Model Elyse Knowles announces surprise engagement to boyfriend Josh Barker

The Australian model has become secretly engaged to her longtime boyfriend, despite revealing she had no plans to get married.

Elyse Knowles has announced her engagement to boyfriend of eight years Josh Barker.

The Byron Bay model became engaged to the builder last month as they prepare to welcome their first child together.

Knowles, 28, shared a photo of her oval cut diamond ring on Instagram and her celebrity pals including Kate Waterhouse and Megan Gale led congratulatory messages in the comments section.

Josh Barker and Elyse Knowles. Picture: Nicki Connolly

The couple announced their engagement on social media.

It comes after the former Block winner, who is in her third trimester of pregnancy, told Stellar magazine that a wedding is not a priority for the pair.

“I’m not really fussed about [a wedding],” Knowles said last week.

“The baby is the biggest commitment we need. We don’t even think about that anymore. I’m not worried about it. I would rather put that money into family and our life all together. We know we love each other.”

The couple relocated to Byron Bay from Melbourne two years ago in pursuit of more sustainable living.

They purchased a $2.3 million home in the star-studded coastal town last year.

“Everyone always smiles and always say hello. That was one of the first things I noticed living in Byron,” Knowles previously said after relocating. “The community is more environmentally conscious. It is conversations that people have every single day … talking about the ocean and the marine life.”