“Unlocking Wealth: Acclaimed Archibald Prize Winner’s Exquisite Tama Pad Hits the Market on Mardi Gras Eve”

Mardi Gras held a special significance for the late Archibald Prize-winning portrait artist, Craig Ruddy, as it was during this event that he first met his partner, Roberto Mezo Mont, over twenty years ago.

According to Roberto, they locked eyes on a Sydney street just a few days after the 2001 Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, and Craig gave him a tender kiss that felt like a stamp of love. Shortly after, Roberto moved into Craig’s shared rental flat in Tamarama, and three years later, Craig won the prestigious Archibald Prize for his portrait titled “Two Worlds of David Gulpilil.”

This victory changed their lives, allowing them to purchase the apartment next door. The one-bedroom apartment, located at 32/20 Illawong Ave in Tamarama, cost Craig $400k at the time. The couple’s close friend, Caroline Fagerlund of CBRE, is now listing the apartment for sale with a guide price of $2.2 million. The apartment, now part of the Skye Tamarama block, features a generous terrace with stunning ocean views, timber floors, a kitchen with sleek concrete finishes, premium appliances, custom joinery, and a bathroom with a rainwater shower.

Local agents believe that purchasing the apartment close to the guide price would be a good deal. With 69sqm of living space, it is larger than the average one-bedroom apartment. The penthouses in the block have sold for substantial amounts, with prices of $13 million and $14 million. Both penthouses were purchased by billionaire fund manager Will Vicars. One of the penthouses is currently being rented out for $6,500 per week.

Roberto continues to reside in the Byron Hinterland home that he and Craig loved. He finds solace in the natural world that surrounds him, seeing Craig’s spirit in the vibrant sunsets, rustling leaves, and the laughter of kookaburras. Despite Craig’s passing from Covid in January 2022, his memory lives on in the hearts of those who loved him.