Some of Australia’s richest billionaire business tycoons and celebrities will miss out on having big parties at their Sydney beach houses because of Covid restrictions.
The Pittwater side of the Northern Beaches, known locally as the ‘insular peninsula’, isn’t just Australia’s latest coronavirus epicentre.
This picturesque, coastal stretch of Sydney from Newport to Palm Beach is also home to holiday houses of the very rich and famous.
Some of Australia’s richest billionaire business tycoons and celebrities will miss out on having big parties at their Sydney beach houses because of Covid restrictions. Atlassian software co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes (pictured with his wife Annie) bought a $24.5million Newport house from Miss Universe Jennifer Hawkins in June
The Atlassian tycoon’s new Northern Beaches pad on Prince Alfred Parade, with no garage, was one of Australia’s most expensive houses to change hands in 2020 and has views of Scotland Island
Atlassian software co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes in June spent $24.5million on a five-bedroom mansion on the Pittwater side of Newport, near former federal Liberal MP and Speaker Bronwyn Bishop.
His holiday house is also in the suburb where actor Richard Roxburgh, who played former Labor prime minister Bob Hawke in The Crown, and his wife Silvia Colloca bought an oceanfront home in October 2015 for $2.87million.
Mr Cannon-Brookes’s Newport home – until recently owned by former Miss Universe Jennifer Hawkins and her husband Jake Wall – is only worth a quarter of the $100million he paid in 2018 for the Fairwater mansion at Point Piper, on Sydney Harbour.
From the Eastern Suburbs, he already has an excellent vantage point of the New Year’s Eve fireworks – just a stone’s throw from former Liberal prime minister Malcolm Turnbull and Aussie Home Loans founder John Symond.
Nonetheless, the Atlassian tycoon’s new Northern Beaches pad on Prince Alfred Parade, with no garage, was one of Australia’s most expensive houses to change hands in 2020 and has views of Scotland Island.
That island, near Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, is also where Labor senator and former New South Wales premier Kristina Keneally in 2017 bought a $1.8million holiday house.
His holiday house is also in the suburb where actor Richard Roxburgh, who plays former Labor prime minister Bob Hawke in The Crown, and wife Silvia Colloca bought an oceanfront home in October 2015, for $2.87million
The Pittwater side of the Northern Beaches, known locally as the ‘insular peninsula’, isn’t just Australia’s latest coronavirus epicentre
His house, previously owned by former Miss Universe Jennifer Hawkins and her husband Jake Wall, has views across to Scotland Island
At the other end of Pittwater billionaire Gretel Packer, the sister of gaming magnate James Packer, owns a leisure home on Ocean Road at Palm Beach, on the surf side.
This house with views of the Pacific Ocean, Broken Bay and the Central Coast is next door to a mansion that in February sold for $24million, as the former house of the late Nine Network and UK BSkyB executive Sam Chisholm.
Before Australia’s border was closed to foreigners, Palm Beach was popular with international celebrities, from John Cleese to Bono and Pink.
At the other end of Pittwater billionaire Gretel Packer, the sister of gaming magnate James Packer, owns a leisure home on Ocean Road at Palm Beach, on the surf side
Her holiday house with views of the Pacific Ocean, Broken Bay and the Central Coast is next door to a mansion that in February sold for $24million, as the former house of the late Nine Network and UK BSkyB executive Sam Chisholm
This house next door to Gretel Packer’s holiday home sold for $24million in February, or a level slightly less than Mike Cannon-Brookes paid for a $24.5million mansion at Newport
During the year, Palm Beach plays host to Summer Bay on the Seven’s long-running soap Home And Away and it was previously the home base of Australian Idol Guy Sebastian.
The Mentalist star Simon Baker is reportedly in the Northern Beaches staying with a friend as he house hunts
Antonia Kidman, the sister of Hollywood star Nicole Kidman usually holidays at neighbouring Whale Beach but those plans look set to be put on hold this year.
She is far from the only celebrity on the Northern Beaches.
The Mentalist star Simon Baker is reportedly in the area staying with a friend as he house hunts.
Until tomorrow, residents on the northern side of the Northern Beaches, north of the Narrabeen bridge, must stay at home unless they are buying groceries or medicine or are planning to exercise, perhaps on the beach.
They can gather outside for exercise but they can’t have guests inside.
A reprieve is being offered for New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, where they can host five visitors but only if they live in their same exclusive area in the Pittwater section of the Northern Beaches.
Antonia Kidman, the sister of Hollywood star Nicole Kidman usually holidays at neighbouring Whale Beach but those plans look set to be put on hold this year. She is pictured with her family at their Whale Beach holiday house last year
She is pictured with her husband Craig Marran. Together, they raise six children and holiday on the Northern Beaches
