EMMA HARRISON : LIVING SMALL

THIS FORMER NEIGHBOURS STAR GOT RID OF ALL HER DESIGNER CLOTHES AND POSSESSIONS TO EMBRACE MINIMALIST LIVING

- Jacqui Lang

When Emma Harrison tells friends she now lives in a “tiny home”, she’s met with blank expressions, sometimes even frowns. “People wonder how can someone like me, who’s led a ‘big’ life, compress their world into such a small space,” ponders the vivacious actress, 48, of her charming, pocket-sized home at a rural property on the Gold Coast. “But when people come and visit, they get it!”

The home, designed by Harrison and her partner, Cade, 47, consists of two metal shipping containers – also known as sea-tainers – linked by wooden decking. “It’s all I need and I love it!” she says, pointing to roos hopping in the distance.

It’s 27 years since Harrison shot to international fame, landing a role as the bubbly Joanna Hartman on Neighbours, Australia’s longest-running drama series. She was just 21 when, overnight, her life became fast, glamorous and very public. “Doors kept opening for me,” recalls Harrison. “I travelled the world, made big money just for showing up at nightclubs, posed for Playboy and enjoyed a life of luxury.” But it’s a world Harrison has now stepped away from, preferring a simpler, more eco-friendly and minimalist lifestyle. “Over the years my personal priorities changed,” she explains. “This is me now, a woman who doesn’t need many possessions.”

Even so, Harrison said she felt a pang when she learned that the final episode of Neighbours will air on August 1 this year. “When I heard it was ending, I felt surprisingly emotional,” she says. “I owe that show so much – it changed my life.”