Real Housewives of Sydney star Victoria Montano and her financier husband, Timothy Odillo Maher, are leaving their glamorous harbourside life behind for good, relocating to Switzerland with their children just weeks after quietly listing their $9,000-a-week Darling Point mansion for rent.
The move will give the couple's eldest son, Xavier Maher, 13, the chance to pursue his Olympic Alpine skiing ambitions while attending school in one of the world's top ski regions.
Montano's close friend Jennifer Tomsic confirmed the impending departure late last month, sharing a photo of the pair in matching blue outfits from Montano's fashion label, Sport Luxe. "Farewelling one of my best friends @victoriaelizabethmontano and you turn up to her house in @theofficialsportluxe because you're obsessed with the brand and you accidentally twin," Tomsic wrote.
Montano herself hinted at the change on Saturday, posting a video of herself sipping cocktails in the snow while announcing a clearance sale for her label. "@theofficialsportluxe is relocating and the biggest sale ever is officially ON with final pieces across winter, tennis and equestrian, 70% off," she announced.
The move marks the end of a headline-grabbing era in Sydney's eastern suburbs, where Montano has featured on the Foxtel series The Real Housewives of Sydney and become known as much for her extravagant lifestyle and social media presence as for the show itself.
Mansion listed for rent
The relocation comes after months of rumours about the couple's luxury lifestyle, triggered by a report revealing their six-bedroom Darling Point mansion, which has harbour views, a swimming pool and designer interiors, had hit the rental market at $9,000 a week.
The home became available from July 1, with a bond set at $44,000. It was initially listed at about $11,000 a week before the asking price was reduced to $10,000.
Whispers about their finances
The price cut did not escape attention, with people in group chats questioning whether Montano's lavish spending was catching up with her. "People joke that her husband practically gasps every time she swipes the black card at Hermes," one insider said. Another well-connected source added: "No one has someone sleeping in their bed and fondling their belongings if they're flush with cash."
A life of excess
Montano is no stranger to showcasing her lifestyle online. In July last year she raised eyebrows by sharing photos of her wardrobe, believed to be worth around $100,000, during a family trip to St Tropez.
She and her Real Housewives of Sydney castmates also came under fire in June last year after a video showcasing their designer outfits went viral. Krissy Marsh boasted she was wearing Nookie, Victoria Rees said she was in Victoria Beckham and Zadig & Voltaire, and Matty Samaei showed off a leopard print dress. It was Montano's contribution that drew the most anger: "Dior, Valentino and a Hermes bag! It's called Montano money," she said.
The display was widely criticised online, with one commenter writing, "If you have to name your labels, you're classless," while others called it "ridiculous" and said it looked "cheap for rich girls."
Newtown backlash and other controversies
Montano was recently criticised after sharing videos filmed in Newtown in which she recoiled at the inner-west suburb and joked that she feared for her safety.
She claimed she was threatened by another moviegoer while watching a film with her husband at Dendy Cinemas on King Street after she looked at her phone during the advertisements. Speaking on Instagram afterwards, she joked she was ready to defend herself with a "fly kick" and said the other man backed down.
She said the incident left her so shaken that she and her husband skipped dining in the area and instead bought takeaway dumplings to eat at home. The posts drew criticism, with many branding her comments tone-deaf given Newtown's median house price of $1.94 million.
It followed an earlier backlash over a post mocking Sydney's "have-nots." Earlier this year, Montano posted a photo of a tent and pram in Woolloomooloo captioned "waterfront living," which many interpreted as mocking people experiencing homelessness. She later deleted the post, but screenshots circulated widely and she was accused of being insensitive.
Feuds with co-stars
Montano has also made headlines for feuds with her Real Housewives of Sydney co-stars. In March last year, a row broke out between Montano and fellow housewife Terry Biviano at a birthday party hosted by socialite Elaine Kwan, whose guests included Ellie Aitken and Alina Barlow, the daughter of Russian billionaire and former Sydney FC owner David Traktovenko.
The argument began when Montano's husband confronted Biviano over allegations she had been gossiping about other people's marriages and lifestyles. It escalated to the point where shocked guests could hear accusations being yelled across the room, and the two women are reportedly no longer on speaking terms or following each other on social media.
Montano also previously fell out with former best friend and fellow housewife Martine Chippendale, who lives on the same Darling Point street. The pair are said to have avoided events to avoid bumping into each other, and it later emerged that Montano had pulled strings to help get Chippendale a spot on the show before the friendship soured, reportedly after Montano discovered Chippendale had been gossiping about her to other cast members.
