Why this couple ditched apartment living in Sydney

There’s something magical about the first time you step into a home that feels like it was meant for you.

For Claire Salter and Harry Webber, that moment came when they found a classic bungalow cottage in Newcastle – a house that marked the beginning of a new chapter.

Previously, life in Sydney had been good to Salter and Webber. Both were thriving in their creative careers – Salter as an associate producer for video production company Revolver and Webber as the creative lead and editor behind the agency Life Without Andy. Their two-bedroom apartment in Sutherland, in Sydney’s south, was easy to maintain, and the city kept them connected with friends.

“Not a day went by without us enjoying the best of Sydney life – exploring riverside parks or heading into the city for live music,” Salter says. “Living just 100 metres from Sutherland station made it easy to reach the city’s diversity, food and people.”

But as good as city life was, the pull to start their own family shifted their priorities. And when Salter’s father passed away, the idea of being closer to family became more compelling.

“We loved our Sydney apartment, but it was difficult to build a true community there,” Salter says. “Our decision to move to Newcastle was so that our children could grow up with extra family around, giving them a childhood similar to the one we had.”

After renting in Newcastle, getting reacquainted with their mutual home town, and welcoming their first son, Vivian, the couple started looking for a home to buy. The search led them to a 1915 cottage in the inner-city suburb of Islington.

“It was far from perfect, with an overgrown facade that made it nearly impossible to see the house’s true colour from the street,” Salter says. “However, the location, close to many of Harry’s family, made it worth considering.”

The owners, interested in selling the house off-market, were drawn to the idea of passing it on to a young family. After some back-and-forth negotiations, the neglected yet beautiful cottage became their new home.

“We moved in after a six-month settlement, a month before our second, Agnes, was born,” Salter says. “The previous owner was an artist, so every inch of the walls was covered in paintings. Before long, Harry was stripping vegetation, and I was painting walls while 35 weeks pregnant. It was all hands on deck – siblings, parents, nieces.”

Salter and Webber love anything vintage, from clothes to furniture, so although the cottage needed significant work, they were determined to revive its character, one project at a time.

“We pulled up layers of vinyl and carpet – even keeping a square as a memento,” Salter says. “We revealed and restored the original hardwood floors, scrubbed and polished the slate floors, and cleaned up the upstairs attic where our vintage furniture looks right at home.”

The backyard, once a jungle of greenery, was another major project. Even after cutting down several trees and filling four skip bins with green waste, it remains a work in progress.

“Harry joked that we wouldn’t need a couch because there was so much to do we’d never sit down,” Salter says.

Despite the challenges, every bit of progress is celebrated. Baby Agnes came home to her new house, and the refreshed front stoop is where they have breakfast.

Their spirited three-year-old, Vivian, eagerly watches the backyard take shape, claiming each new patch of grass as his own. And then there’s the real game-changer: being closer to family.

“I can’t imagine raising two children without family support, especially since I got quite sick after my first,” Salter says. “Thinking back on our Sydney apartment, there was no elevator, so what would I do with a pram? Now, I can park right out front and walk up to our front door – a privilege I didn’t even know I wanted.”

Relocating to Newcastle has been a significant shift for the couple, especially with two young children, but for them, it was the right decision. Though they’ve placed more importance on family than careers, they’ve found a way to balance both.

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“When we had one child, the commute to Sydney was manageable – two hours each way, once a week,” Salter says. “Now, we’ve leaned more into remote working, either from home or a co-working space. We’re finding our rhythm, and the pay-off is worth it.”

As Salter and Webber chip away at renovations, they’re rediscovering some joys from their old life, such as walks to cafes and parks and visits from family and friends.

Only now, instead of a walk-up apartment, it’s a family home with its own front door, filled with character and a backyard of dreams in the making.