Jillian McGrath and Olivia in London 60s
20s
happy place
By Bronwyn Herbert and Julie Ray
Legends of the music industry and lifelong friends have shared their memories of Olivia Newton-John and the many years she lived in the New South Wales Northern Rivers.
The screen and music star first bought a property in the Ballina hinterland in 1980, two years after the film Grease was released.
Her friend Jillian McGrath, who was by her side for the purchase, said Newton-John referred to the Northern Rivers as her happy place
.
She said, 'I just need to have something where I can put my foot on the ground and call it home,'
Ms McGrath said.
[The real estate agent] had no idea who she was because she was incognito with a scarf and sunglasses.
The childhood friends drove past a property adjacent to a nature reserve on Victoria Park Road, Dalwood and knew it was the one. She stood under the avocado tree and just said, 'This is it, this is where it has to be,'
Ms McGrath said.
In 2005, Newton-John and three of her friends bought a rundown tourist property near Bangalow and renovated it to create the exclusive Gaia Retreat, which sold last year for $30 million.
Australian entertainer Normie Rowe, who worked closely with Newton-John, said she was part of the gumnut mafia
in the United States.
There was always this wonderful connection she had with her home country and she was highly, incredibly representative of us — she never let us down,
he said.
Physical was the biggest selling record in the world up until Michael Jackson released Thriller. Like Peter Allen, she still called Australia home too.
Byron Shire resident and former Mi-Sex keyboardist Murray Burns met Olivia Newton-John by chance in the area in the early 1990s.
He said a few months she called and asked him to record her album. It was a magical time for her as she had never been able to record songs — she always had been coerced into doing other people's songs,
he said.
She didn't play an instrument, but she had perfect pitch — she could sing melodies beautifully. She taught me a lot about humility. She would cook food for us and when we stayed with her in Los Angeles she treated us like family.
Many Northern Rivers locals recall meeting Newton-John and being touched by her warmth, generosity and humility.
Rous resident Eoin Johnston said Newton-John in her daughter Chloe's school community. She got involved with the school quite a bit, came to the school concert,
he said.
She was just very down to earth and easy to get along with.
Photos courtesy of Jillian McGrath