Kurban country - the neighbours blab

Sutton Forest Hotel managers Michael and Kirsty Nielsen - with their Bunya Hill view/The Southern Highlands News

Well I didn't want to be the one to blab the exact address of Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban’s new Sutton Forest property.

After the SMH broke the story on Saturday, I did mention the location of what is almost literally their “corner store” - a shop called A Little Piece of Scotland. Then on Tuesday, I added that I had no doubt paparazzi would have already clocked the address and long-range lens possibilities. What I did not say at the time was that these lens possibilities would be afforded by the property's awkward proximity to the Sutton Forest Hotel. But I see from the front page story of Wednesday’s edition of local rag The Southern Highlands News that the Hotel’s managers haven't been able to stop talking about it.

“Nic’s new neighbours” screams the page one headline across a story by Robyn Murray, together with a shot of the Sutton Forest Hotel "managers" Michael and Kirsty Nielsen and the rooftop of the Bunya Hill main residence, just visible in the distance.


My shot from the Sutton Forest Hotel carpark

The story takes up the entire front page and continues on page four. A portion is available online.

Here is some new intel about the purchase not covered in the online version:

• The previous owners of Bunya Hill used to drive their car to the bottom of the hill and walk to the pub.

• The property used to be called Valdemar.

• The house has five bedroom suites with dressing rooms and bathrooms, “wine-tasting rooms” and cellar, a conservatory, billiards room and a den. In addition to a separate (one assumes manager’s) cottage, four garages and machinery sheds.

• A property further down on Golden Vale Road, on which Bunya Hill is located, has long been mooted as a potential airport.

But at least the locals have a sense of humour.

The reporter suggests that A Little Piece of Scotland should change its name to A Little Piece of Hollywood.

And Greg Barnsley, the owner of the nearby Everything Store, jokes that Urban should change his name to Keith Rural.

Of Kidman, Barnsley notes:

“She’s a good sort. I’ll say that much. She’s about as big as you can get. When I see her I’ll say. ‘You were great in BMX Bandits’”.