DREAM BELIEVERS

A handsome apartment in a landmark building has become the fitting home base for a pair of intrepid adventurers.

- Chris Pearson

BEACH The famed Newcastle Beach, with its golden sands, is just a short stroll away from Christa Papworth and Art Ryan’s fabulous apartment.

EXTERIOR Formerly part of the Royal Newcastle Hospital, this beautiful heritage building was converted into 12 apartments in 2003. Christa and Art’s is on the ocean side.

KITCHEN/DINING Art and Christa with their granddaughter, Ella. Super White Dolomite benchtop, CDK Stone. Astoria dinnerware, Greg Natale. Joinery in Dulux Black and Dulux Lexicon Quarter. Bonaldo Big dining table and Flexform ‘Hera’ dining chairs, all Fanuli. Crown Plana Major chandelier, Mondo Luce. Fontana Arte ‘Amax’ suspension lights, Gineico Lighting. Diiva stools, Grazia & Co. Herman Miller ‘Star’ wall clock, Living Edge. Talking Heads, Parallel Lines, 1977 and Grace vases, and Parallel Lines bowls, all Greg Natale. Baltimore Onyx carpet, Carpet City.

Art Ryan has long been a familiar face in Newcastle, the beachside city about two hours’ north of Sydney. He fronted a much-loved children’s program on local TV station NBN in the late 1970s and later established a successful advertising agency. So it was fitting that he and his wife Christa Papworth chose a building as equally iconic and individual to live in.