Frank Moorhouse's fascinating life has taken him across the world, connecting him to legions of captivating people who inspired his famed stories.
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Yet in his final months, he longed for one more trip to his home town.
Born in the NSW South Coast town of Nowra, the author and journalist died on Sunday (June 26) at St Vincent's Hospital in Sydney, aged 83.
Frank's brother Arthur Moorhouse has paid tribute to his youngest sibling, who, he said stood out among the trio of Moorhouse brothers for his writing talents.
Arthur is nearly 90, while eldest brother Owen is 94; each of the brothers had their own unique skillsets.
"Frank was quite academic, always had a flair for writing - he had an analytical mind but no mechanical aptitude, and I was the opposite," he said.
It was his flair and smarts which won Frank a cadetship at the Daily Telegraph, and set him on a path to become one of Australia's celebrated writers.
By 1985 he had earned an Order of Australia Medal for service to Australian literature.
While Frank's career took him all over the world, it seemed he would always find his way home - even when he and Arthur drifted apart with their busy lives.
"Frank would often come down here [to Nowra], he loved the bush," he said.
"He would stay with us for the night, and then I would take him up to Sassafrass (near Nerriga) - just drop him off and he'd say 'I'll meet you back here in two or three days'.
"Frank loved the Budawangs... in his last six months he thought he might have one Budawang trip left in him."
Frank wrote 18 novels, along with his extensive journalistic works, multiple screenplays, tv scripts, and essays.
Being at home was evidently a source of inspiration.
Arthur keeps a collection of his brother's books, and having read almost all of them, picks The Coca Cola Kid as his personal favourite.
He loves it because Frank based the story on their home town.
"I think it took my fancy because I could relate to the story, and relate it to Nowra and the town's characters," he said.
Frank's personal story reveals more
This year, two authors have been writing biographies about Frank Moorhouse.
It has been a significant task, considering the full life he led - think a dinner party in Paris with Colleen McCullough and the Australian Ambassador; a brief marriage to his childhood sweetheart; and spending an entire year in Geneva to research his famed Edith Trilogy, just to name a few events.
While the biographies will now have an ending, Arthur is still realising the immense personal impact his brother had on many friends - all connected through his writing.
In the hours following Frank's death, news had spread fast in his literary community and tributes began to appear.
"He passed away on Sunday morning at one o'clock. By five o'clock we were meeting with his friends in Sydney to discuss the arrangements, and they had already put his eulogy together," he said.
"By the time we got home to Nowra at seven o'clock, that eulogy had gone global.
"Frank's nieces in Turkey and Hong Kong had read it before we had even opened it."
A memorial and a homecoming
Frank's close friends are organising a celebration of his life in Sydney, with some of Australia's biggest names in media and literature set to speak.
Following the memorial service, Arthur will bring his brother home to the Moorhouse's family cemetery plot in Nowra.