A Trendy Terrace That's Thoroughly Shipshape
The Sunday Age
Sunday February 9, 2003
AUDREY Beck is a softly spoken woman, and one of many stories. Her career took her to sea as a ship's nurse, on ships such as the Abel Tasman, the Devil Cat and the Princess of Tasmania. She had to be prepared for anything, from seasickness to childbirth, so she is well organised, and it shows in her shipshape townhouse.
She is moving to Surfers Paradise, and maybe the sea is in her blood: ``Great-grandfather Friederik Georg Beck was in the navy in Germany. He sailed to Australia and went to Clunes during the gold rush, got waylaid and missed the boat back!" she says. ``He made it to the Adelaide hills, made friends, married a local girl and stayed."
Her dog, Jasmine, is a schipperke, which is Flemish for ``Little Skipper", and derives from the fact that the active little mutts were used as ratters and watchdogs on the riverboats and barges of Belgium.
``Jasmine knows where she's going. Once when I was late she got out and took herself to the lake at exactly the time I usually take her. She teamed up with a young couple and walked round with them! She likes routine too."
But it's unlikely that the little skipper would find a rat within cooee of this immaculate, modern terrace. Designed by architect Livia Doblanovic in the early '90s, it is sleek and chic with flow-through open living, a private courtyard at the back and excellent storage. The floor is polished brushbox edged in oak, and a focal point is the Japanese bamboo water cascade, set in a bed of pebbles and rocks under the two-storey light void.
``The bamboo see-saws and knocks on a rock," Ms Beck says. ``Originally (it was designed) to frighten deer away from the crops."
The enamelled kitchen joinery is marine green and topped with stainless steel benches and a St George range. The sitting and dining room opens to the paved terrace decorated with potted Japanese maples and mondo grasses.
Upstairs, the main bedroom has a balcony, lots of robes and shelves, plus an en suite bathroom with a granite vanity bench and small Italian mosaic tiling. Ms Beck uses the second bedroom as a large study.
Artwork and ceramic pieces decorate the walls. For a terrace that was originally intended as business premises, it makes a very trendy contemporary home a block from Albert Park Lake.
301 Moray Street, South Melbourne
NAME: Audrey Beck.
OCCUPATION: Audrey has recently retired after 50 years as a nurse.
FAVOURITE LOCAL EATERY: The Italian restaurant in Park Street.BOUGHT: In April 1998.
WHAT SHE WILL MISS ABOUT THE HOUSE: ``The position. I can walk to the city, and to Albert Park Lake in minutes. And I feel safe here: I can drive into the garage with its automatic door, there's no big shadowy suburban garden. There are good neighbours on both sides. Lots of people around here walk their dogs, and we get to know each other.'
'WHERE TO NEXT: ``I'm going to Surfers (Paradise), to friends and to the sun."
AGENT: Hocking Stuart, phone 9690 5366. Auction Saturday 22 February at 1.30pm, expect $550,000-$600,000.
SUNDAYS AT HOME: ``I'm an early riser. I get up and go to the South Melbourne Market, which is wonderful. I always take Jasmine for a walk around the lake. Then I'll spend some time writing letters, and cooking. I make dinners for a week and freeze them, so if there's a night when I can't be bothered cooking, I don't have to worry - it's already done. Then I'll see the boys, my two sons Tony and Roger and their families."
LABOUR OF LOVE: ``There wasn't any, really - I just moved in and loved it. Although recently I did have the interior repainted by a nice group of Persian painters, who matched the original paint colour and did a lovely job."
© 2003 The Sunday Age