In 1973 I lived at 14 Australia Street, Camperdown, Sydney with a group of Women's and Gay Liberation activists. I first saw the house with Janne Reed, feminist builders labourer, who found it. She invited me to join her there and between us we invited others to share it. Some of who I recall were Pat Fiske filmmaker, Barbara Alyson journalist, later Alison Lyssa author plus three others. We created a darkroom in the old laundry room which I took full advantage of producing prints for a book, film and feminist publications. At that time I shot a short experimental 16mm film for Dr Eril Baily (later Associate Dean, Sydney College of the Arts, University of Sydney). I left 14 Australia Street later that year.
Fifty-two years on I returned to the house to photograph its grand interior, stripped of objects, to reveal its light, atmosphere, ambiance and generously proportioned Italianate rooms. The house named Cranbrook was built for Robert and Jane Fowler in 1879-1880. Robert Fowler owned Fowler Potteries and became Lord Mayor of Sydney. A portion of the south side of the residence and ballroom was acquired compulsorily to accommodate the change in the road - two rooms were effectively sliced. The house, owned by Jane Kelly, is under-going restoration. It has been added to the New South Wales Heritage Register.
