A small-town accountant's practice has given him a profile, but the bulk of his fortune has been created elsewhere. By Andrew Heathcote

Steve Di Petta likes to be noticed. Driving around his home town of Shepparton, Victoria, in a big, black Chrysler 300C, the accountant has a unique presence. "He's one of my clients," di Petta says, acknowledging one of the many pedestrians who wave in his direction. His mobile phone, complete with a ringtone from The Godfather, is in constant use. He wears dark sunglasses and is dressed in a sharp suit.