EXCLUSIVE
Brittany Higgins and David Sharaz will tie the knot next week in a fairytale ceremony at a $20 million luxury estate nestled in the Queensland countryside.
Sharaz popped the question during a romantic sunset proposal at the iconic Cape Bryon Lighthouse, near his father’s Byron Bay home, on New Year’s Eve 2022.
Daily Mail Australia exclusively captured the moment Mrs Higgins, dressed in an elegant black dress and beige heels, clutched a bouquet of red roses on the lighthouse balcony as she said “yes”.
The couple’s wedding date was revealed in Washington Supreme Court on Thursday amid Linda Reynolds’ defamation case against them.
Higgins’ lawyers told the court that he had wedding plans for early June and would need more time to file documents related to a trust fund that could hold his property in France and the remainder of his $2.4 settlement sum. millions of dollars.
Daily Mail Australia can now reveal that Higgins and Sharaz will exchange vows at The Valley Estate in Currumbin Valley, about 25 kilometers south of the Gold Coast, on June 1.
Brittany Higgins is pictured right after David Sharaz proposed to her on December 31, 2022.
The couple will exchange vows at The Valley Estate in Currumbin Valley (pictured)
The estate, set in nine acres of landscaped gardens, opened in 2021 with Its owners vowed to take over Byron Bay and turn the Gold Coast into the country’s wedding capital.
Prices for wedding packages are not advertised but, on average, Queensland couples will spend around $24,000 on their big day.
According to The Valley Estate’s website, the venue is the “epitome of luxury.”
“A unique, personalized space designed to inspire celebration and reflection with loved ones,” the site said.
‘The Valley Estate organizes exclusive and personalized wedding celebrations.
“Perfect for your special day, we pride ourselves on understanding each couple’s individual needs and meeting all their requirements.”
Ms Higgins’ best friend and business partner, Emma Webster, will be her maid of honour.
There is no accommodation available, but Ms Higgins grew up in the area – her father lives on a property in Byron Bay and her mother lives on the Gold Coast.
The site is a former dairy located in the Queensland countryside (pictured)
The nine-acre estate is considered “the epitome of luxury” and does not advertise its prices.
The estate has several places for couples to exchange vows, including a chapel.
About a month after their nuptials, Ms Higgins will face her former parliamentary boss Ms Reynolds in a high-profile defamation case in Perth.
The senator is suing Ms Higgins over a series of social media posts which she says damaged her reputation by implying that she pressured the former staffer not to proceed with a police report over her rape allegations in 2019.
At the time, Ms Higgins was a junior Liberal staffer in Parliament, working for Ms Reynolds, who was Defense Industry Minister.
Reynolds has continually denied that she and her former chief of staff, Fiona Brown, tried to stop Higgins from going to the police about his assault and told him his job would be at stake if he tried.
In December 2022, the Commonwealth awarded Ms Higgins $2.4 million in compensation for the way she claims she was treated by her parliamentary bosses after she revealed her rape to them.
The settlement agreement included a series of allegations against Ms. Reynolds that were not proven in court, and the senator was denied the opportunity to defend herself in the mediation room.
Pictured: Linda Reynolds outside the WA Supreme Court on Tuesday
In April, Federal Court Judge Michael Lee determined, on a balance of probabilities, that Brittany Higgins was raped by her former colleague Bruce Lehrmann in March 2019.
However, he also discovered that Ms. Higgins made a series of false statements in her $2.4 million settlement deed; Specifically, she found that Ms. Reynolds and Ms. Brown did not attempt to cover up the rape.
Mrs Higgins and Mr Sharaz last year bought a property in Lunas, in the south of France, and settled there permanently.
Months later, Ms. Reynolds attempted to freeze his assets.
She is now seeking documents related to the Brittany Higgins Protective Trust to determine who the trustee is, in case Higgins loses the defamation suit and says she cannot pay damages.
Reynolds is also suing Sharaz over similar social media posts, but he tried to back down earlier this month, saying he couldn’t afford to move forward with the trial.
The matter will be set for a six-week hearing in July.