Celebrity secrets and rock 'n' roll intrigue - Inside Sydney's legendary Ballamac House

Ballamac House has stood as a Coogee icon in Sydney for over a century, its grand 19th-century sandstone walls witnessing the rise and fall of empires - both personal and historical.

For Susan Stuart-Jones, daughter of the late Dr. Reginald Stuart-Jones (1901-1961) - a renowned surgeon, racehorse owner and playboy the households memories that are stronger than the walls surrounding it.

Ballamac House was the backdrop to her extraordinary childhood filled with racing industry intrigue, rock legends rehearsing in the basement, and secret hideaways among its sprawling gardens.

As the historic house undergoes its next evolution into a luxury development Ballamac Coogee overseen by Central Element, Susan reflects on its past, the changing face of Coogee, and why she chose to return.

"I just thought that's how everyone lived" - Growing up at Ballamac House

To a young Susan, living in one of Coogee's most distinctive homes didn't seem unusual, at least, not at first.

"Before I started school, I just thought that's how everyone lived," Susan reflects.

Born in 1955, she spent her early years in Flat 5 - the modest annex to Ballamac House, a stately heritage property her father had already acquired.

It was a cozy, lived-in space she shared with her parents and sister, and one she would later return to as an adult before it was sold to Central Element. Today, that spot lies beneath a new building taking shape.

At the time of her birth, Susan's father had already commissioned Peter Muller, the celebrated architect, to redesign Flat 4, the top-floor apartment of the main house.

When Susan was six, the family moved into Muller's creation - a bold expression of mid-century modernism inspired by American design, complete with sunken marble bathrooms, oversized mirrors, ocean views and elegant architectural details that felt futuristic for the era.

Yet despite these modern touches, Ballamac House remained steeped in mystery.

"Was it warm and welcoming? Yes, in some ways," Susan says.

"But it was also this maze of secret places. There were tunnels, a cellar basement, hidden garden nooks. 

"As kids, we would stage elaborate treasure hunts, and there were always whispers about the history of the house. It had this real presence."

That history was palpable. The house had once hosted British royalty and served as a convalescent home for war veterans.

"You couldn't walk through it without feeling that history," Susan says.

"There were these spots in the house where the air just felt different. Maybe it was the weight of the past, or maybe it was something else. People would always say, 'This house has stories to tell.'"

One such mystery was the old staircase that appeared to lead nowhere. "That was the original stairway connecting the ground and upper floors when the house was still one grand residence," she explains.

"When it was divided into flats, the top landing was blocked off. As a child, it felt so mysterious, not knowing where it used to lead."

Down in the cellar, a labyrinth of rooms held further intrigue. "Besides the big room where Sherbert used to rehearse, there was the original kitchen with a coal stove still intact. It was always so creepy down there, it gave me countless nightmares as a child, though probably unwarranted!" she laughs.

Despite the eerie corners and historic echoes, the house had a communal, joyful spirit. "It was always like a family," Susan remembers.

"There was a real sense of togetherness. Parties were a regular thing, and I could wander through the other flats, visiting neighbors. Everyone was so kind."

But while the house was grand, her father's larger-than-life presence made an even greater impression.

"He was a real character," she says. "There were always people around - trainers, jockeys, high-profile figures. It was never a quiet home."

Over the decades, Coogee transformed from a sleepy seaside town to one of Sydney's most sought-after coastal addresses.

"I remember when we used to walk down to the beach in the afternoons to buy fish straight off the boats," Susan says. "The fishermen would come in, their boats full of fresh seafood, and we'd just pick what we wanted for dinner. That's something I really miss about old Coogee."

But she also acknowledges the less glamorous side of the suburb's rise in popularity.

"There was a transient population, lots of short-term visitors, and that did change the culture," she says. "I was part of Responsible Runners, a group that used to pick up litter along the beach every Sunday. 

"We campaigned to ban smoking on the sand, which was a huge win. 

"The locals care deeply, but you do see the impact of people who don't treat the area as their home."

"I like that Coogee is going more upmarket again," she says. "And that's why I was so careful about who we sold Ballamac House to."

Selling a legacy, securing the future

As the 1860s-built structure aged, major restoration became inevitable.

"When we put it on the market, I didn't just sell to the highest bidder," she says. "I vetted them hard. 

"Some developers wanted to maximise every inch and build up glass everywhere with no respect for the history."

Then Central Element came forward.

"They saw it as a privilege to be involved," Susan says. 

"They weren't just looking at the financials, they respected the story of the house. 

"Their plan was to preserve the original 1860s structure while adding a luxury development on the eastern part of the property, which is the prime ocean-view or 'money shot' section."

For Susan, it wasn't about taking a payout and walking away.

"I told them, I don't want your money ... I want back in," she says. "So I secured one of the new residences in the development. I'm coming home!"

Rock n Roll legends

Ballamac House has played host to an impressive list of musicians, actors, and cultural icons.

"There was Johnny O'Keefe, John English, and the band Sherbet," Susan says. "Sherbet actually practised in our basement before they even had a name. 

"It was the late '60s, they were local Coogee boys and Daryl Braithwaite needed a rehearsal space. 

"They walked in, saw the cellar, and went nuts! They used the space regularly for some time. 

"It was fun as a young teen to go down and watch."

But the most surreal moment? She recalls a story that feels like it's straight out of a script from the iconic rock 'n' roll film Almost Famous.

"When Jethro Tull came to dinner," she laughs. "My sister had met them through Harry M. Miller, and she invited them over while they were touring. 

John Evan, their keyboardist, played our grand piano - the same one Paul Desmond from Take Five had played years before.

"And then, of course, there was Martin Barre, Jethro Tull's guitarist. We had a bit of a... moment. 

He ended up calling me from New Zealand and inviting me over. My workmates egged me on, so I flew out to meet him.

"Later, I stayed at his home in Henley-on-Thames (in the UK) and he picked me up in a green Porsche. 

It was all very proper and he was a real gentleman."

Australian Idol judge and music industry legend Marcia Hines lived in the flat 5 annex while performing in the iconic 70's musical Hair.

"My mum and her would go to health retreats in between musical productions," Susan said.

"I went along with them once and they tried to get me to fast but I broke down in two hours and had to eat a banana!"

If Susan could relive just one day at Ballamac House, what would it be?

She pauses.

"I think it would be a summer afternoon as a kid, playing in the gardens with my sister," she says. 

"The house had all these secret spots, little tunnels, courtyards, places you could hide for hours. It was magical."

Or maybe the night Jethro Tull came over?

She laughs. "Actually, yeah, definitely that one."

With construction well underway, Susan is looking forward to the next chapter.

"This house has had many lives, and now it's getting another one," she says. "And I'll be there to see it."

The new Ballamac House: Honouring the past, embracing the future

The redevelopment of Ballamac House will include:

• Preservation of the original 1860s home
• Two luxury residences within the heritage structure
• Six new ocean-view apartments
• Architectural design that respects Coogee's history

Find out more about Ballamac Coogee here.