The answer, well it depends what you think the destination is!
Our home has been the front page feature in the local Domain magazine of the Newcastle Herald, and is on line at: https://www.theherald.com.au/story/5160455/new-life-breathed-into-historic-home/
We have also been featured on the Hunter hunter web site at: https://www.hunterhunter.com.au/newcastle/at-home-coutts-sailors-home
Then
A little while ago, we received this notification:
Congratulations!
You have made the National Trust
Heritage Awards Shortlist
(See the shortlist at https://www.nationaltrust.org.au/heritage-awards-2018-shortlist/)AND...
The National Trust have a Newcastle destination tour in October and have selected our home to be visited, to share the history and the rollercoaster renovation story.
So in many respects I suppose you would have to say we have arrived.
We have a wonderful home of which we are very proud, and passers by continue to admire, congratulate and thank us for saving this magnificent piece of historic architecture and returning it to Newcastle.
The garden is starting to mature and the roses bloom continuously. They are very settled and comfortable in this sunny, sandy, salty environment - as are we when we can be there.
There are a few loose ends that we still need to fix and there are two more stories to tell.
So every now and again pop back to this site, though it will be some while before everything will be resolved and I am able to put pen to paper.
PS
As expected, we did not win the award, being up against Councils with funding to employ teams of architects and other professionals!
We were honoured and pleased that our endeavours to ensure the authenticity and the quality of our renovation were recognised in being shortlisted in what was considered an outstanding year.
