1977-78 Building Burnside Rd – Theo Mathews’ house at Margaret River.

Margaret River resident/architect/surfer Theo Mathews purchased a challenging block on the banks of the Margaret River in ’73 to build his dream home on.

This is Theo’s story and photos of the building process at Margaret River.

In 1973 I bought 80 acres of half-bush/half-paddock on Burnside Road & sold in 1994 having raised a family in an idyllic location. The property has 1.5km of frontage to the Margaret River with steep cliffs, which as an adventurous architect is of course where I chose to build.

As a newly graduated architectural student, there was no way that I wanted a gun tradesman dictating how I would build the house. My trusted assistants were Howard Johnson, a Marxist political economist from Murdoch University and Horny Campbell, the one eyed electrician.

Groups of architectural students and visiting friends and their friends helped with the construction. The house was packed to the rafters for the opening party with lots of dancing. The stiletto heel marks were eventually sanded out many years later.

The Margaret River building surveyor at the time was Tony Stone, an alternative life-styler himself, who basically encouraged owner builders to do what they wanted. The period is affectionately known as the Stone Age.

All photos courtesy of Theo Mathews.

1. BUILDING PHOTOS

Photos 1.1: Early site work

1977-78 Burnside Rd MR Build 1 collage_photocat — Top: (Left) Blocking clearing (Right) Lee Verios surveying.
Bottom: Theo Mathews.

Photos 1.2: Workers.

1977-78 Burnside Rd MR build 3 collage_photocat — Top: (Left) Theo. (Right) Lee Verios, unknown, Theo & Theo’s mum.
Bottom: (left & Right) Theo.

Photos 1.3: Workers

1977-78 Burnside Rd MR Build 2 collage_photocat — Top: (Left) Lee Verios (Right) Lee Verios, unknown, Theo & Theo’s mum Maria.
Bottom: (Left) Howard Johnson & Theo. (Right) Theo.

Photos 1.4: Workers

1977-78 Burnside Rd MR Build 4 collage_photocat — Top: (Left) Patrick Bloomer. (Right) Howard Johnson.
Bottom: (Left) Howard Johnson, Theo & Steve ‘Horny’ Campbell. (Right) ‘Horny’ Campbell & Howard Johnson.

2. SOCIAL PHOTOS.

Photos 2.1: Margaret River

1977-78 Burnside Rd MR social 1 collage_photocat — Top: (Left) workers lunch (Right) Annie Brown
Bottom: (Left) Noelene & Chris Willcox. (Right) Chris Willcox, Annie Brown, Peter Hodge, Theo & Barbara Hodge.

Photos 2.2: Margaret River

1977-78 Burnside Rd MR social 2 collage_photocat — Top: (Left) Katherine Kalaf. (Right) Leslie O’Dywer, Peter & Barbara Hodge
Bottom: (Left) Howard Johnson, Theo & James De Lestang. (Right) Theo.

Photos 2.3: Dunsborough

1977-78 Dunsborough social 1 collage_photocat — Left. Unknown, Parisse Kailis, Denise Gaudi, Peter McDonald, unknown & Peter?
Right Unknown, Peter?, Parisse Kailis, Denise Gaudi, Peter McDonald, Janine Mackery

3. HOUSE PHOTOS

Photos 3.1: Exterior & garden.

1977-78 Burnside Rd MR House 1 collage_photocat

Photos 3.2: Exterior with view of Margaret River

1977-78 Burnside Rd MR House 2 collage_photocat

Photos 3.3: Interior kitchen & living area.

1977-78 Burnside Rd MR House 3 collage_photocat

4. NEWSPAPER ARTICLE

In July 1992 the Augusta Margaret River Mail published an article on Theo’s house titled ‘At home amongst the gum trees”. Image courtesy of AMR Mail.

1977-78 Burnside Rd House Marg River. Theo Mathews pic (1)

Thanks Theo for sharing your memories.

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1977-78 Building Burnside Rd – Theo Mathews’ house at Margaret River.

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