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Fiona Killackey’s family home has a story, and everyone wants to hear it.
‘This house is definitely unusual and one that elicits storytelling,’ says Fiona. ‘People, even random delivery guys, want to know who built it, how long it’s been here, what it looks like inside.’
The founder of My Daily Business and her graphic designer husband Jerome Rebeiro weren’t even looking to buy when the property was last for sale in 2023.
At the time, they were in the design process of renovating their nearby home, but the charm and ready-to-move in condition of this mudbrick house — built by a father and son in the late 1970s — was too hard to resist.
‘As soon as I walked in the arched glass front doors and took in the six-metre ceilings I just felt like this was our next home,’ says Fiona.
‘Shortly afterward, I saw two stained-glass windows: a ship and a kookaburra. These are both symbols close to me (my dad was a captain and sailed the seas for decades, and Mum loved kookaburras) and it all just felt “right”, as weird as that sounds…
‘It had everything we had been dreaming of doing with the extension, without having to go through (potentially) years of disruption and stress.’
Fiona, Jerome, and their sons Levi (12) and Elio (6) appreciate the thoughtful design of the original home, which balances light with privacy and a connection to the environment.
‘The windows are all facing the bush and away from our neighbours and the way the light hits certain spots in the day is so thought out,’ says Fiona. ‘The home is a real mix of feeling grand and at the same time cosy and comfortable.’
They’ve made only small tweaks since moving in, including changing light fixtures, installing new carpet, adding new curtains, sanding floors, and making repairs.
Some of the timber had been haphazardly limewashed and painted by previous owners, so Fiona and Jerome returned these to a consistent appearance using a subtle paint by local mudbrick paints specialists, Grimes & Son.
They’ve continued the home’s natural tones in their styling, which incorporates natural materials (timber, wool, stone) and nods to the bush landscape outside through sage green accents.
There’s a sentimental anecdote attached to almost every item in the home — from the framed photo of Jerome from his modelling days, to the vintage polar bear table Fiona spent five years hunting for on Facebook Marketplace. ‘It may well be the best thing I’ve ever bought. It brings me joy on a daily basis.’
Fiona feels equally grateful to have found this home, which offers her family the privacy and beauty of the bush within close reach of the city.
‘We have an incredible 180-degree view of bushlands and as we’re so high up, we can’t imagine anyone building and blocking it,’ she says.
‘From the far side of the deck you get a straight view right into the city. We can even see the fireworks on New Year’s Eve…
‘I often say “goodnight Melbourne” before we go to sleep!’
