Scandal in a book-lined room

Heide...no, not a variant spelling of a blonde-haired girl in the alps (although pronounced that way) but a unique indoor and outdoor space for showcasing modern and contemporary art and design in Bulleen (near the suburb of Heidelburg) in Melbourne.

John and Sunday Reed bought the property which they would affectionately refer to as Heide two years after they married in 1932. During revolutionary years in Australian art - the 1930s, 40s and 50s - the Reeds created an idyllic refuge of inspiration for artists and intellectuals. Heide and the Reeds became synonymous with the creative friends they attracted, most notably, the leading exponents of Australian modernism, Sidney Nolan, Albert Tucker and Joy Hester. Nolan's famous Ned Kelly series were painted in the dining room of Heide. 

Sunday, in particular, was very taken with Nolan's work...and the man, himself. When Nolan finally left Heide after a long stay, she built a heart-shaped garden in celebration of their love affair.

The Reeds lived to see their vision fulfilled for Heide to become a public museum when Heide Park & Art Gallery opened in November 1981. They both died shortly afterwards in December 1981, ten days apart.