The Grease star’s retreat on the north coast of New South Wales changed hands in July 2019, with buyer Carol Klinkert securing the 187-acre Dalwood property for $4.6 million. This figure landed short of the $5 million tag Newton-John sought when listing the land. The sale concluded a 38-year tenure that began in 1981, when she purchased the original parcel for $622,000.
Newton-John didn’t just live on the land; she reshaped it. Over four decades, she planted an estimated 5,000 trees, though The Washington Post later counted over 10,000 on the grounds. She developed dams, a natural waterfall, and a creek system, turning a rural holding into a dense, private ecosystem. The main residence, rebuilt in 2002, featured French-inspired stone arches and a spacious country kitchen, sitting adjacent to Victoria Park Nature Reserve.
The timing of the sale was deliberate. In 2017, Newton-John disclosed her breast cancer had returned and spread to her lower back. Two years later, she liquidated much of her real estate portfolio, including Dalwood, to fuel her advocacy work. Funds went directly to the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre in Melbourne and the Gaia Retreat & Spa she co-founded in the Byron Bay hinterland in 2005.
Newton-John died in August 2022 at age 73. Her legacy extends beyond the film and music industries into environmental stewardship and health advocacy. The Dalwood estate now stands as a private refuge, its landscape a permanent record of her commitment to nature and wellness.