Society hairdresser Joh Bailey expands property holdings as buyers cut and run from cities

Society hairdresser Joh Bailey and his partner, champion horseman Michael Christie, have effectively doubled the size of their previous acreage in the Highlands.

Celebrity hairdresser Joh Bailey at his 30 acre Bowral property.

Wealthy Sydneysiders are swooping on the bucolic NSW Southern Highlands in a bid to flee COVID-19 stricken cities, as illustrated by society hairdresser Joh Bailey buying 23ha at Sutton Forest, southwest of Sydney.

Bailey and his partner, champion horseman Michael Christie, have forked out $1.225m for the holding, effectively doubling the size of their previous acreage in the Highlands.

Local agents said last night the Highlands were awash with deals, with several in play, including to a number of big name celebrities as buyers rethink city living.

Bailey has bought Canyonleigh Road estate, about 140km from Sydney, which features a rundown three-bedroom cottage, a long established orchard and a manager’s residence. It has development approval for a 150-bed place of worship or meditation retreat.

Bailey, who has attended to the locks of actress Cate Blanchett and models Miranda Kerr and Linda Evangelista and charges $300 for a cut and blow dry at one of his four salons, said the couple would spend “whatever it takes” to create a lavish estate.

They plan to develop a Ralph Lauren-style two-level barn at Canyonleigh Road and Bailey said they were attracted to it as it would allow more space for their 20 horses and four dogs.

“We want to take on a real challenge this time,” said Bailey, who has completed major renovations on several Highlands properties. “We are going to do a real number on this place.”

Asked if he would proceed with the approved development application for a place of worship on Canyonleigh Road, Bailey quipped: “The only thing that is going to be worshipped at my place is me.”

He said the pair planned to reside in the one-bedroom manager’s cottage during the construction of the barn, and would “completely transform this property”. This would include relocating some of trees in the orchard.

“Michael and I like creating and making properties, we like doing the garden, the house … plus we wanted more room for the horses.”

Bailey and Christie recently sold their smaller Handleys Lane, High Range, property in four days, for just over $3.5m. The couple purchased that former cattle ranch, off the Wombeyan Caves Road west of Mittagong, in 2016 and transformed it from a traditional agricultural spread into a horse estate with a homestead, separate cottage and a lake with a jetty.

The Canyonleigh Road property was marketed by The Agency Southern Highlands office.