Neighbours star Madeleine West stuns in a bikini on eve of AVO court hearing

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

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

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 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

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

‘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

The model-turned-activist visited the swimming hole mid afternoon

She was accompanied by a group of children

She was accompanied by a group of children

Madeleine was completely coated with the help of one of her children

Madeleine was completely coated with the help of one of her children 

Madeleine was caked from head to toe in the soothing mud

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

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 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

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

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

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

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 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

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

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'

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

‘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

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

‘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’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 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.

WHO IS MADELEINE WEST? 

Madeleine West is an actress and model who first came to prominence playing the characters Dee Bliss and then Andrea Somers on the TV hit series Neighbours, the first role in the early 2000s and the second between 2017 and 2020.

During filming of Neighbours , West was hit by a bus and sustained head injuries which required her to relearn motor skills. 

An amateur performer as a child, West has also appeared in the TV series Underbelly and Fat Tony & Co.

West was once engaged to Shopping for Love co-host Peter Lazer, before moving on to restaurateur Shannon Bennett, who became best known for his appearances on MasterChef.

The couple met in 2005 and had six children together before splitting in 2018, in which Bennett described as a case of love turned ‘toxic’.

West wrote a book about her experience of motherhood entitled Six Under Eight..

Despite her split with Bennett, West relocated to Byron in 2020 and bought a $4.6m home to be nearer her children, who live with the chef at his waterfront Byron estate. 

In 2022 West announced she might run in the 2023 NSW election as an independent for the seat of Ballina, but she did not nominate.

In January 2023, West revealed that she had been sexually abused as a child and the trauma she had gone through had resulted on her suffering from anorexia.      

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