Famous Australian people and landmarks on Burke’s Backyard
The cliff top garden belonging to Reg and Elaine Smith overlooks the bay at Mount Eliza. The history of Earimil began when a Welsh sea captain, Edward Lintot bought the land on the peninsula in the mid-1800s. Design The Smiths acquired the 2.5 acre property in...
‘Eryldene’ was the home of the late Professor E. G. (Eben Gowrie) Waterhouse (1881-1977), who was a world authority on camellias. His house, designed by leading architect of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, William Hardy Wilson, was built in 1913....
Rod Pattison has collected native ferns for the past 16 years. He now has an enviable collection of ferns and variegated plants in which two botanic gardens have shown great interest. Rod is a licensed plant collector who has collected ferns and other plants from...
While the world is hurtling towards the Year 2000, Jim Pike has met some people still rocking in the 1950s. John and Dell Power have built a 1950s replica diner in their backyard where they spend time grooving with their friends. The diner has memorabilia from the...
Burke’s Backyard recently visited the home of Gabrielle and Ross Lester who have a passion for fish as well as some other unusual collections. The collection of fish began when Ross acquired eight gold fish after helping some people out about four years ago. The...
A visit to National Trust English gardens can change a gardener’s ideals forever as Don discovered when he met Gwen Davey, owner of ‘Forest Hall’ garden at Castlemaine, Victoria. When Gwen and her husband Don travelled to England in 1990 they saw...
Jim Pike visited the Delicate Nobby Camping Ground, near Crescent Head on the north coast of New South Wales, to catch up with Len Blacklow and his corkscrew collection. Len has a collection of 650 corkscrews and 550 bottle openers which he has amassed over the past...
A curving brick path leads through the small, lushly planted front garden of the Toorak terrace belonging to Howard Neil, called Cotterville. It is an inner city house and garden that brings colour and vibrancy to Melbourne, and is a pleasant change from the bluestone...
Evi Ferrier’s hobby has literally taken over her house with the external and internal walls covered with mosaics of broken tiles, plates, ceramics and mirrors. The mosaic creations include a tea tree outside made up of teapots and a tea fountain where a wall is...
Queensland couple Roz and Bernie have proved that you can create your dream with enough hard work, time and a bit of luck. Around 10 years ago this couple decided to build a 20m (70′) long steel hulled ship in their back yard in Redland Bay, Queensland. After 10...