Big spenders: These are Australia’s top celebrity property buys in 2024

From sports stars to fashion designers, well-known names made property headlines across Australia in 2024 after splashing significant sums on their new homes.

We look back on the year’s top celebrity property transactions:

NRL legend Darren Lockyer

NRL Hall of Famer Darren Lockyer splashed more than $5 million on a renovated 1920s Queenslander in his hometown of Brisbane in October.

Property records show the former Brisbane Broncos player and his wife Loren purchased the six-bedroom, four-bathroom house in New Farm for $5.050 million.

The purchase followed the sale of their architecturally designed five-bedroom home in Paddington, which reportedly fetched around $6.5 million.

It delivered a significant windfall for the couple, who paid $1.125 million for the property in 2012.

The double-storey house on 810 square metres in New Farm was described by Place New Farm listing agents Aaron Woolard and Flyn Park as “one of Brisbane’s finest residences”.

The house blends historic charm with modern sophistication, including timber floors, VJ walls and soaring ceilings.

With a 20-metre frontage and set across two levels, the large house was ideal for the Lockyers’ family of six.

NRL legend Darren Lockyer splashes $5 million on stunning 1920s Queenslander

The Bachelor’s ‘Matty J’ Johnson and Laura Byrne

The Bachelor stars ‘Matty J’ Johnson and Laura Byrne expanded their growing property portfolio after dropping more than $2 million on a rundown house on the South Coast.

According to CoreLogic records, Johnson and Byrne purchased the retro seaside property at auction in June for $2.19 million.

The couple shared a joint Instagram post revealing their latest house purchase and plans for the property.

Set on 746 square metres near Racecourse Beach, the three-bedroom, two-bathroom house was last sold in 1984 for $62,500.

The historic residence was sold as a deceased estate previously owned by a United Nations translator who died in 2021.

The three-bedroom, two-bathroom house is on two levels, with large glass panels capturing the ocean views.

According to the couple’s latest Instagram posts, renovations are already well underway, and the project is now at the halfway point.

Travel Guides star Jono Fren

Jono Fren travels the world with his family on Channel 9’s Travel Guides.

But he decided there was no place like home after settling on his first home in a suburb in the Hunter region.

In May, Fren and his wife Dani bought a four-bedroom house in the suburb of Cliftleigh, which is about 30 kilometres north-west of Newcastle.

The couple posted the news on their social media platforms with the caption: “An achievement we never thought we would achieve, but we got there!

“Thank you Fren family for all of your help to get where we are and persevering with the endless house hunting.

“We are extremely happy with our first home purchase together and couldn’t have done it without the support of our nearest and dearest.”

Samantha Armytage

TV host Samantha Armytage expanded her property portfolio this year.

The host of Farmer Wants A Wife spent $1.3 million on a 1960s-era home in the NSW suburb of Moss Vale, which was listed with Belle Property Southern Highlands.

Set on an expansive 1922 square metre block, the three-bedroom, two-bathroom home was held by the same family for more than 60 years before she acquired it.

The property has undergone updates over the years, including a new kitchen. However, there is plenty of room for improvement.

The listing described the house as “exuding timeless character with its timber cladding and tile roof, perfectly set amidst a lush mature garden extending across the block”.

The inside has high ceilings, timber flooring and a combined kitchen and dining area, with picture windows overlooking the gardens.

The home is a 10-minute drive from a 40-hectare farm in Berrima, where she lived with her husband, equestrian businessman Richard Lavender, before their split in December this year.

Tennis champion Ash Barty

Earlier this year, Ash Barty spent $4 million on a luxury apartment in the 12-storey Kloud complex in Palm Beach, a suburb.

Located near the Gold Coast, the complex is under construction and will become a holiday home for Barty, one of Australia’s most successful tennis champions.

The ultra-modern building comprises two-, three- and four-bedroom luxury beachside apartments and two whole-floor penthouses designed, developed and built by award-winning Brisbane-based residential construction company Graya.

Barty’s 200-square metre apartment has open-plan living areas with European oak flooring, a luxury kitchen with a large island bench, integrated Miele appliances, and natural stone surfaces.

The main bedroom has an ensuite with a twin shower, bathtub and dual vanity.

Fashion queen Camilla Franks

Camilla Franks returned to her roots in the Sydney suburb of Bondi after upgrading to a landmark home in the beachside area in March for $12.5 million.

Franks launched a successful fashion brand, Camilla, in Bondi Beach in 2004.

The sprawling circa 1908 five-bedroom historic manor in the heart of Bondi has a 25-metre frontage and occupies a 1015-square-metre block, making it one of the largest residential landholdings in the suburb.

Named Gnal-Loa, Franks purchased the home from Barrenjoey investment bank’s founding partner and chair of the Australian Rugby Foundation, Ben Scott and his wife, marketing consultant Pensiri.

According to CoreLogic records, Scott paid $10.1 million for the property in 2021 and undertook extensive renovations to the home.

UFC great Alex Volkanovski

In July, UFC fighter and former world champion Alexander Volkanovski snapped up an eye-catching, multi-million dollar home in the Illawarra.

The sportsman purchased a 12-bedroom, 50-acre property for an undisclosed sum.

However, it is understood the property sold for around its advertised price of $4.5 million.

CoreLogic records show the home sold in June after 37 days on market and was previously sold in 2002 for $410,000.

The former UFC Featherweight Champion’s new digs include a gym with spectacular views and a “man cave” with a bar.

Other features of the luxe home include a spa room with a gym, a rumpus room, and a five-car garage with a workshop area.

Weeks later, Volkanovski sold his four-bedroom home in Winda, which was understood to have a price guide of $1.8 million to $2 million.

Dissh founders Lucy Henry-Hicks and Mitch Lau

The founders of Queensland-based fashion brand Dissh splurged a massive sum on a beachside block in Palm Beach on the Gold Coast.

Lucy Henry-Hicks and her partner Mitch Laupping spent $40 million to secure the prized 1525-square-metre property, which was the amalgamation of three blocks sold in one line.

CoreLogic records show two of the three blocks are owned by Henry-Hicks and Lau, including a four-bedroom, two-bathroom property on 870 square metres that sold for $25.3 million.

The three-bedroom, two-bathroom property that fetched $3.2 million is also in their names.

The third property sold for more than $11.5 million, taking the total transaction up to $40 million.

According to reports, former Sydney Swans AFL player and property investor Tony Smith sold off the three amalgamated blocks.

The couple’s spending spree followed Australian billionaire businessman Brett Blundy’s acquisition of a major stake in Dissh earlier this year through his private investment group BBRC Worldwide.

Blundy has a reported fortune of $3.33 billion.

YouTube stars The Norris Nuts

The Norris Nuts finally put down permanent roots in Sydney after packing up their long-time family home in Newcastle.

“We have waited four years for this moment - we are finally moving house,” Sockie Norris announced on the family’s vlog in September.

Justin Norris, a former Olympic bronze medallist swimmer, his wife Brooke and their six children Sabre, Sockie, Biggy, Naz, Disco and Charm, moved to Bondi, where they will live in two neighbouring properties.

Video updates on The Norris Nuts YouTube channel documented the family’s move to Bondi, where they have spent around $35 million on real estate.

The cashed-up family’s property buying spree includes two side-by-side homes (one for $9.5 million and the other for $14.3 million) and a whole block of units in North Bondi.