James Packer's ex Jodhi Meares reveals the real reason why she left Sydney for a new life in Byron Bay
The former swimwear model turned fashion designer, who was famously married to Australian billionaire James Packer, had been living in Hawaii for ten years before deciding to make the move to Sydney to be closer to friends and family.
However, the 54-year-old eventually decided that city life just wasn't for her.
'It's wonderful to go to events but I'm not a big party person, never have been,' she told Stellar Magazine, adding that fancy restaurants weren't her thing either.
'Sydney is the most beautiful city, and I love it, but for living, I don't find there's a lot for me to do there.'
From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop.
Jodhi decided to turn her back on the hustle and bustle of Sydney, selling her gorgeous harbourside pad in Sydney's eastern suburbs for a whopping $5.2million in February.
Instead, the Tigerlily Swimwear founder has opted for a slower life on a piece of land just outside of Byron Bay, where she lives with her dog named Soda Pop and her five cows.
'I've called them the Ramoons, after [punk rock band] The Ramones,' she hilariously revealed, adding that their names are Joey, Johnny, Dee Dee, Marky and Tommy, just like the band members.
Jodhi famously married James Packer in 1999 before splitting from him in 2002.
They tied the knot in a lavish ceremony in Sydney, where around 750 guests attended and Elton John performed.
The couple, who remained friends following the breakdown of their three-year marriage, are reportedly still close.
A few years ago, Woman's Day reported that Packer still had Meares' number on 'speed dial' and 'called her all the time' when he needed support.
More recently, the rarely-seen fashion designer was spotted spending Christmas and New Year's with her billionaire ex in Los Angeles in 2023.
Rising to fame as a model, Jodhi cut a high profile in the three years she was married to the Australian billionaire.
She founded Tigerlily Swimwear in 2000 before selling it to Billabong seven years later.
Now, she has her own successful fashion brand called The Upside, which she began in 2014.
The fashion designer has also been known to wheel and deal in property since separating from the mogul.
She snapped up a luxury unit in Sydney's ritzy Point Piper in 2004 for $1.23million only to sell it for $2.4million in 2017.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
8 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Elton John and Spin̈al Tap release new version of Stonehenge – and correct stage prop disaster
Elton John and Spin̈al Tap have joined forces on a new version of the band's song Stonehenge – and have finally corrected one of the great scenery-based mishaps in classic rock. The song, performed in the 1984 rock-mockumentary This Is Spin̈al Tap, is at the heart of one of the film's most cherished scenes: when the band, having made a mistake when commissioning an 18ft Stonehenge stage prop, have to make do with an 18in version being lowered from the rafters. After some hired dwarves caper around it, the band's David St Hubbins complains that they looked likely to crush it underfoot. No such problems with the new version made for the long-awaited sequel Spın̈al Tap II: The End Continues, which will be released 12 September in the US and UK (and 25 September in Australia). In the scene, released today along with a recording of the song on streaming services, the band put in a considerably more triumphant performance, complete with full-sized standing stones and the return of the dwarves. Appearing in a cloak from beneath the stage is Elton John, who takes over the lead vocal, singing lyrics such as 'Stonehenge, where a man's a man / and the children dance to the pipes of Pan' with the requisite po-faced grandeur. John is one of a number of starry cameos in the film, along with Paul McCartney, Questlove, Metallica's Lars Ulrich and more. Michael McKean reprises his role as St Hubbins alongside Christopher Guest as Nigel Tufnel and Harry Shearer as Derek Smalls, heading up a supporting cast filled with British comedy stars such as Nina Conti, Chris Addison and Kerry Godliman. The film will have the documentary film-maker Marty DiBergi (played by Rob Reiner) following the group as they prepare for a final reunion show. The first trailer was released earlier this week. An accompanying soundtrack album has also been announced. Elton John will appear again on Flower People, while McCartney joins them for Cups and Cakes, and country music couple Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood perform Big Bottom.
The Guardian
8 minutes ago
- The Guardian
The Immigrants by Moreno Giovannoni review – family history fuels a novel of understated beauty
Sitting somewhere between fiction and memoir, Moreno Giovannoni's second novel is a tenderly written portrait of life for one Italian family living and working in Australia. Arriving in Melbourne in 1957, Ugo – the author's father – is determined to make the most of the plentiful work opportunities in 'the colony' (Giovannoni refers to Australia as 'the colony' throughout the book). His young wife Morena is left behind in Italy, along with their infant son Moreno. A year after Ugo leaves, Morena and her son also set sail, despite the plan being for Ugo to go alone and to return with the profits of his labour. It's a move Morena will always regret. This book is both an ode to Ugo and Morena and a kind of history of immigrant labour in postwar Australia. Giovannoni writes most vividly about his father. Ugo is well spoken – by small-town Italian standards – an excellent dancer and snappy dresser. These traits help him win the approval of Morena's parents. Early in the novel we hear Ugo and Morena's voices directly, via interview transcriptions. I adored these interludes, they captured so much of the personality of these two characters. They talk about their childhoods, their families and villages, their courtship in Italy, and how they lived and worked once they arrived in Australia. You cannot imagine two people working harder. These voices carry the unique texture of their suffering and struggle. Life for Italian immigrants in Australia in the years immediately after the second world war is full of work opportunities (relative to back home, particularly), and Ugo and Morena focus on the art of growing tobacco. Soon after arriving they relocate four hours north of Melbourne. They work for others, then set out on their own. Countless pages of this book are filled with the processes of producing tobacco – propagation, irrigation, harvest – and while this might sound boring, I found it fascinating. This isn't just farming, it's life, and Giovannoni writes with proud, respectful insight about his parents, their fellow immigrants and their work. Sign up for the fun stuff with our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning At the same time, The Immigrants is shot through with the sometimes subtle, sometimes shocking acts of violence and racism that characterised that time. Giovannoni chronicles the dangers of growing tobacco and living in rural isolation – from farming accidents to snake bites. These hazards may be par for the course in primary industries, but discrimination – experienced in hospitals, in police stations or in the wider community – is always lurking within these hardships, making them that much harder to bear. We also read of racially motivated hate crimes. Violence is embedded in these chapters of Australian history. It is marked on the bodies and minds of these immigrants. Giovannoni's focus isn't just his parents (and his own experiences in childhood and adolescence), he also writes about the community of immigrants in which the family is embedded. In many ways this network is all that sustains Ugo and Morena. Reading about a brimming social life, much of which radiates from the local cafe and picture theatre, one feels one is witnessing a kind of lost golden age. For the Giovannoni family, this isn't just a matter of mixing with similar kinds of people, it's about culture, survival and education. Giovannoni relates the massive impact that watching Italian films has on his sense of self: 'To sit in a picture theatre in a small English colonial town at his age [10] with his mother and father and little brother and hundreds of Italians watching an Italian film, and understand the film and the audience, teaches him that he belongs to a different category of people.' He belongs, despite his difference from other parts of Australian society; despite the fact his extended family live so far away. The desire to return to the homeland is something the young Moreno doesn't consciously feel, but he and his parents do make several returns to Italy. 'He realises much later that his mother and father have been talking about it since the day they arrived. In the Tuscan language, rimpatrio, one of those words that is a false friend, means to return home.' One of the joys of this novel is the way Giovannoni quotes his parents speaking in their native tongue, the language the great Italian poet Dante spoke. Sign up to Saved for Later Catch up on the fun stuff with Guardian Australia's culture and lifestyle rundown of pop culture, trends and tips after newsletter promotion The Immigrants is an understatedly beautiful book, about a critically important part of Australia's history and social fabric. The labour and suffering of Moreno's family and others like them is fittingly remembered, and celebrated, in these pages. The Immigrants by Moreno Giovannoni is out through Black Inc ($36.99)
Daily Mail
8 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Richard Wilkins mercilessly mocked as fans notice one detail in his selfie with Jimmy Barnes: 'Put it away!'
Richard Wilkins has been mocked by his fans after posting a seemingly innocent selfie on Instagram. The entertainment reporter, 71, sat alongside legendary singers Iva Davies and Jimmy Barnes on a staircase in the image - but it was his feet that commanded attention. Richard opted to go without socks or shoes for the iconic image, which deeply amused many of his followers. 'Did Iva and Jimmy steal your shoes?' joked one person in the comments section. 'Rocking the McCartney no shoes look!' another chimed in, while one more said, 'Where ya shoes, Richard?' From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Richard Wilkins (centre) has been mocked after posting a seemingly innocent selfie on Instagram. The entertainment reporter, 71, sat alongside legendary singers Iva Davies (left) and Jimmy Barnes (right) on a staircase in the image - but it was his feet that commanded attention 'Put your toes away Richard, it's freaky,' yet one more said, with someone else commenting, 'Nice shoes Dicky.' In his caption alongside the image, Richard wrote: 'I knew we should've kept the band together! We would've given Hanson a real run for their money! 'Congratulations on 40 years. This tour will be EPIC!' he added, referring to Barnes' Working Class Man 40th Anniversary Tour, where Davies' band Icehouse will be special guests. It comes after Delta Goodrem left Wilkins looking red-faced, after hinting at his wild antics at her lavish wedding to Matthew Copley in Malta last month. The Australian singer, 40, appeared on Today on Tuesday, and was asked by co-host Karl Stefanovic if Wilkins 'behaved' himself at the ceremony. 'I can't confirm or deny!' Delta responded. The camera then captured Wilkins looking visibly embarrassed as he turned away and covered his mouth with his hand. 'Hey, Dickie looks worried!' co-host Sarah Abo quipped, before asking the veteran presenter: 'Is there anything you would like to tell us?' It comes after Delta Goodrem (centre) left Wilkins looking red-faced, after hinting at his wild antics at her lavish wedding to Matthew Copley in Malta last month. Wilkins and girlfriend Mia Hawkswell (left) were guests at the nuptials 'Geez, stitch-up Tuesday! Even when you are on the other side of the world,' Wilkins cheekily responded, before conducting a field report from California. While in Malta for the wedding, Wilkins stripped down to his striped boardshorts for a dip alongside girlfriend Mia Hawkswell. He showed off his beach body before giving Mia a cuddle in the water as the two giggled together during a soak. Mia was flaunting her fit physique in a chic black bikini and appeared to go makeup-free for the outing. Delta and Matthew exchanged vows in the historic St Paul's Cathedral in Mdina, which was built in the 12th century. The star-studded guest list included Channel Nine presenter Renee Bargh and Wilkins' influencer son, Christian.
