A legendary sporting career has taken him around the world, but Pat Rafter’s real estate journey has been equally rich and varied.
Known for his serve-and-volley style and back-to-back US Open victories, the former world No. 1 is a national icon whose success opened doors far beyond the tennis court.
From the scorching heat of Queensland’s outback to the golden shores of the Sunshine Coast and the lush hinterland of Byron, Rafter’s sense of home has evolved with every chapter of his life.
Warm memories
Rafter grew up in Mount Isa in western Queensland, where his father Jim worked as an accountant for a mining company. He grew up in the small house he shared with eight brothers and sisters.
It was in the outback mining town where Rafter’s love for the game was born, long before he reached the top level.
“We had a couple of bitumen tennis courts down the road,” he told realestate.com.au.
“Hot is a big memory that comes to mind, but as a child nothing is a problem.”
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Pat Rafter grew up in Mount Isa in outback Queensland, where he discovered his love of tennis. Photo: Getty
But it was his raw formative years in the crowded house before his older siblings went to boarding school that he cherished.
His fondest memory?
“Probably all the guys are in the same room, the four of us jumping from bed to bed and wrestling,” he said.
Sunshine Coast beckons
A move to the Sunshine Coast hinterland when Rafter was just eight years old opened up new opportunities.
It was there that Jim Rafter and Pat’s mother, Jocelyn, had met many years ago, and it was where the family put down roots and began building a new legacy by purchasing a 350-acre farm in Eumundi.
That property was eventually subdivided into many smaller parcels over the years as the Sunshine Coast developed, but the family retains the original homestead.
The Rafters moved to Eumundi in the Sunshine Coast hinterland in the late 1970s, long before the area became a housing hotspot. Image: realestate.com.au/sold
During his high school years, Rafter lived with Jocelyn and some of his siblings in Brisbane, taking advantage of the better coaching and training facilities in the big city, but regularly returned to the Sunshine Coast.
Around the world and back
As his tennis career took off, Rafter settled in Bermuda for most of the 1990s, allowing easier access to tournaments in the Northern Hemisphere and a more private environment in which to train and relax.
Pat Rafter spent most of his professional career abroad. Photo: Getty
Towards the end of his professional tennis career, which included consecutive victories at the US Open in 1997 and 1998 and appearances in the Wimbledon finals in 2000 and 2001, Rafter began investing in real estate in Australia.
“I bought a flat in Noosa in 2000 and we fixed it up,” he said. “When my career ended in 2001, I moved back to Noosa and lived there.”
“The apartment was perfect for our lives at that time,” he said. “Close to the beach, beautiful views over Noosa and close to my family on the Sunshine Coast.”
An apartment in Noosa was one of Pat Rafter’s first property investments. Photo: Getty
Rafter said buying his first home felt “responsible” and helped him prepare for life after tennis.
“I was and still am a conservative person when it comes to my investments,” he said.
“Buying property was about securing my future financially, because you never know for sure how long a sporting career can last.”
Rafter and his wife Lara moved to Sydney following the arrival of his son Joshua, living in Mosman for a few years before returning to the Sunshine Coast after their daughter India was born.
It was there that they built a luxury oceanfront home in Sunshine Beach, one of the suburb’s most impressive properties.
The Rafters built their dream home on Sunshine Beach, where they lived for 12 years. Image: realestate.com.au/sold
“We found a double block right on the beach and built our dream house,” he said.
“The house was beautiful, we loved it. It was my wife’s dream and she is very good at designing places that fit the environment.”
Byron on his way
After 12 years on the Sunshine Coast, the Rafters moved to the Byron region of northern NSW, where they purchased a hinterland property.
“We had good friends who lived here and we visited often,” he says. “We love the relaxed nature of this part of Australia.”
“We found a nice piece of land and my wife has been busy creating a country-style house, and she has done it again.”
Not only is it home to the Rafters – it also serves as a crucial habitat for the local koala population, thanks to the more than 13,000 trees planted on the property.
The Rafters are currently staying in the Byron hinterland after purchasing a plot of land and building a country style house. Image: realestate.com.au/sold
The expansive block also serves as an energy outlet, says Rafter, who doesn’t mind getting his hands dirty.
“I enjoy doing the work around the building,” he says. “It suits me perfectly.”
Rafter’s time spent traveling the world and achieving success at the highest level has made him realize the importance of home.
“When you travel you see all parts of the world, the only thing you miss is home, and the best thing about traveling is coming home,” he said.
“It means comfort, stability and a legacy we can one day leave to our children.”
Pat Rafter has traded his racket for real estate to sell Australia’s No.1. 1 address in tennis – view this summer’s most popular offer here.
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