On 28 December 2014 Newcastle commemorated the 25th anniversary of the devastating earthquake which hit the city on 28 December 1989 . Miss Porter 's House is close to where most of the quake 's 13 deaths occurred . Photographs and contemporaneous reports show that the damage to the house was great . The external skin of brick and the balcony roof had fallen ; daylight was visible between walls and ceilings . 90 years of industrial soot that had gathered in the ceilings and wall cavities was now spread across the furniture , floors and walls . Some argued the house should be demolished , but Ella and Hazel Porter thought otherwise . Hazel drafted letters to the insurance company and the Town Clerk asking that their home be saved . Her case was convincing . During the rebuilding period , the sisters lived in rental premises . Don Barnett , the architect at the Water Board offices next to the Porters , and his wife befriended the women and helped them in this period . Don , who thought the building beyond repair , was assigned to talk to the women about the construction of a brick fence between the Board offices and their house . He eventually became the architect responsible for the repair , a task he carried out without charge
devastating earthquake
1989 Newcastle earthquake
Miss Porter's House