Mick Gatto swaps Melbourne for the cruisy life

EMPTY nester Mick Gatto has gone from underworld figure to cruise ship holiday maker as he embraces a new lifestyle away from Melbourne’s seedy underbelly.

Mick Gatto has gone from underworld figure to cruise ship holiday maker. Picture: Alex Coppel

EMPTY nester Mick Gatto has gone from underworld figure to cruise ship holiday maker.

While he hasn’t adopted the sandals-and-socks look yet, the colourful Carlton character is embracing a new lifestyle away from Melbourne’s seedy underbelly.

Nights are now occupied playing chess and Scrabble on a cruise ship from Greece to Italy.

It’s the Gatto European Vacation with nary a burly crony to be seen.

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Dare we say it, but could retirement be on the cards for the formidable fixer and mediator?

But even Gatto can’t stop being Gatto for very long. After docking in Venice, he was spied renting what could only be described as the Rolls Royce of gondolas … think black lacquer with bespoke gold trimmings as he went sight seeing around the floating city with his wife of 39 years, Cheryle, who he describes as a “good woman”.

Macca’s view.

“She is an educated woman,” Gatto said.

“The last 10 years, she’s been a housewife — we have three grandkids, whom she looks after, she puts all her time and effort into them.

“Great cook, good woman. No complaints at all.”

The couple sold their Lower Plenty home in 2016 for more than
$3 million, saying it had got “too big for them”.

The Gatto pile wasn’t quite your ordinary home, with a boxing ring and state-of-the-art-security system.

Like many retirees, the Gattos downsized and bought an apartment.