After being in the corporate world as a CEO and as the 2004 Qld Telstra Businesswoman of the Year, Marisa Vecchio took a break to develop accommodation and in 2012 took on her biggest challenge, the restoration of historic Hanworth House, one of Brisbane’s oldest properties which was bought and restored in honour of her beautiful mother Romana Preston who passed away in the same year from ovarian cancer. Just weeks from opening in March 2013 an arson attack destroyed 80% of this magnificent house. The journey started again. Hanworth has already played host to significant events including dinners, a ball, charity functions and is the subject of a documentary to be premiered in 2015 “Heart Hanworth House” Marisa and her family love to share Hanworth with the community. Marisa is committed to supporting women in business, is committed to the advancement of women especially through her work with Zonta International, and continues her charity work on the WANTZ committee and as an ambassador for the Womens Legal Service. In 2014 Hanworth House was honoured to be awarded the Qld Heritage Council Gold Award 2014 and the John Herbert Memorial Award, the supreme award for the most outstanding awards nomination. Any stay at Hanworth is not complete without following the antics of Superstar Tea Cosy. This mischievious teapot and cosy survived the 2012 fire and has gone on to become a blog success, chronicling the renovation, constantly interrupting progress with her antics and adventures. Marisa believes that we should all do what we love – she loves Hanworth and is very proud of the special place and community being created here.
