Byron Bay influencer’s fiance pleads guilty to drink driving
The partner of a Byron Bay influencer has found himself in legal strife after he was busted drunk driving near his multimillion-dollar home. Read more in Sydcon Unleashed.
Confidential
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Influencer Ruby Tuesday Matthews’ fiance has landed himself in hot water, after police caught him drunk-driving near their multimillion-dollar Bangalow home last month.
Matthews’ baby daddy Shannan Dodd faced Mullumbimby Local Court this week, where he pleaded guilty to mid-range drink driving and driving with an expired license.
Dodd, who splits his time between Sydney and the couple’s newly renovated Bangalow home, is set to face sentencing on August 6 after undergoing the Traffic Offender Program.
He was represented by solicitor John D Weller, who specialises in driving offences and drug-related charges.
Matthews, who boasts 262,000 followers on Instagram, was noticeably silent on social media on the day of Dodd’s court appearance.
Despite the mum-of-three being very active on social media, Dodd rarely pops up in her feeds, and she has been forced to clarify the state of her relationship several times.
“’I love my kids and I am not separated,’ she told her fans on Instagram last year.
“I’m very much committed and engaged in my relationship. These things I sometimes like to keep private.”
Little is known about Dodd, however the Telegraph understands he used to be an account director at printing company Axia Office.
It’s not quite clear when exactly Matthews and Dodd started dating, however PDA pictures of the pair began appearing on her Instagram account in May 2021.
The couple announced their engagement in June of that year and welcomed daughter Holiday in September 2022.
She shares two older sons, Mars and Rocket, with ex-fiance Ryan Heywood.
Matthews and Dodd were contacted for comment.
Roche family’s $8m rebuild
The Roche family, whose fortune came from direct marketing Nutrimetics International beauty products in the 1960s, want to spend $8.1m on their Palm Beach rebuild.
It follows their vast three lot 3079 sqm Barrenjoey Rd beachfront site consolidation which cost $36.5m.
The family wants to demolish the Phillip Cox-designed trophy home, Palm Haven, which was built for Phillip Esplin, the late founder of Esplins Solicitors.
The replacement two storey house plans have been lodged with Northern Beaches Council by the Melbourne based architectural practice, Kennon.
They include construction of a foreshore grass court pickleball court.
Local veteran architect Douglas McKay is the only neighbour to oppose the demolition of the landmark house set between two mature Norfolk Island pines overlooking Pittwater.
“It is considered to be one of his finest houses before Cox became primarily engaged in major projects throughout Australia and overseas,” McKay’s submission said.
“It is an excellent example of the Sydney School.
“It is also notable for its magnificent landscape setting which incorporates the only lawn tennis court at Palm Beach.”
“The heritage study of modern architecture currently being conducted by the Northern Beaches Council should not be completed before a thorough assessment,” McKay requested.
Cox designed the double brick and timber home in 1990 to win the HIA Award for Design and Building Excellence.
Sydney venue snags viral group
They’re the three humble boys from New Zealand who are on track to sell out the Enmore Theatre this August, but it still doesn’t feel quite right for viral sensation The Morning Shift.
Known for their “Forgotten Bangers”, “Red Flags that are Green Flags” segments and their love for rugby league, there isn’t a lot that can phase these guys.
They share personal stories, dance, sing, yell, even partake in skits for their thousands of weekly listeners, but Marc Peard, Brook Ruscoe and Jordan Vaha’akolo can’t begin to believe the influence they have had on our shores.
“Even to be interviewed, to us that’s crazy,” River told Confidential.
“The amount of times we’ve gone to places and unsuspecting people have said they were fans of what we do, it’s just a huge buzz, especially to be able to sell tickets to an event in Australia is something we don’t take lightly and feel super grateful for.”
For Peard and Ruscoe, the Morning Shifts tour to Australia is a chance to thank fans for their constant support despite pressures coming from around the world.
The group, which have over 1.5 million TikTok followers and over 48.9 million likes, are hoping their live show can provide an escape and add on to the experience their fans get from listening to their weekly podcast.
“It’s a cool chance for us to thank the people who have been with us during this journey but also give them a bit of escapism,” Peard said.
“You can’t really buy support in today’s market and so the support that we have and what we’ve anchored in is pretty overwhelming and we’re very fortunate to be in a place like this,” Ruscoe said.
Ruscoe has helped the show grow immensely in Australia, bringing rugby league into the fold. Even bringing NRL legend Shaun Johnson on the show as a regular guest.
In doing this, Johnson has been able to push his own media career, while helping the boys establish themselves as household names.
“You really get to see a real side of him (Johnson) at the moment, and I really think he’s come in here and felt real comfortable with us, which has reflected on what he’s doing with Fox at the moment,” Ruscoe said.
“The not so polished side of Shaun Johnson, it’s actually been nice to have him on this side, and I think he’s done a pretty good job.”
The Morning Shift crew, who established themselves through radio and podcast, were in Sydney, a month ahead of their shows as guests of the Las Vegas Raiders, watching the State of Origin.
They filmed a podcast from Accor Stadium in preparation for their Sydney show, and will return next month for their live tour.
Nicole Kidman and family spotted in Greece
Oscar winning Aussie Nicole Kidman and her family were spotted in Greece enjoying cheeky pre-dinner cocktails by the stunning Ionian Sea.
Confidential spies spotted the Kidman clan included Keith Urban, Kidman’s sister Antonia, her husband Craig Marran and their four children in gorgeous Paxos, a tiny Greek island known for its pebble beaches, privacy and stunning views of the aquamarine sea.
Kidman’s niece, Lucia Hawley’s Instagram teased reels of the family at Le Rocher cocktail bar where the Aussie star could share in the stunning views of the Ionian Sea over the rim of her cocktail glass with her nearest and dearest.
Hawley’s Instagram reels were full of sun-kissed pics of plates full of pasta, the packed La Rocher bar full of patrons and the family swimming through crystal blue water in the bright Greek sun.
In true older sibling fashion, Hawley also shared a laugh at her younger brothers James and Hamish’s expense as they playfully splashed her over the side of the boat in goofy goggles. She included the caption ‘Trying to relax with little brothers x’ and a short boomerang of one of her brothers dancing at the dinner table over plates of fresh oranges and hummus.
Hembrow’s ex saves ‘blind drunk’ tourist
Tammy Hembrow’s ex-partner, Ironman Matt Poole recently got himself a little wet and a hero title.
Poole, who shares child Posey with fitness influencer Hembrow, was mid training session running back from Tallebudgera Creekin Queensland when he heard people screaming out that a man was drowning.
“I had to jump off and go make a little rescue,” Poole explained in a video posted to Instagram.
Noting it was “right on dark” and involved a “blind drunk” tourist, Poole gave his followers a warning.
“Don’t drink and swim people, that is dangerous,” he said.
“That was scary,” Poole captioned the post.
Dylan Wright’s ‘pinch me’ moment
Former Australian Idol winner Dylan Wright is living his dreams, playing alongside “big Australian country legends,” he told Sydney Confidential.
“I’ve just come off a tour with Tina Arena around Australia,” Dylan said.
“I’d just be singing at Tina’s face being like, how is this real? I remember being five years- old and listening to her album, so it was a big pinch me moment.”
The Northern Rivers-based singer-songwriter grew up in the Sutherland Shire, and has since taken his music globally including shows in Europe and a festival in country music heartland in Nashville.
“I think you can get a lot from country music that you can’t get from other genres,” Dylan said.
“It’s just not about whiskey and trucks, but there’s a whole lot about life and love and loss.”
Dylan is set to release his latest single Find My Way on Friday, which he said is a reflection of life on tour.
“When you’re away you realise how amazing Australia is,” he said.
“We take for granted how great it is, how good the people are, the coffee, the music.”
‘Dead area now’: Barangaroo bar closes
Nola Smokehouse and Bar has shut down without warning to its customers, entering voluntary liquidation and joining a growing list of closures in the waterfront precinct.
Influencer’s birthday post after fiance’s drink-driving charge
Ruby Tuesday Matthews marked her 32nd birthday with a heartfelt post, following her partner’s court appearance.