PHOTO: Grant Hackett and Shar Hackett
Grant Hackett’s Stunning Brighton Home: Olympic Gold Medallist’s Family Oasis Up for Grabs!
Grant Hackett has spent much of this summer in the pool of his luxurious Brighton home, but these days, the former Olympic swimmer is more likely to be splashing around with his kids than swimming laps. The multi-gold medallist, now the CEO of financial services firm Generation Development Group, and his wife Sharlene have transformed their five-bedroom pad into a family haven for their children—18-month-old Olympia, Edward, 5, and Jagger, 15 (from his previous marriage to singer Candice Alley; they also share Charlize, 15).
The garden is a paradise for kids, featuring a pool, in-ground trampoline, and soccer nets. This is where Hackett says the family enjoys their downtime. “Being CEO of a large company and being time-poor, when I’m off work, I just want to spend time with family at home,” Hackett explains.
The couple purchased the large property on tree-lined Rothesay Avenue after nearly two years of searching and were instantly captivated by its charm. Rothesay Avenue, a leafy cul-de-sac, has been the ideal place to raise their growing family. Among its attractions are its peaceful location, where neighborhood kids can ride bikes and play freely, its proximity to the beach, and the way the house is situated on the block, ensuring a 70-meter northerly aspect with glorious natural light.
Fast-forward to 2025, and the house has undergone significant renovations that marry contemporary style with traditional elegance. “My wife would know the exact terminology I should be using here,” Hackett laughs. “It’s more of a contemporary, grand-style house.” The two-storey home features two living zones, five bathrooms, a study space, and enough bedrooms to accommodate their growing brood.
The pool area has been re-paved with exquisite honed travertine. Photo: Annette O’Brien
The high ceilings and cleverly placed windows fill the space with natural light, while a neutral palette, expanses of marble, pale timber herringbone floors, and feature lighting exude luxury. In the main-bedroom suite, a slab of lemurian blue granite from Madagascar forms a show-stopping backdrop in the double shower. Paired with gold basins and tapware, and more marble, it is a calming space to unwind, Hackett says.
Rothesay Avenue, a leafy cul-de-sac, has been the perfect place to raise a growing family. Photo: Annette O’Brien
Hackett credits Sharlene’s keen design eye for the house’s glamorous new look, styled with her collection of fashion coffee-table books, crystals, marble vases, and pastel-hued flowers. His own passion project has been the gym they installed in a portion of the large garage, complete with backlit mirrors. Hackett enjoys the convenience of training at home and can be regularly found lifting weights or rowing there.
High ceilings were a major drawcard, which the couple took full advantage of during renovations. Photo: Annette O’Brien
So, why are the Hacketts moving so soon? They have purchased a block “about 450 meters down the road” and plan to build their dream house with a lap pool for the freestyle champion. “I’ve finally come around to wanting to swim [laps] again,” he says. “But my job is so busy and involves so much travel, it’s hard to actually get to a pool. I made a decision that I want to build a lap pool so I can have that as part of my fitness regime.”
The two-storey home enjoys natural light from all angles. Photo: Annette O’Brien
The move has come earlier than the couple anticipated, after spotting the block for sale in a pocket of Brighton they had long loved. “We’re these sad people who are always looking on Domain,” Hackett jokes. “Even when we’re not looking, we’re looking. We enjoy property—I think like a lot of Australians do, right?”
Buyers can snap up this property about five years sooner than originally expected. Photo: Annette O’Brien
The family plans to call Brighton home for a long time, having fallen in love with the community and bayside living. “Brighton’s not far from the city, but it feels like you are away from the energy of the city,” Hackett says. “I work in there all the time, so it’s nice to not feel like you need to go to a farm or something like that [to relax]. The lifestyle is really second to none.”
SOURCE: DOMAIN