Farm life: The Australian celebrities who’ve traded city for rural life

A craving for wide, open spaces has seen Australian celebrities splash millions on rural properties. See the stars who are embracing farm life.

Australian celebrities are embracing — in the most grandiose of ways — the tree change that for many only became possible through the pandemic’s “work from home” silver lining.

Film producer George Miller, footballer Sam Burgess and TV host Larry Emdur are among the stars with substantial — and palatial — farmland stakes.

Weekender destinations including Byron Bay, Mornington Peninsula and Noosa are still popular among A-listers, but real estate agents say hinterland havens, worth millions, have never been in hotter demand.

The Southern Highlands, south west of Sydney, with its sprawling hills, is a favourite — and like singer Jimmy Barnes, media personality Sam Armytage calls the region home.

“It’s only an hour and a half from Sydney. High profile people can come down for a couple of days – it’s not that far to go,” McGrath Southern Highlands principal Anne Stone said.

She said businesses in the area were discreet and respected their privacy.

“It’s a respectful community and people are friendly. When Nicole (Kidman) and Keith (Urban) are here, people don’t walk up to them and make a big fuss,” Ms Stone said.

Here we look at the celebrities who are trading in their city pads or expanding their property portfolios with rural retreats.

NICOLE KIDMAN AND KEITH URBAN

Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban bought Bunya Hill, in Sutton Forest, in the NSW’s Southern Highlands.

Big Little Lies actor Nicole Kidman and country music star Keith Urban own Bunya Hill, which is considered to be one of the NSW Southern Highland’s finest Georgian homes.

The pair purchased the 45ha property at Sutton Forest in 2008 for $6.5 million.

Nicole Kidman at her Southern Highlands home.

The mansion – which was once a retreat for 1880s NSW governor Lord Augustus Loftus – features sandstone verandas, a carved cedar staircase and 10 marble fireplaces.

The black Angus cattle stud also has a separate cottage, tennis court and manicured gardens.

SAM ARMYTAGE

Sam Armytage said yes to marrying partner Richard Lavender. They tied the knot at Lavender’s Bowral farm on the final day of 2020. Picture: Instagram

Former Sunrise co-host and Stellar columnist Sam Armytage has embraced the tree change, offloading her North Bondi home last year to live with husband, millionaire businessman and horse breeder Richard Lavender, at his 40ha equestrian property at Bowral, in the Southern Highlands.

Armytage, who grew up on a sheep property in the Snowy Mountains, sold her own 2ha five-bedroom country estate in nearby Burrawang for $3.1m in 2020 after paying $2.2m in 2017.

Samantha Armytage purchased a $2.2 million five bedroom luxury retreat in the Southern Highlands in 2017, which she later sold in 2020. Picture: Supplied

TOM AND EMMA HAWKINS

Geelong star Tom Hawkins with wife at their property in Barrabool. Picture: Nicki Connolly

Geelong full forward Tom Hawkins and his high school sweetheart Emma bought their slice of the rural property market in 2016.

The 62ha Barrabool property, just outside of Geelong, is home to a herd of Angus cows, as well a couple of ponies, chickens, guinea fowl and their beloved pug-cross, Oscar John.

AFL star Tom Hawkins’ family enjoy rural life in Barrabool, outside of Geelong. Picture: Instagram

The Cats’ two-time premiership player is no stranger to farm life, having grown up in Finley, in the NSW Riverina.

During Victoria’s many Covid lockdowns, Hawkins told News Corp he was never short of things to do around the property, with farm life helping to keep him fit.

GEORGE MILLER

Film director George Miller paid more than $4 million for Willabrook, a Southern Highlands’ working cattle farm previously owned by INXS guitarist Tim Farriss. Picture: Supplied

In mid-2020, Mad Max film director George Miller and his wife Margaret Sixel splashed $4.35m on Willabrook, a working cattle farm in Upper Kangaroo River, in the Southern Highlands.

They bought it from INXS guitarist Tim Farriss and his wife Beth, who had owned it for 30 years.

Set on 37ha, the farm features a 1920s-built five-bedroom homestead, plus two one-bedroom cottages, mature orchard, vegetable garden and chicken coops.

IAN HAUG

Former Powderfinger guitarist Ian Haug lives in Camp Mountain, where he runs his own recording studio. Picture: Instagram

Former Powderfinger guitarist Ian Haug has long embraced the life away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

He lives in Camp Mountain, in the Moreton Bay region on the north eastern outskirts of Brisbane, where he runs his recording studio. During Covid lockdowns, Haug started the Up In the Airlock Quarantine Sessions, where he streamed pre-recorded live performances from his studio.

SAM BURGESS

Former Rabbitohs player Sam Burgess splits his time between Sydney and the Southern Highlands. Picture: Instagram

Former Rabbitohs star Sam Burgess is another sporting star who enjoys a country retreat. In 2020, the former rugby league player bought a property in Bowral, and would split his time between Sydney and the Southern Highlands to spend more time with kids, Billy and Poppy, according to News Corp reports.
The children live with his ex-wife Phoebe, who forked out more than $1.7m on a Mediterranean-style house just outside of Bowral that same year.

JIMMY BARNES

Jimmy and Jane Barnes at their Southern Highlands property, which they bought in 2008. Picture: Alan Benson.

Aussie rock legend Jimmy Barnes and his wife Jane have been enjoying the country life for more than a decade. The couple bought Riverbend, a five-bedroom country estate in the Southern Highlands, in 2008. It features raised vegetable patch, chickens and rose garden, which the former Cold Chisel frontman enjoys tending to.

The pair listed their converted warehouse in Botany, Sydney for auction last year, with expectations it would fetch more than $4 million. It is understood the couple wanted to offload it because they spend almost all of their time at Riverbend.

RUSSELL CROWE 

Actor Russell Crowe’s Nana Glen property features a swimming pool and tennis court. Picture: Media Mode

New Zealand-born actor Russell Crowe owns a swath of rural land in Australia, including a 400ha parcel in Nana Glen, near Coffs Harbour on NSW’s mid north coast.

His beautiful farmland, like so many in the area, was ravaged by bushfire in November 2019. The roof of the chapel where he and ex-wife Danielle Spencer got married in 2003 was destroyed.

His Nana Glen property is understood to include a full-sized nightclub, complete with stripper poles, and has hosted many extravagant parties.

TIM MINCHIN

Tim Minchin and wife Sarah bought a project home in Kangaroo Valley for $1.08 million. Picture: Supplied

Perth-raised comedian and man behind the music of smash hit Matilda: The Musical, Tim Minchin and his wife dropped $1.08 million on a project home in Kangaroo Valley, in the Southern Highlands.

Set on 5ha, the two-storey, four-bedroom home is surrounded by dense trees.

Since relocating to Sydney in late 2017, the Minchin family has enjoyed weekend country escapes but fell in love with Kangaroo Valley’s rainforest setting.

LARRY EMDUR

This is one of two Berowra Waters properties Channel 7 host Larry Emdur owns. Picture: Supplied

Channel 7’s Morning Show co-host Larry Emdur has a few weekenders to his name.

Emdur spent $1 million on a derelict bush block that is only accessible by boat in Neverfail Bay, NSW, last year — his second riverfront property in the Berowra Waters region.

Emdur and his wife Sylvie also snapped up 10 acres in the Southern Highland’s Kangaroo Valley in 2020.

Larry Emdur paid $2.15 million for Sky Ridge, an eco-friendly home in Kangaroo Valley. Picture: Supplied

Their Sky Ridge property, which cost $2.15 million, is a luxury off-grid eco-friendly container home designed by architect Alexander Michael.

The four-bedroom structure features two open fireplaces and fetches about $1000 a night as a holiday home.

The couple recently listed the property for sale, with reports indicating works on their project home in Berowra Waters were taking up most of their time.

MICHELLE BRIDGES

Michelle Bridges dropped $2.7 million in 2017 on this Kangaloon property, in the Southern Highlands. Picture: Supplied

Fitness guru Michelle Bridges traded in her penthouse in Sydney’s Potts Point in 2019 for a gorgeous slice of the country life she purchased back in 2017.

The 4ha Kangaloon property, in the Southern Highlands, which features five bedrooms, a guest barn, studio, tennis court and swimming pool, set her back $2.7m.

The main house has an idyllic outlook, with panoramic views of rolling hills and surrounding greenery.

Michelle Bridges’ home features a swimming pool and tennis courts. Picture: Supplied

Originally published as Farm life: The Australian celebrities who’ve traded city for rural life