So, with mixed feelings, Newsome and his wife Kathryn are selling 35 Barchester Street, Sherwood, after two decades in the home nestled in one of Brisbane’s best suburbs.
Newsome, whose books include Stella the Unstoppable and The Billionaire’s Curse , says he probably wrote hundreds of thousands of words on the back deck while listening to the birds and overlooking his garden.
“I write my first drafts long-hand in a spiral-bound notebook, so I’d sit out on the back deck surrounded by trees and birds and just get to work,” Newsome says.
“I wrote eight novels there, my PhD thesis, and a whole lot besides. Well over half a million words, if not more.
“The back deck has this beautiful, relaxing green outlook. You could almost be overlooking a valley in the countryside. It’s so calm and secluded.”
Newsome says the relaxed environment helped him stay immersed in the worlds he was creating.
35 Barchester Street, Sherwood QLD 4075
“You really don’t want to be dragged out of the world you’re writing. Having greenery, magpies and kookaburras in the background certainly helps the process,” he says.
The couple bought the home after moving from the helter-skelter of Sydney to give their children a Queensland upbringing.
“We couldn’t find a house we wanted, so my wife walked around the neighbourhood, found a handful of houses she liked and dropped letters into the owners’ letterboxes asking them to call if they were interested in selling,” he says.
“That afternoon, the owner rang us and said he was just about to call the real estate agent. That’s how we bought it.”
Newsome says the property’s original structure dates to 1914 and most likely started life as a modest two-bedroom cottage before being extended over the years.
“When we moved in, we put in a new kitchen, renovated the bathrooms and laundry, and completely overhauled the backyard,” Newsome says. “It’s in pretty good condition now.”
He says the appeal of Sherwood, located about 10 kilometres south-west of the Brisbane CBD, was its heritage character, community spirit and accessibility.
“There are grand old Queenslanders, broad tree-lined streets and a real sense of old Brisbane about the place,” he says.
“It’s a really good, tight community. During the 2011 floods, I was involved with the Graceville State School P&C and seeing how everyone pulled together to help neighbours really showed what the area is about.”
The five-bedroom, three-bathroom home sits on 810 square metres across two lots, with a 20-metre frontage, wraparound verandah, French doors and timber floors.
During their ownership, the couple have renovated the kitchen, bathrooms and laundry, and added upstairs air-conditioning and insulation to the back deck.
The north-facing deck overlooks the pool and established gardens, while the lower level includes a lounge, wet bar and covered patio.
Place New Farm partner and selling agent Ann-Karyn Fraser says you can understand why Richard stayed for 20 years.
“There’s a sense of retreat when you look out from the back deck, yet you’re close to the arboretum, cafes and train,” Fraser says.
With their children now grown up, the couple plan a downsize move to northern NSW.
“The biggest challenge is that I don’t have that back deck with the beautiful view to write on anymore,” Newsome says.
“We’ll miss it, but it’s time for another family to make their memories here. It truly is a brilliant family home.”
The property will go under the hammer on-site at 10am on November 14.
Glen Norris is an experienced journalist and editor with a career spanning four decades across Asia, Australia and Europe. His roles have included stints at Bloomberg News and Asian Wall Street Journal.
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