney’. Robert Cooper was a wealthy hotel and distillery owner from London, England, who was transported to Sydney in 1813 for receiving stolen goods. He was already well on his way to rebuilding his wealth in the new colony when he was granted a conditional pardon in 1818. In 1984 the building was purchased by the National Trust of Australia (NSW), with a grant from the New South Wales Government. The National Trust restored the house to its colonial appearance, demolished the shops and in 1988 revealed Juniper Hall once again. In 2013 Juniper Hall was purchased from the National Trust of Australia (NSW) by the Moran Family and is now the permanent home of the Moran Arts Foundation Collection and is the venue for the annual exhibition of the Moran Art Prizes. It is also a permanent exhibition space for selected finalists of the Moran Prizes.