Louisa Lort Smith: Animal advocate’s old Toorak home sells

A grand Toorak home built for Louisa Lort Smith, the founder of Australia’s biggest non-profit animal hospital, has fetched millions.

7 Stonnington Place, Toorak has fetched a multimillion-dollar sum.

A grand Toorak residence built for the founder of Lort Smith Animal Hospital has been pounced on by a family who plan to use it as a Melbourne base.

The four-bedroom residence was designed in 1932 by Marcus Martin for Louisa Lort Smith, who opened what is now the largest non-profit institution of its kind in the country.

Martin was a renowned architect for Toorak’s wealthy from the 1920s and completed works for other notable names, including Hollywood star Claire Adams and oil magnate Sir Hamilton Sleigh.

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Jaffa, Pepper, Basil, Pepsi, Mike, Dustin and Lucas are puppies who have benefited from Mrs Lort Smith’s animal hospital. Picture: David Caird

The property had a $3.15 million price guide in the lead up to the sale.

Mrs Lort Smith founded the animal hospital in 1936 and was also a dance teacher whose students included Prime Minister Harold Holt.

Marshall White Stonnington director Madeline Kennedy could not reveal any details of the sale of 7 Stonnington Place, including if it fetched the $3.15 million asking price.

The home’s initial advertised $3.5-$3.85 million price range dropped significantly after it was passed in at auction in November.

The property was built in 1932 by Marcus Martin for Mrs Lort Smith.

It has since been extensively renovated.

Ms Kennedy previously told Property Confidential the owners bought the home about 11 years ago, when it was “daggy and dated”, and had updated it over the past two years.

“They’ve retained all the beautiful 1930s architecture and features, and updated the two bathrooms, kitchen, everything — they’ve gone to town on the kitchen,” she said.

Parquetry floors, an open fireplace and north-facing courtyard are highlights of the three-bedroom house topped by a versatile room that could be used as a fourth bedroom, art or yoga studio or retreat.

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Originally published as Louisa Lort Smith: Animal advocate’s old Toorak home sells