GIAAN’S BITTERSWEET DECISION
OLYMPIC swimmer turned TV presenter Giaan Rooney has put her Broadbeach Waters dream home on the market as the family prepares for a move to the country.
Brisbane-born Rooney, 38, who retired from swimming aged 23, picked up the property for $860,000 when she moved back to the Gold Coast from Melbourne six years ago.
Together with her husband Sam Levett, whom she married in 2010, the couple set about a complete renovation of the four-bedroom waterfront home, just off main river.
“For me, we had found our dream block and built our dream home,” Rooney said.
“Renovating was a process that we loved and were heavily involved in, from meticulously planning the floor plan and outdoor spaces to going over every detail until we achieved a hard-wearing yet ‘homely’ abode that catered to every member of our family,” she said.
“We chose colours, design details and hardware to match the personality of our energetic family and we feel spoiled by the amount of space and natural light that the house has afforded us – an appreciation that was especially magnified during COVID.”
The double-storey brick house on a 660sq m block has soft neutral tones through the living areas, combining wood floors, stone and tiles.
Wallpapered feature walls add a pop of colour, while the bedrooms are more eclectic and introduce brighter colour, patterns and styles.
With the four bedrooms upstairs and the living space below, Rooney said the house was fantastic for entertaining, with doors opening from the kitchen and dining rooms on to a covered deck and pool beyond.
“We have loved opening the house up and hosting some great parties with that real, indoor-outdoor flow that Gold Coast homes are renowned for,” she said.
“The sunrises over the water are spectacular and the lights of the high-rises at night means there’s always a great view.”
Rooney said the couple, who have two children, Zander, 7, and Alexa, 3, never thought they would sell. “With the proximity to schools, the heart of Broadbeach only a threeminute Uber ride away, Moana Park to walk the dog in across the road and the incredible waterways of the Gold Coast accessible from our back yard, we had no intentions of leaving,” Rooney said.
“But we now have the opportunity to give our kids the rural lifestyle my husband, Sam, grew up with.”
It has been reported that the couple bought a macadamia farm in northern NSW in December and Rooney often posts pictures on her Instagram account of weekends spent there.
The property will go to auction on May 15 at 10am through Ronnie Jackson of Ray White Broadbeach.
Rooney is the third Olympian to put their Gold Coast home on the market in recent weeks.
Hurdler Sally Pearson, who won gold in the 100m hurdles at the 2012 London Olympics, sold her Southport home under the hammer last week for $950,000.