Olivia Newton-John Raised Long-Awaited Only Child on Rustic Farm That ‘Captured’ Her Heart for 40 Years

Despite a prolific career in film and music, motherhood was more critical to Olivia Newton-John. She traded her career for the quiet country life on her 187-acre Australian ranch with her husband, where they raised their daughter and became “keepers of the forest.”

Grammy Award winner Olivia Newton-John and her first husband Matt Lattanzi met when he was a dancer in the 1980 rock ‘n’ roll musical ”Xanadu.” He acted as a stand-in before the team found a leading man, and he and Newton-John struck up a friendship immediately.

Lattanzi asked the singer out three months later, and the pair kept their romance a secret for over a year before going public. They also bonded over their love for rustic living, exercise, tennis, and skiing.

Singer Olivia Newton-John and husband Matt Lattanzi attend the “Siesta” Culver City Premiere on October 29, 1987 at the Cary Grant Theatre in Culver City | Source: Getty Images

Initially, Lattanzi worried that their 10-year age difference would be something many frowned upon. Still, Newton-John felt he was mature and handled himself and their relationship so well that it was barely noticeable.

Newton-John was also terrified of marriage at the very beginning of their relationship, stemming from the failed marriages she would see around her. However, her relationship with Lattanzi went so well that she decided to give marriage a chance.

Olivia Newton-John and Matt Lattanzi during 61st Annual Academy Awards – Governor’s Ball at Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1989 | Source: Getty Images

They married six years after meeting, in an intimate ceremony at their home where Lattanzi gave Newton-John a gold heart locket. She would later disclose:

“I’d had pangs about having a child, but I was terrified of getting married. It finally just felt like the natural thing to do, and I’d never felt that way before.”

OLIVIA FOUND COMPLETE HAPPINESS AS A MOM AT 37

A little over a year after walking down the aisle with Lattanzi, Newton-John became a mother. She had suddenly started experiencing unusual cravings, longing for avocados while she previously despised them.

She remembers buying an at-home pregnancy test kit and could not be happier at the results. She was thrilled at the prospects of becoming a mom, and when she shared the news with her husband, he was equally excited.

Lattanzi, who had been away visiting family in Oregon, caught the first flight home, and the two celebrated over dinner at an elegant restaurant.

Olivia Newton John, her husband Matt Lattanzi and daughter Chloe Lattanzi during the 1992 Earth Walk | Source: Getty Images

They welcomed their baby girl, Chloe Lattanzi, in January 1986. At 40, the “Grease ” actress finally found happiness in motherhood. She said of her daughter upon her birth:

“She is just beautiful.”

Chloe was a blessing and reason for happiness for Lattanzi and Newton-John as they’d been trying for a baby since they wed over a year earlier.

And while Newton-John loved her work in the pop world, motherhood changed her perspective on many things, and she decided she wanted to dedicate her life to being a mother and wife.

She stopped making music to raise her beautiful daughter and enjoy home life. “I’m far too busy being a mum to Chloe,” she said.

FAMILY LIFE ON HER 187-ACRE RUSTIC FARM

Everything seemed to work well for Newton-John and her little family. She had a husband that she adored and a daughter that brought her so much joy. Unfortunately, in 1992, the singer received some shocking news after she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

The news was a blow to the singer and her husband, but they took it in stride and decided to relocate to Newton-John’s 187-acre ranch in Australia, which she had purchased with her proceeds from the 1978 movie-musical “Grease.”

A front view of the property | Source: YouTube/Caters Clips

A view of the front side and terrace | Source: YouTube/Caters Clips

The French-style property is set near Byron Bay in New South Wales and consists of eight lots. It features a three bedroom, two bathroom main house with a large eat-in kitchen.

The rustic interiors feature timber floors and fossil-like walls featuring bits of shell and pebbles from nearby beaches. The vast property also features a four-room guest suite with an extra bedroom accessible from the side of the main house.

A view of the eat-in kitchen | Source: YouTube/Caters Clips

One of the ensuite bathrooms in the house | Source: YouTube/Caters Clips

“The expansive view from the farm is breathtaking and captured my heart all those years ago.” She described the vast and beautiful property.

The home also boasts a terracotta-colored exterior, rustic interiors, and wraparound terraces. The sprawling estate has a rich rainforest with a natural waterfall, two dams, a creek, and a large bird population that “brings glorious morning bird songs.”.

A close-up of the terracotta-colored exterior | Source: YouTube/Caters Clips

A screenshot of the beautiful rustic living area | Source: YouTube/Caters Clips

It also borders the Victoria Park Nature Reserve and has two streams. Newton-John considered life on the ranch much simpler and happier. To her, it was a mixed blessing with the benefits of a less materialistic and more people-oriented environment. She shared:

“It’s a magical spot that is the home for many different species of wildlife.”

A view of the house and grounds | Source: YouTube/Caters Clips

A view of the expansive forest on the property | Source: YouTube/Caters Clips

Raising their daughter on the farm brought Newton-John and Lattanzi more bliss than she had ever imagined. The rustic and natural environment was ideal for nature lovers and suited them perfectly.

Living on the farm also helped Newton-John’s health, and with her husband by her side, taking care of her, she recovered from her cancer.

OLIVIA BATTLED CANCER AGAIN WITH HER DAUGHTER BY HER SIDE

Unfortunately, their life of bliss was short-lived. From the onset of their union, everyone thought them an odd couple. They came from worlds apart, and despite their mutual interests, they also loved different things.

Sadly, after the “Two of a Kind” actress recovered from her partial mastectomy, the two became incredibly aware of their differences, so much that couples therapy could not help the situation.

Their marriage hit rock bottom in 1995, and they divorced. In addition to a failed marriage, Newton-John also became bankrupt.

Unfortunately, the actress was diagnosed with cancer again in 2013 but battled it privately. However, she had a third diagnosis in 2018 when she announced that it had metastasized to the base of her spine.

Throughout her third bout of the illness, her daughter Chloe was by her side. She disclosed that while they’ve always shared a close mother-daughter bond, they became closer while quarantined together during the coronavirus pandemic.

Olivia Newton-John’s country home in Australia | YouTube/Caters Clips

After the cancer stage 4 diagnosis in 2018, Newton-John began selling her real-estate property to invest more into the Olivia Newton-John Cancer & Wellness Centre at Melbourne’s Austin Hospital.

Sadly, Newton-John, who many described as a fighter, passed away at her Southern California ranch on August 8, 2022, at 73. She left behind her husband of 14 years, John Easterling, and her daughter.

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