 In 1983, after the publication of "Joy Hester", Burke left Australia for Tuscany where she had a residency at Paretaio, the house of Australian artist Arthur Boyd which is situated near Palaia, halfway between Pisa and Florence.Judith Blackall, now gallery curator and manager, National Art School Sydney, had established the Boyd home as a studio and residency for artists, administered by the Australia Council for the Arts.Artists resident around the same time as Burke included Janet Laurence, Elizabeth Gower, John Neeson and Domenico de Clario.