The house you see in the picture belonged to the family of Australia’s great writer Christina Stead. It is sad that this talented writer isn’t more widely known outside of Australia. It is even sadder that Australia doesn’t seem to value Stead’s legacy as much as it should:
Christina Stead’s Historic Watsons Bay house is a draft heritage item but is under threat by a plan to add modern extensions and excavate the historic garden which inspired The Man Who Loved Children. In a matter of months if will be listed by the NSW Government but this plan could go through before then.
Now Australian booklovers are asking us to help them protect this historic house:
Anyone who’s tramped the streets of London enjoying those little blue plaques celebrating British literary and cultural history knows what a tourism bonus these beloved literary shrines are – but here in Australia you’re more likely to find a statue of a footballer than you are to find any trace of our literary heritage. It is a matter of national shame that we did not save the house of our only Nobel prize winner Patrick White, so let’s not have it happen again with another of our great writers, eh?
This is where you go to find more information and sign the petition.
See my review of Stead’s great novel The Man Who Loved Children here. This has been one of my most popular posts of all times.
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