Neil Balnaves, philanthropist and businessman, dies at 77

A boating accident has taken the life of the former TV exec, whose philanthropy was triggered by a boating collision 20 years ago that almost killed him.

Television executive and philanthropist Neil Balnaves has died in an unspecified boating accident while on holiday. Picture: Julian Andrews.

In a terrible irony, a boating accident has claimed the life of former television executive Neil Balnaves – whose generous arts philanthropy was triggered by a boating collision 20 years ago that almost killed him.

Mark Kilmurry, artistic di­rector of Sydney’s Ensemble Theatre, which is sponsored by Mr Balnaves’ cultural body, the Balnaves Foundation, said: “Yesterday afternoon we were informed of the shocking and terribly sad news of Neil Balnaves’ fatal boating accident while on holidays.

“Neil Balnaves, through the Balnaves Foundation, was not only a major sponsor of Ensemble Theatre but he became a great friend and supporter.

“For more than six years, Neil, with his wife Diane and son Hamish, provided the most generous financial support.’’

Mr Balnaves was a former chair of the Ardent Leisure Group who brought shows including Blue Heelers, Water Rats and Big Brother to Australian screens while running the Southern Star production house.

Through his foundation, he gave more than $20m to leading arts organisations, including Sydney’s Ensemble and Belvoir St theatres, the Art Gallery of NSW, Art Gallery of South Australia, the Adelaide Festival, and Bangarra Dance Theatre.

The foundation also funded Indigenous and health research through Sydney’s St Vincent’s Hospital, the Black Dog Institute and the University of NSW’s Indigenous Law Centre.

Said Mr Kilmurry: “Neil had a vision to create a better Australia through education, medicine and the arts, especially First Nations artists, and was never afraid to stand up for what he believed in. We will miss his generous and fearless spirit.’’

Although the family has not released details of the fatal boating accident, The Australian understands it occurred while Mr Balnaves was vacationing near Tahiti with his wife, Diane, on a large cruise ship.

It is also understood that his son, Hamish, and youngest daughter, Victoria, have flown to Tahiti to collect their grieving mother. Sadly, the Balnaves’ ­eldest daughter, Alexandra, died in 2019 following a long illness.

Neil Balnaves gave more than $20m to leading arts organisations. Picture: Sam Mooy

In a statement on Monday, a spokesperson for the Balnaves Foundation confirmed Mr Balnaves’ death.

“The Balnaves family sends their heartfelt thanks for people’s kind words and wishes, and kindly requests privacy at this difficult time,’’ the spokesperson said.

Former general manager of the Sydney Theatre Company and of the South Bank Centre in London, Michael Lynch, said it was a “horrible shock” to learn of his friend’s death.

Mr Lynch noted how his friend had partly made his fortune from popular dramas and reality television and said his contribution to the arts was “substantial” and “significant”.

“It’s just a terrible thing to have happened,’’ he said. “I also think it’s a big loss to the Australian arts, and on the Indigenous side of it he’s been incredibly important.’’

An emotional Mr Lynch said that following Mr Balnaves’ first boating accident in 2002 – in which a power boat ploughed into his runabout on the Gold Coast – the arts patron spent “the past 20 years putting himself back together; from the family’s point of view, it’s been a terrible time”.

Mr Balnaves – who, like Mr Lynch, was a polio survivor, broke more than 40 bones in the 2002 accident, spent three weeks on life support and was later awarded compensation for his injuries.

For the powerful and wealthy media executive, that boating accident proved to be an epiphany. In a 2011 interview he said that during his long recovery, “I had a lot of time to think … And what I came to was this: How many more houses do I need? Do I want the jet plane? Do I want another yacht? Not really. There comes a time when those things stop meaning so much to you.”

The foundation has sponsored the Art Gallery of South Australia’s contemporary art survey, the Biennial, and its representatives were due to attend the opening next week. AGSA director Rhana Devenport said: “AGSA is deeply saddened at the passing of Neil Balnaves.’’ She said he had shown “visionary leadership” while on the gallery’s board and had championed “access to art for all’’.

Mr Balnaves was chair of the Ardent Leisure Group from 2003 until 2016. Before he retired, the company was embroiled in a 2016 tragedy in which four people died when a ride malfunctioned at its Gold Coast Dreamworld theme park. In 2020, the company was fined $3.6m after it admitted breaching safety regulations linked to the deaths.