Former Neighbours star Madeleine West took a refreshing swim at a waterhole in Bangalow, in the Byron Bay hinterland, on the eve of a court hearing over an apprehended violence order taken out by celebrity chef Shannon Bennett’s dad.
West, 42, looked stunning in a bikini as she frolicked in the cool green water of a disused quarry and then proceeded to cover herself with a layer of soothing mud.
She posted a photo of herself with a muddy décolletage on social media after the session with the caption ‘is there anything more healing than a little ol’ fashioned silliness? #mud’.
The model turned activist turned up at the swimming hole mid afternoon wearing a denim mini-dress with a group of children.
She is due to face Byron Bay Local Court on Tuesday over the AVO police took out almost a year ago on behalf of her ex-partner’s father.
Former Neighbours star Madeleine West (pictured) took a refreshing swim at a waterhole in Bangalow, in the Byron Bay hinterland, on Monday
The swim came on the eve of a court hearing for an apprehended violence order taken out by celebrity chef Shannon Bennett’s dad
West, 42, looked stunning in a bikini as she frolicked in the cool green water
The actress proceeded to cover herself with a layer of soothing mud
The AVO names Benny Clifton Bennett, a retired engineer, and the grandfather of West’s children as the protected person, and Madeleine West as the defendant.
The actress and her former father-in-law are due to face each in court on Tuesday for the first of two one-day hearings into an alleged incident almost a year ago in Byron Bay where West and Shannon Bennett’s six children live with the chef full time.
In recent days, West has been caring for the brood as she prepares for the court appearance, while Shannon Bennett is believed to be overseas.
The order was taken out just days after the restaurateur revealed the estranged couple’s six children lived with him at his multi-million dollar beachfront property in Byron Bay.
The swim took place at a disused quarry in the Byron hinterland
‘Is there anything more healing than a little ol’ fashioned silliness? #mud,’ she wrote on social media after wading in the swampy conditions
The model-turned-activist visited the swimming hole mid afternoon
She was accompanied by a group of children
Madeleine was completely coated with the help of one of her children
Madeleine was caked from head to toe in the soothing mud
The celebrity chef, who rose to fame on MasterChef Australia, had a 13-year relationship with West which ended in 2018 when Bennett split with the actress.
Bennett revealed in May last year that the separation process between them had ‘turned love toxic’.
However in 2020, West left Melbourne and moved to Byron Bay to be near her children.
The former soap star bought her own mansion in the Byron Shire village of Suffolk Park, paying $4.6 million for a four-bedroom house with a heated pool, open plan living, spacious sun-filled living areas and a stunning architectural design.
She is due to face Byron Bay Local Court on Tuesday over the AVO police took out almost a year ago on behalf of her ex-partner’s father
The AVO names Benny Clifton Bennett, a retired engineer, and the grandfather of West’s six children as the protected person and Madeleine West as the defendant
The actress and her former father-in-law are due to face each in court on Tuesday for the first of two one-day hearings into an alleged incident almost a year ago in Byron Bay
West and Shannon Bennett’s six children live with the chef full time in the area
The blonde beauty washed off the mud with a relaxing swim
In recent days, West has been caring for the brood as she prepares for the court appearance, while Shannon Bennett is believed to be overseas
The order was taken out just days after the restaurateur revealed the estranged couple’s six children lived with him at his multi-million dollar beachfront property in Byron Bay
The celebrity chef, who rose to fame on MasterChef Australia, had a 13-year relationship with West
That romance ended in 2018 when Bennett split with the actress
Bennett revealed in May last year that the separation process between them had ‘turned love toxic’
In 2020, West left Melbourne and moved to Byron Bay to be near her children
The former soap star bought her own mansion in the Byron Shire village of Suffolk Park
She paid $4.6 million for a four-bedroom house with a heated pool, open plan living, spacious sun-filled living areas and a stunning architectural design
Since splitting with Bennett, West has been seen with northern NSW environmentalist, Maximo Bottaro.
More recently, the actress and podcaster revealed she was a child sexual abuse victim.
Speaking publicly for the first time about her battle with anorexia, she said the trauma of being abused caused her to become obsessed with looking ‘perfect’ – a task that was both ‘punishing’ and never-ending.
‘For every sexually abused person, what has happened to them will manifest in their life in some self-destructive behaviour,’ she said earlier this year.
She posted a photo of herself with a muddy decolletage on social media after the session
Pictured: Madeleine (left) with Shannon Bennett (centre back), his father Benny (right), mother Bridie, front, second left, and Shannon’s brother
Madeleine West and Shannon Bennett are pictured together during their 13-year relationship
Last year, Bennett said that West saw their children fortnightly, while they spend the remainder of the time with him.
‘The kids live with me full time and they visit their mother every fortnight for a few days,’ he revealed.
Bennett added that while the former Neighbours star is not the children’s primary caretaker, the pair work together to give them as much normality as possible.
‘At the end of the day it’s about the children. I feel on this that my children’s lives are private and I’m the protector of that,’ he said.
Since splitting with Bennett, West has been seen with northern NSW environmentalist, Maximo Bottaro
Last year, Bennett said that West saw their children fortnightly, while they spend the remainder of the time with him
‘The kids live with me full time and they visit their mother every fortnight for a few days,’ he revealed
Bennett added that while the former Neighbours star is not the children’s primary caretaker, the pair work together to give them as much normality as possible
‘At the end of the day it’s about the children. I feel on this that my children’s lives are private and I’m the protector of that,’ he said
‘I’ll do anything I can to ensure they get to grow as normally as possible with no distractions’ the chef added
‘I think I’m doing a good job of that, it’s good she’s doing that too’ Shannon concluded
‘I’ll do anything I can to ensure they get to grow as normally as possible with no distractions’ the chef added.
‘I think I’m doing a good job of that, it’s good she’s doing that too’.
Shannon Bennett owns prime Byron Bay land he bought from the late entertainment industry entrepreneur John ‘Strop’ Cornell and his wife Delvene Delaney.
He appears to be currently developing the five lot, 4,588 square metre holding on the Belongil Beach peninsula.
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