He’s brought the festive magic to South Australia for more than two decades and now Adelaide’s own Mr Christmas, Brian Gilbertson, is hoping the sale of his Thorngate home of 31 years brings him some good cheer.
Prior to buying the 18 Churcher St home they are now selling, Mr Gilbertson, 70, who has been the director of the Adelaide Christmas Pageant for the past 23 years, and his wife Julie Sloan, 67, the CEO of Workforce Planning Global, were previously living in Carter St, Thorngate, with Ms Sloan joking the couple had “lived in two of the suburb’s two-and-a-half streets”.
“All up we’ve been in the suburb for about 35 years – most people in the suburb stay for a generation,” she said.
The couple have raised their family there, including their son, actor Harrison Sloan Gilbertson, who is set to appear in the upcoming Springsteen biopic Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere.
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Julie Sloan with husband “Mr Christmas” Brian Gilbertson at their home at 18 Churcher St, Thorngate. Picture: Emma Brasier
The couple in the living area. Picture: Emma Brasier
And out by the pool. Picture: Emma Brasier
“He came home especially to say goodbye to the house, so he flew in from New York only a couple of months ago just to have a last swim and to sit under the tree, look at his bedroom and spend some time in the old garage which became sort of like a man cave studio to him, because that’s where he studied all of his early roles,” Mr Gilbertson said.
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Mr Gilbertson, an accomplished singer with a star on the Festival Theatre Walk of Fame, said the home was always filled with music, especially at Christmas.
“There was one year where we had a family party at the back and the next-door neighbours were having a party so I stood up on the side of the fence on a ladder and conducted both backyards in a singalong of the whole 12 days of Christmas,” he said.
Business at the front … Supplied
… and party at the back. Supplied
The extension was created to capture as much light as possible. Supplied
The updated 1920s character bungalow in Adelaide’s smallest suburb has five bedrooms, two bathrooms, a swimming pool, and sits on an 892sqm allotment.
Being sold through Benjamin Tan of Harris Real Estate, the home will be auctioned on Saturday September 6 and is being marketed without a price guide.
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Now “rightsizing”, as Ms Sloan proudly puts it, to Eighty Eight O’Connell in North Adelaide, the couple said they leave with plenty of wonderful memories and will miss its fantastic city fringe location.
Soaring ceilings are on the menu. Supplied
One of the stunning bedrooms. Supplied
Another look at that rear living area. Supplied
A more formal space. Supplied
“We sit right at the top of Prospect Rd nestled in between Fitzroy, Medindie and Prospect and then we’ve got just a short walk across the green belt to O’Connell Street, so the location is just incredible,” Mr Gilbertson said.
“I think any family who purchases this property will stay for a long time and have a wonderful, wonderful life here.”
