- Deconsecrated Sydney church and wild party venue The Kirk sold for $6million
- It was sold by dominatrix and sex party hostess Gretel Pinniger aka Madam Lash
- The church housed countless wild and sexually experimental parties
Source: Dailymail.co.uk.
AUSTRALIA – SIDNEY – Famed dominatrix Madam Lash has sold the old and deconsecrated church where she once hosted wild sex parties for $6million.
Gretel Pinniger, aka Madam Lash, bought the gothic building, known as The Kirk on Cleveland Street, Surry Hills in Sydney from the Methodist Church in 1986 for just $205,000.
The church went on to house burlesque shows and countless wild experimental parties.
Rock hall-of-famers AC/DC filmed the music video for one of their signature songs at the church – Let There Be Rock.
But the church fell into disrepair and Ms Pinniger had to constantly erect fences or change locks on the property to prevent squatters from occupying it and potentially setting it on fire.
In April this year Ms Pinniger, now 76, won approval to convert The Kirk into a 26-room boarding house, which became part of its marketing appeal for commercial property agents JLL.
At the time she said she wanted The Kirk to again become a place for musicians and artists to ‘have all the fun we used to have’.
Her $5.6million plans to redevelop The Kirk gained council approval despite objections from NIMBY neighbours worried about the size of her development, the noise, privacy and parking.
The Kirk drew over 200 enquiries when it hit the market, was inspected 30 times and eventually six registered bidders fought it out to secure the iconic 578sq metre building.
The building has now been approved to be turned into 24 residential studios.
It went up for auction on November 3, with opening bids at $4.5million and sold for $6million.
Ms Pinniger became a celebrity advocate of whipping and bondage for rich and powerful male clients, including James Packer’s uncle Clyde and businessman Gordon Barton.
She was also a successful artist, twice having works entered in the prestigious Archibald Prize.
She also used The Kirk as an art space and once said ‘I never took an acid trip without doing a painting’.
Ms Pinniger also ran for the Senate at the 1996 election, representing the Extra Dimension Party.
The former dominatrix now lives in Palm Beach, in Sydney’s northern beaches, and had previously rented out The Kirk on Airbnb for events including hens’ and bucks’ parties.
