I have been enjoying some real television nostalgia over the past few nights – Return to Eden. The last time I saw this show I had just had my first baby, 24 years ago, and it is funny how it has made me relive what was a unique time in my life. There they all are in the photo – Peta Toppano, Daniel Abineri, Rebecca Gilling and James Smilie, our own version of Dynasty and pure, unadulterated cheese at it’s best. I aways thought Peta Toppano had a face that deserved to be in Hollywood films – I never met her but my dad knew her parents, Enzo and Peggy Toppano, very well and anyone who lived in Manly in the 70′s would remember they ran a theatre-restaurant called ‘The Music Loft’.
This tv series showed that Australia could do ‘glossy’ as well as the Americans and for the time it was a landmark in Australian television, these days though it is more valuable as nostalgia because when you look at the clothes, the set designs and the exterior shots of Sydney you realise you are looking down a microscope at a very different time in not only Sydney’s life but our own lives as well.
The fashion is pure 80′s; big hair – Peter Cousin’s mullet is particularly notable – lots of makeup, multi-coloured eye shadow, shoulder pads. The set designs; this is where you really notice how our lives have changed. Nobody carries a mobile phone because there were none in 1985/6, no laptops on the desks in the plush office suites, push-button intercom phones, no screens anywhere. The exterior shots of Sydney; how the face of the city has changed – no Park Hyatt hotel at The Rocks just the old terminal buildings on the waterfront, no ANA Hotel and The Regent being used as THE hotel of the time, those old office buildings at the Opera House site where there are now shops, cafes and a promenade. The Ferries are still there of course and I wonder if I am on one of those that are filmed in long shot…am I in one of those cars driving over The Bridge…?
I do know that somewhere out there, over the shoulders of those actors, is a Sydney I knew and loved and one that is very different to the Sydney of today, even though this is only 24 years ago. Somewhere, during those scenes, is a young woman who is discovering the joys of new motherhood for the very first time, whose beloved Dad is still alive, who is wondering what life will be like for her baby boy in the year 2000 but is not too bothered as it is so far away in the future…who has so many new things lying in wait for her over the following years that she could never have dreamed about. If only I could let her know that everything turns out alright…
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Where is located Stephanie Harper’s residence from the 2nd series of Return to Eden?
It is a waterfront property located on Sydney Harbour.
Hi Derek, here’s your answer.
“Dear Wendy
The house was on the corner of The Point Road and Gale Street, Woolwich – a
suburb on the harbour in Sydney. A beautiful stone mansion. We think it’s
still there.
Kind regards
Hal McElroy”
Hope that makes you happy
Thanks Wendy! I tried to locate it on Google Earth but no luck. I need more specific information.
Okay, give me 24 hours and I’ll see what I can do for you. I doubt Google Earth would cover that place though, those areas of Sydney are very strictly ‘private access only’. Those are multi-million dollar properties!
Any news?
Hi Derek, so far I have not been able to locate the exact address of ‘New Eden’ mansion in Sydney and to be honest it will be extremely difficult to do this as the owners would have requested the details be kept private back during filming. This show is 25 years old now.The interior scenes were filmed at a studio in Five Dock. As there are so many of those kinds of houses on Sydney Harbour it would be a huge job to narrow it down to the actual house but I would say that the property is located in the Rose Bay/Point Piper area of Sydney Harbour. It is very possible too that the house was demolished and a new home built because a lot of homes there were bought, pulled down and rebuilt during the 90′s, those people are very very wealthy!
Hi Wendy!Thanks for your effort!I didn’t want you to give me the exact address. I was thinking about name of the bay or the street.That’s all i wanted. As you mentioned it is possible that the house is no longer exists.
One more question : is it possible that the house was located somewhere else? Brisbane maybe?
No, the locations used for this tv series were Sydney Harbour, Darling Harbour (no residential houses there though in 1985), Macquarie Street Sydney, the Regent Hotel (George Street Sydney – that’s where Stephanie gets out of the car in the opening credits) and the studio in Five Dock. It was shot in and around Sydney.
You can try emailing the production team – McElroy Productions – as they produced Return to Eden as well as many Aussie tv shows, films and series and just might be able to help you further with this.
mcelroy@mcelroyallmedia.com.au
The best of luck and let me know how you get on – also, let them know how popular this series is here in the UK and Europe at the moment! I would love to see a reunion series filmed…drop the hint!!!
Hi!
I wrote them an email I have no answer.
Be patient, these companies receive a lot of emails and letters over time. I will see if I can find you somewhere else to write to – my Dad was an actor in Sydney during the 1980′s and I know of several agencies who could put you on the right track
Hi Wendy!Still nothing.
Hi Derek – on the contrary! I have managed to contact the producer of the series and have requested the location of the property. As it was made 25 years ago the information will need to be researched so that they can give me an answer. Hang in there – we could have an answer early next week. I have your email and will send the info on to you asap
Thanks for your patience.
Hey Wendy.
Since you guys are talking about locations, I was also curious if you know where the location of their estate “Eden” is? As a child, growing up I was very much interested in architecture and that house was one of my favorites. As I’m studying abroad in Australia, I would love to perhaps see it in person. Thanks.
I assume that ‘Eden’ was located in the Northern Territory as stated in the series. That’s all I know.
The first “Eden” house is actualloy Jimbour House.
Hi!
Do you mean Jimbour house? http://www.jimbour.com
Hi Wendy!
Thank you so much!!!!!The house still exists!Thanks for your effort!!!!!!!
Dear Wendy! My name is Victoria I’m 27 years old and I live in Russia. I watched the series first when I was 8-9 years old (when it was shown in our local channel in 1991-2) ans since then I’ve become a huge fan of the show! Can you please tell me more about the actors who played there since there is almost no info about them on the web. I’d be very grateful to you!
Hi Vicky, the starring actors of the series have all gone on to bigger and better things in different areas of the industry. I will do a rundown of what I know to date.
Rebecca Gilling (Stephanie Harper): She was born in 1953 in Sydney and is one of Australia’s best known actors. She played in various tv series starting in the 1970′s (No 96, Glenview High, Young Doctors) and played the role of Stephanie Harper in both the original Eden series and the sequel mini-series three years later. She concentrated on tv presenting in the 90′s and is currently involved in promoting environmental organisations.
Peta Toppano (Jilly Stewart): Pete was born into a showbusiness family, her parents Enzo and Peggy Toppano ran a musical theatre for two decades in Manly called ‘The Music Loft’ or known simply as ‘The Loft’. Peta went to school at Monte Saint Angelo High school in North Sydney and also appeared in her parents cabaret shows at The Loft over time. Peta appeared in the very first episodes of the Channel Ten soap series ‘Prisoner’ and also in musicals such as ‘A Chorus Line’ in 1978. Her father Enzo is still alive however Peggy Toppano died in 2003. Peta married twice, first to actor Barry Quin then second to businessman Kerry Stokes. You can catch up with Peta at her site http://www.petatoppano.com
Daniel Abineri (Jake Sanders): he was born and began acting in England then moved out to NZ and then Australia. He starred in the Rocky Horror Picture Show on stage in the 80′s and is credited with giving Russell Crowe his first stage job in the show.
Peter Cousens (Dennis Harper): Peter is a veteran of the musical stage in Australia and was fantastic as Marius in the Sydney production of Les Miserables in the 90′s. He has combined tv acting and stage work successfully and I actually knew him when he was tutoring in singing and drama at the Australian Institute of Music back in 2000 where I also was studying music myself. Last time I saw him he was married with two little girls.
Megan Williams (Cassie Jones): Megan was a really lovely actress and starred in the 80′s in one of my favourite shows on Channel Nine ‘The Sullivans’ which was about a family living in Victoria in WW2. She was living with Australian rock star Ian Moss in a long term relationship and was also a very good singer. Sadly Megan died in April 2000 from breast cancer at the age of 43. She was one of the first people to introduce Pilates classes into Australia from the US.
Thank you very much! Oh, it’s a real shock to hear about Megan’s death… I still cannot believe it’s true… (( Cancer is indeed very malicious and insidious disease, especially breast cancer. So sad she has lost the battle, especially in such a young age… Had she left any children? And do Rebecca, Peta and Daniel have kids?
What about a girl who played Sarah, Steph’s daughter? I remember she was my favorite character in the series, after Stephanie)
From what I understood, for most of them “Return to Eden” became their “personal best”, in the terms of international success. I, for instance, have never seen any other work with them. Our Russian channels also have never broadcasted their other movies or shows, except for “Eden”. And it’s really sad, because the guys deserved much more such a striking, brilliant roles as they had in “Eden”. Maybe I’m wrong, but I think, that American (Hollywood) stars have more opportunities to reveal their talent to the world and enjoy more glory and fame worldwide than Aussies, and it’s quite unfair.
Still, Return To Eden remains one of the most memorable foreign series ever aired in Russia and ex-Soviet countries and have heaps of a fans, many of whom were not even born at that time. I remeber that our each morning at school began with excited discussion of the last night episode, and we continued to discuss it at the breaks, instead of going outside. Oh, how I wish the producers would make a sequel “Return to Eden – 25 year after”. To see them once again together at the screen would be fantastic! I’m sure it would become a hit!
I have already written to the company that produced the series, McElroy Productions, and suggested a follow-up series would be very popular with overseas fans. Let’s wait and see what happens!
Pete Toppano does not have any children and is not married at the moment.
Rebecca Gilling is not married and has no children.
Nicki Paull played Sarah Harper (daughter of Stephanie Harper) and has done a lot of stage and television acting including the Australian series ‘Neighbours’. She is married to Keith Potger, Keith was a member of the famous Australian band ‘The Seekers’ who recorded ‘Puff the Magic Dragon’ back in the 60′s.
Daniel Abineri is married to tv executive, Claudia Rosenkrantz. This is a link to a video clip of Daniel performing ‘Sweet Transvestite’ in Rocky Horror Picture Show back in 1987.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rns6ZENNNPE
Hi Wendy/Derek,
If you don’t mind, please also share with me the location of Stephanie’s residence in the 2nd series. I have watched “Return to Eden” since I was little and always wish to visit that mansion once.
Thanks,
Yen
Hi Yen!
The residence is loctated in Woolwich on the corner of The Point Road and Gale Street.
Hi Derek! thanks so much for being alert and posting that info – I forgot that I emailed that information to you via private email and did not post it on here and I have been desperately searching through my emails for that particular one…I must have deleted it by accident.
Yen: Woolwich is a suburb about 15 minutes from Sydney, on the north side. The house would be located a moderate walk from the train station, it is a nice area.
Derek, thanks again mate!
Hi All,
I am originally from Zimbabwe in Africa and can remember our entire family watching the Eden series and loving each and every episode!!
Through total accident I found out today that the house in the series was Jimbour House!!
I now live in Chinchilla Qld about 50 minutes drive from Jimbour House, and have been here for the past 4 years. We will be making the trip to Jimbour House this weekend!! I can’t wait! So much history to discover there….
Maybe someday I will get down to Woolwich and see the “New Eden”
Thanks for all the info on here!!
Take care
Melissa
You are more than welcome and let me know how the visit goes!
I love the Return to Eden and would love to know if Rebecca Gilling is still alive and what she is doing now she is a wonderful actress and a beautiful lady. Any info anyone can find out will be deeply appreciated.
Hi sachki, Rebecca is certainly still alive. She is 57 and was born 3 November 1953 in Sydney. Her father was an architect and today, as well as acting, she is also a professional and motivational speaker and has also carved out a very successful career in home design and renovation. At last check she was living in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney in NSW.
Here is an interview with her: http://www.classicaustraliantv.com/INTVWrebecca.htm
and…http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebecca_Gilling
When I was about 13 we stayed in a motel north of Brisbane and it was a little motel . That night the room next door had a huge party and kept me and my parents awake . The next morning they were all popping in and out of the room -and there was Wendy hughes .. And James reyne .. We asked what movie they were making and they said return to Eden series … so yes alt of it was filmed about 4 hours north of Brisy.
Well lucky you! I bet that was a real surprise – James Reyne was huge on the music scene back then and we all loved Wendy Hughes of course. I always thought she should have been snapped up by Hollywood. I watched that original series and loved it – I think everyone did, it smashed the ratings I recall.
Those little roadside motels – I remember them too, especially the ones along the Pacific Hwy at Coffs harbour and down past Wollongong – they were the place we all stayed when we went on holidays. And they were perfectly fine too…your breakfast was delivered to your room door in the mornings and you ordered it on a little card by the TV in the room. I always got Mum to tick all the boxes!
Thanks for that story – great fun!
Hi
If anyone was wondering, Stephanie Harpers Sydney mansion from the original mini series is located at 46 The Crescent in Vaucluse, Sydney NSW. Remember it is a private home so don’t go knocking.
Nice piece of trivia thanks Shane! I would assume such a residence would not be so easily accessible to the general public given the exclusive suburb it is in, probably security gates at least.
This was a cheesy but surprisingly dark soap. I still remember how pale Stephanie’s skin looked in the black water.