‘I’M THE HEALTHIEST I’VE EVER BEEN’
Elyse Knowles gets very personal with WHO
Fresh-faced, without a scrap of makeup, hair still damp from the shower, Elyse Knowles is the picture of Byron Bay bliss as she welcomes WHO into her home. Offering cold water from the fridge, the model and winner of The Block, who looks better and happier than she ever has, tells everyone to “chuck your stuff wherever” as she prepares for the exclusive WHO photo shoot. As her gorgeous grey Weimaraner dogs, Isla and Harlow, both lollop up onto a plush couch, which could have been ripped straight out of a home-design magazine, it’s clear this is a pretty easygoing household.
“We’re a lot more clear-headed here and living the best life we can,” Knowles tells.
Just three months after moving from Melbourne to Byron Bay with long-term boyfriend Josh Barker, the gorgeous blonde says her life has completely changed.
“We’re in this really positive state and I think we kind of got in a little bit of a rut in Melbourne,” she says. “We have a lot more time for each other. Every night we like to go see the sun set and we like to talk about our day.”
Having first met in Byron six years ago, the couple made the decision to move their lives – and their building business, J & E Projects – to the coastal NSW town and completely overhaul their existence. And it’s pretty obvious that life in Byron Bay agrees with Knowles! Showing off her enviable figure in WHO’s exclusive
shoot at their Byron home, the 26-year-old admits that these days she spends most of her time exercising or visiting the local farmers markets.
“I love exercising and feeling the burn the next day,” she says. “There’s so many different things to do here. I love going outside and getting active.”
The Myer ambassador even has a gym underneath the home she and Josh are renting from friends while they hunt for their dream house.
Speaking candidly about their new life in the seaside town, an engagement announcement, mental-health battles, surfing with Chris Hemsworth and the secret to their relationship, Knowles and Barker open up like never before. Is it true you guys were living out of a van for a while?
Elyse Knowles No, no. It was a whole lot of junk that someone made up.
How long have you been in Byron? Josh Barker I’ve been here four months, and Elyse has been here for three. I came up and I had to meet the truck up here, and Elyse had a few jobs that she had to tie over. Knowles Joshy couldn’t wait any longer! I had a few jobs that I had to sign off ... Barker You hated it.
Why was it so bad?
Knowles I was living in our Albert Park [Melbourne] house on the ground with no furniture, no nothing. I had running water and a mattress on the ground. And then I had to put the mattress and pillows in a bag and take them up with me on my flight up here. It was pretty funny.
Has the move improved your mental health?
Barker Yeah, definitely.
Knowles Yeah, we’re a lot happier.
Barker And we’re surrounded by happier people, too. Little things, like walking the dog on the beach and people will come up and say, “Hey, good morning, how you going?”
It sounds like you’ve found a real community here!
Knowles Yeah, there’s no egos. In other places, people tend to care about themselves and that’s it. And they’ll do whatever it takes to benefit themselves. And I was over it. I couldn’t stand it. My morals are all about helping others and lifting other people up as you go. But I was finding it hard to surround myself with those types of people all the time. Is that something you’ve struggled with in the modelling industry?
Knowles I remember the people that didn’t give me the time of day when I was younger, and I was no-one, and then as soon as I started climbing up the ladder in my job, people started wanting my love and my time. It hurt me a little bit that now they want to be friends. I’m always ‘be nice to everyone’. But I remember my true friends.
Barker That’s credit to Elyse, and why she’s doing so well in the industry. There’s no bulls--t about her.
Knowles Some people want it way too much and then they end up destroying their soul. I just want to be myself and still have those morals that I had when I was 10 years old. Elyse, recently you have been open on Instagram about your tough journey with your skin. Why did you want to share that? Knowles Because it’s real and I like showing a real side to our lives. I think it’s something that I’m vulnerable about and it’s something I’ve had issues with for such a long time, and I can’t get a hold of it. But that’s the thing, skin’s my thing and other people have their issues. That’s life, and no-one is perfect. I think it’s just showcasing the real you and it’s telling girls, especially growing up in this social-media life, that they don’t have to show their best versions of their lives all the time. People can relate to you more if you’re real. Have you worked out what causes your skin issues?
Knowles I’m pretty sure it’s hormones and I’ve just started taking Chinese herbs and medicine to try to level them out. So fingers crossed that it’s all working. I went off the pill when I was 21, because I didn’t like something controlling my body.
“You’re going to have fights. Just let each other vent and then you get over it pretty quick”
— Josh Barker
Obviously, there are paparazzi in Byron, but do you feel you can be more relaxed in public here?
Knowles No-one bugs you, apart from people that come up on holidays. You see with Chris Hemsworth here – people leave him alone. Barker I’ve surfed with him numerous mornings and he’s just chill. But you see him, and you talk to him and say hello. Knowles Yeah, also I see Elsa [Pataky, Hemsworth’s wife] walking the dogs on the beach. They’re normal. They’re just humans. Josh, you don’t love the limelight – how do you navigate that with Elyse’s career? Barker It’s probably just that old saying, the balance of opposites, really. We’re very similar in a lot of ways and we’re very different in a lot of ways, too. So, it just works. Elyse, do you get guys sliding into your DMs?
Knowles Oh yeah, you do get some wild DMs, but it’s pretty laughable, to be honest. You get some good chuckles out of it.
What’s the secret to making your relationship work?
Barker You’re going to have fights, everyone has fights, just let each other vent and then you get over it pretty quick, at least I do – Elyse, she holds grudges!
Knowles Having time for one another and taking time away from work, switching off technology and going for long walks and appreciating the outdoors and the environment. Soaking in the fresh air and actually talking to each other. Letting each other do what they love, makes you happy. Josh loves surfing. I love...
Barker Exercising.
Knowles Exercising, and?
Barker Chai lattes.
Knowles Correct!
What do you love most about each other? Knowles I love that Josh supports me even though he really, really doesn’t like photo shoots. He doesn’t like this industry. It’s a lot sometimes. He understands but gets me out of that zone and gets me to the real Elyse.
Barker Elyse’s determination, hard work and morals are the best things about her. Josh, when are you going to pop the question?
Barker I get this question all the time! Knowles Dude, he’s not thinking about that. He’s thinking about business.
But why can’t you get married and grow the business?
Knowles That’s what I keep saying! Let’s just have a party!
What’s stopping you, Josh?
Barker Oh, I think we’ve just both got separate dreams and ambitions and stuff that we want to achieve together. And I think ... Knowles There’s no rush.
Barker It’s not gonna change anything. Knowles Yeah. Apart from the ring … Barker Other than the ring, that’s it. And a bit of paper that you’d get and end up putting in your bloody side drawer. I’ve had so much outside pressure but I’ll do it when I’m ready. Is there pressure from your families? Barker Elyse’s sister. She’s like, “Come on, man.”
Knowles She’s funny. She’s decided she’s planning the wedding.
Is Byron your forever home? Knowles The area surrounding Byron, yeah. I think it’s our forever home. We love it. I can’t see us moving anywhere else. But who knows? We made a last-minute decision to move here!
Barker Our five-year goal is to buy something up here to get on Grand Designs Australia. Knowles I want to start building the dream home.