Mansions to ranches: Inside Sydney stars’ COVID iso-properties
From Kyle Sandilands’ eastern suburbs luxury pad, Alan Jones’ rural ranch to Sam Armytage and Roxy Jacenko’s cashed-up houses: here is how Sydney’s most elite ‘slummed’ it up during NSW coronavirus restrictions. SEE INSIDE THE PROPERTIES.
Confidential
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They are some of our most familiar faces, earning the big bucks on television and radio but how have Sydney’s rich and famous been ‘roughing it up’ during coronavirus lockdown. Here are some of the private properties where our biggest stars have been bunkered down over recent weeks.
1/ Kyle and Jackie O
The first few weeks of iso saw Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O Henderson record their hit KIIS FM breakfast show from their respective homes. But as restrictions have been eased, they are now back in the studio at the Australian Radio Network offices in North Ryde. Henderson recently sold her $6.5 million Vaucluse home and is now renting a hip Bondi apartment where she lives with daughter, Kitty. Sandilands meanwhile gave up living full time at his farm digs in the Southern Highlands when he split from ex girlfriend Imogen Anthony last year.
He is now renting in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. During isolation he revealed himself to be a fan of Bueno chocolates, sharing an amusing video on Instagram picking up chocolate supplies at a local convenience store. He also revealed he has been learning a language, studying Spanish during his time at home. He figured it would be a good language to know as he spends a lot of time in Los Angeles.
2/ Alan Jones
Who would have thought Alan Jones bouncing gently on a trampoline? That’s how the controversial radio and TV star has passed some of his time in isolation. Retreating to Fitzroy Falls in the Southern Highlands, Jones has been based at his country estate Elizabeth Farm there since before restrictions were imposed. Jones of course this week announced his retirement from 2GB due to health issues. The 79-year-old’s trampoline antics were sparked by a bet from Tabcorp’s Glenn Munsie, who said he wouldn’t do it.
“Here you are Munsie. I’m here. You said I couldn’t do it. Isn’t it? AJ on the trampoline,” Jones said as he bounced on the tramp in a video posted to Instagram.
3/ Sam Armytage
Sunrise host Sam Armytage has enjoyed the best of both worlds during coronavirus. She spent much of the time off work in isolation recouping at her partner Richard Lavender’s Southern Highlands estate, sharing home videos of cooking, playing with pooch Banjo and watching the horse racing on TV. Armytage was off work for several weeks after suffering a respiratory illness following the south coast bushfires over December and January. Back on air weekday mornings, she is now splitting her time between her Bondi pad during the week and Lavender’s property on weekends. And in something many of us can relate to, Armytage confessed she had put on weight during coronavirus.
“I have put on a few kilos in this lockdown and in recent months and I am not proud of that,” she said. “I know we are all spending lots of time stuck indoors and lots of time staring into the fridge. It is not an easy time but don’t beat yourself up too much if you too, like me, have eaten a little bit too much cheese lately or whatever your vice is.”
4/ Erin Molan
Having worked through the coronavirus crisis, much loved sports journalist Erin Molan has relished the fact she hasn’t been travelling during this time. It has given her much more time to spend with her young daughter, Eliza, and partner Sean Ogilvy. She’s shared some happy snaps on social media, getting out and about on the local oval for exercise.
And she’s also been much more active than usual in the kitchen of her eastern suburbs apartment.
“I am not a cook at all but I reckon I have cooked like five meals in the last month and that is more than I’ve done in years,” Molan told Confidential. “It has been very quiet, doing just normal things but more of them. I’ve been home most of the time, which is amazing. Even just walking more, and exercising more.”
5/ Roxy Jacenko
Not one to shy away from sharing her amazing life, often showing her lavish holidays, private jet and helicopter travel on social media, Roxy Jacenko has spent the past few months at her five bedroom home in Vaucluse. But it isn’t just any home Jacenko shares with partner Oliver Curtis and their two kids, Pixie and Hunter. The PR boss moved into the house at the end of last year after substantial renovations under the guidance of interior designer Blainey North. Prolific on Instagram, Jacenko has regularly updated her more than 250,000 followers on the goings on at home during coronavirus, from dancing and singing around the house to pampering days with the kids, Hunter’s recent sixth birthday bash, cooking lessons, a shisha session on the balcony and Pixie having her hair done in Jacenko’s walk in glam room, which is a whole room to itself and features a wall of Birkin bags on display.
6/ Karl Stefanovic
When not recording breakfast show Today at Channel 9’s Willoughby headquarters, Karl Stefanovic has been nesting at his new Sydney mansion with wife Jasmine. The pair this month welcomed newborn daughter, Harper, their first child together and Stefanovic’s fourth including his three kids from his previous marriage.
The couple have shared glimpses inside their rented Castlecrag north shore harbourside home, which spans four levels with an internal lift and boasts its own cinema room. The four bedroom home also has its own wine cellar and a private dock with a reported weekly rental of around $2900.
7/ Rodger Corser
Family man Rodger Corser has been spending isolation home schooling and cooking. The father of four lives in a house in the St George area and while he usually keeps his home life pretty private, has been sharing a few funny moments on social media. One such picture sees the Doctor Doctor star social distancing in a line waiting for take away dinner. “#scomo just letting you know we are #socialdistancing in the #shire .....at the fish shop,” he wrote on the post with a message to Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
Corser is a keen home cook and has spent much time familiarising himself with his barbecue in the backyard. He also got behind a local Aussie business, supporting his cousin Jude and her Red Dog Chillies peri peri sauces. “Now I really do believe everything’s gonna be fine,” he wrote, sharing a snap of the supplies. Corser also gave fans a glimpse into his multi-level home life by taking part in Rebecca Gibney’s Love Is In The Air Corona 2020 mix alongside the likes of Amanda Keller, Kerry Armstrong, Larry Emdur, Lisa Wilkinson, Sam Neill, Michala Banas, Georgie Parker and Claudia Karvan.
8/ Jennifer Hawkins
Working mum Jennifer Hawkins appears to have been making the most of her $20 million Pittwater home after listing the property for sale in November. The four level waterfront house dubbed Casa Paloma, which translates to Dove House, was designed by Koichi Takada and has its own private beach. Hawkins and builder partner Jake Wall became parents for the first time to daughter Frankie Violet in October.
On Mother’s Day this month, Hawkins shared a happy snap with Frankie overlooking the water from their home. “Love being your mummy Frankie girl,” she wrote. “Special day! Last night was ‘special’ too, she wanted to be up partying with me at 3am! Sums up motherhood- imperfectly perfect! Happy Mother’s Day to my beautiful mum and all you wonderful mummas out there. and looking down on us.”
9/ Guy Sebastian
Music is everywhere in Guy Sebastian’s $3.1 million Maroubra home, and understandably so. Living with stylist wife Jules and their two kids Hudson and Archer, a forced stint at home looks to be just what the doctor ordered for the family of four.
With Sebastian spending much of the year on the road, it has been a time to bunker down as a family where they have shared multiple videos of Sebastian singing and playing music with his wife and kids. Home schooling has become the norm while a family bike ride is a welcome treat. Golf is also one of Sebastian’s passions, as is cooking.
10/ Sam Frost
Exercise has been key to keeping Home And Away star Sam Frost sane during isolation. With the TV show on a forced break of seven weeks due to coronavirus restrictions, Frost has been based out of her townhouse in Sydney’s inner west. Celebrating her 31st birthday at the beginning of iso, she has also shared several snaps working out in a local park with Redfern-based personal trainer Chris Robinson. “I am so grateful for my beautiful friend Chris … he’s been my saving grace during this time … keeping active has been really important for me mentally. Even though, he makes me do a lunge off at the end of my session when my legs are burning and wobbly.”
