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Kevin Rudd and Therese Rein buy Pat Rafter’s former Sunshine Coast pad for $17m

Debra Bela

Debra Bela

Updated 3 Jul 2020, 4:43pm

First published 3 Jul 2020, 12:00am

The Courier-Mail

Former PM Kevin Rudd and Australian entrepreneur Therese Rein have bought this Noosa beachfront mansion for $17m. Photo: supplied

Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and his wife Therese Rein are moving to Noosa after Ms Rein was revealed as the mystery buyer who paid $17 million for a house that was built for world number one tennis player Pat Rafter.

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Former PM Kevin Rudd and his wife Therese Rein. Photo: Kym Smith

The beachfront Noosa mansion now owned by Therese Rein. Photo: supplied

The Sunshine Coast trophy home had most recently belonged to Betty’s Burgers founder David Hales and his wife Louise who bought the seven-bedroom John Burgess-designed home two years ago for $15.2 million.

Betty’s Burgers founder David Hales was the previous owner of the home. Photo: John McCutcheon

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“We are genuinely delighted that Therese has invested in the Sunshine Coast,” selling agent Karen Harman of Dowling Neylan estate agents told The Courier-Mail.

“This has led the way to putting confidence back in the region.’’

Dowling Neylan estate agent Karen Harman at the beachfront home she sold to Therese Rein. Photo: supplied

Inside the breathtaking home.

It is the second Sunshine Coast property Ms Harman has sold to Ms Rein, with a $3.1 million beach house at Castaways Beach also part of the Australian entrepreneur and humanitarian’s property portfolio.

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Pat Rafter bought the property back in 2006. (Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images)

In a statement released through Kevin Rudd’s adviser Jared Owens, Ms Rein said the purchase was part of a decision to return the couple’s investments to Australia.

“While Kevin was in office, we had to invest overseas to avoid conflicts of interest. We’ve now mostly brought those investments back home to Australia,” Ms Rein said.

What a stunner.

Former PM Kevin Rudd and Therese Rein are heading to Noosa. Picture: Kevin Rudd/Twitter

“That includes investments in different Australian tech start-ups as well as residential development investment, with an emphasis on full accessibility to accommodate those with disabilities, here on the Sunshine Coast. This includes one development that has provided work for dozens of local tradies. I’m also involved in philanthropy and in mentoring young Australian businesspeople.

Amazing views, even from the side gate.

“Now is exactly the time for Australian investors to show the confidence to invest in their local communities if they’re able to do so.”

Mr Rudd, who was born in the Sunshine Coast town of Nambour, was Prime Minister of Australia from 2007-2010 and again for a brief time in 2013.

“Therese and I want to be here on the Sunshine Coast because it’s our community and we love it. It’s where I grew up and it has a really bright future.”

The seven-bedroom Noosa beachfront mansion that will be the Australian home of Kevin Rudd and Therese Rein. Photo: supplied

The mansion had been on the market since November last year and sold for $3 million below its asking price.

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