Australian swimming legend Susie O’Neill is selling her family’s riverfront Brisbane home of almost 19 years.
It’s a reluctant move for the elite swimmer and eight-time Olympic medallist, who fondly remembers raising her two teenage children and celebrating many milestones in the Yeronga property.
Ms O’Neill bought the two-level, five-bedroom, three-bathroom house at 401 Brisbane Corso with her medico husband Cliff Fairley, an ophthalmologist, in 2001, and still remembers the day she first saw it.
“I remember it was a feeling,” Ms O’Neill said.
“When we walked in, it was like; ‘Oh, wow!’.
“It is going to be emotional selling it.”
Ms O’Neill said the decision to move to another part of Brisbane was based purely on convenience for their two children to get to school and to accommodate her parents.
The property has a number of incredible features, but the one she will miss the most is the view.
“Whenever I walked in that front door, that view just blew me away,” Ms O’Neill said.
“I never took that view for granted.”
Ms O’Neill said she loved sitting on her beanbag in the lounge room and watching the rowers go by.
“We have loved this house since we bought it,” she said.
“This is where we had our children and we love the river and all that goes on there. We especially like seeing the rowers in the mornings.
“It truly is a great house; ideal for families and entertaining.”
Marketing agent Christine Rudolph of Ray White New Farm said the Brisbane Corso was renowned as one of Brisbane’s best streets, and the property offered a “golden opportunity” for buyers.
Designed by architect Harry Poulos and renovated as recently as last year, the private, 875 sqm north-facing property offers the perfect river aspect.
“The home has the perfect north-facing aspect across the water to the leafy bank
beyond,” Ms Rudolph said.
“Yeronga is just 7km from the CBD, and a truly hidden pocket as you only get locals
driving here.“
Famously nicknamed ‘Madame Butterfly’ for her expertise at the swimming stroke of the same name, O’Neill is better known these days as a co-host of Brisbane’s Nova 106.9 breakfast radio show with Ash, Kip and Luttsy.
Ms O’Neill said one of the home’s unique selling points was the heated pool, where you could train like a professional athlete.
The Elite Fastlane pool is one of only two in Australia.
“I was in the Australian team for 12 years, but I have been a swimmer for 20 years of my
life,” Ms O’Neill said.
“What I love about the Fastlane pool is the convenience of it. I can use it as a normal pool and jump in and cool off, or, I can use it to exercise by swimming against the current.
“You can also run against the current and our kids have a lot of fun with it, on the
kneeboard.”
Ms O’Neill said she still considers swimming a great form of relaxation.
“Even 15 minutes in the pool at the end of the day is great, but I am not going to drive all the way to a 50m pool to do that, so it’s very special.”
The property is scheduled for auction with Ray White New Farm next month.
Originally published as Madame Butterfly Susie O’Neill is selling her riverfront home
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