PHOTO: The De Donatis are no strangers to historic Brisbane homes. Photo: Marc Pricop
If a home’s walls don’t sing with at least a century of history, then it’s hardly a home at all for Devena and Gabe De Donatis.
The couple owns two of Brisbane’s oldest homes in one of Paddington’s most iconic streets, adding up to almost 270 years of history they say spans two world wars, a one-time headquarters for the Black Panthers movement and even a brothel.
They’ve now placed one of those homes, at 64 Upper Cairns Terrace, on the market in a rare chance for home-hunting history buffs to not only snap up a property on the exclusive Paddington “ridgeline” but one that could fill a book with colourful stories that date back to 1890.
“I just love the character of the home and how it has a story to tell. It has not only survived both world wars, but it’s still able to accommodate a family of seven,” Mrs De Donatis said.
“It’s bittersweet (to be selling it). We’ve had so many nice memories there.”
She said her husband purchased the home in 1999, when it was little more than a two-bedroom worker’s cottage, before lovingly restoring and extending it to create a paradise featuring six bedrooms, multiple living areas and even a private spa.
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