Modern renovation transforms historic Gumeracha property

After more than a decade and a half as the Morris’ treasured family home, their Gumeracha property has now been listed for sale through Ray White Walkerville’s Liam McDevitt and Jessica Earle.

It all started with a property hunt in Springton, on the south east edge of the Barossa Valley, which then turned into a renovation adventure for Danielle and Conrad Morris. The couple were scouting land in Springton but decided the Mount Pleasant commute was too far. On the way home, they spotted an open home sign on Wellington Street in Gumeracha and followed it on a whim.

“We instantly fell in love,” Danielle said. “It felt like a hidden treasure, but it sure did need a lot of work.”

The property at 7 Wellington Street was full of potential, and challenges. Built as the manse for the neighbouring church, it had a rich sense of history but required some major upgrades (pictured above). Structural repairs like rewiring and replacing ceiling beams came first, followed shortly by the arrival of their first baby and a pause on their original plans.

“We had big plans as soon as we moved in but came across expensive problems straight up. We decided to slow down once we knew we were expecting our first baby,” Conrad said.

enovation designed around their lifestyle. Their vision of open-plan living was central to the transformation, as was a showpiece kitchen built for both practicality and togetherness.

“Our family loves being all together so we knew open-plan living was what suited us,” Danielle said. “Being lovers of food, everything was going to be planned around the kitchen.”

The kitchen now features a sprawling bench with room for eight to sit comfortably, alongside ample space for cooking, storage and entertaining.

“We wanted the kitchen to feel just as open, uncluttered and easy to use,” Danielle said.

Planning and costs were finalised just before the onset of COVID-19, which presented an unexpected challenge. During a time when building materials became scarce and costs fluctuated, the family of six spent nine months without a kitchen.

“We washed dishes in a bucket for a very long time,” Danielle said. “With six people living on top of each other, we agreed we wouldn’t do that type of renovation again.”

Despite the difficulties, the result is a warm and spacious home that blends heritage character with contemporary style. The tall raked ceilings in the new extension create a striking sense of space and honour the property’s original role as a church manse.

“There is so much to love about our home, it would be a long list,” Conrad said.