Catalano remortgages Raes on Wategos resort in Byron Bay

The son of accused spousal abuser Antony Catalano has taken out two fresh mortgages over the millionaire media proprietor’s Raes on Wategos luxury resort in Byron Bay.

The fresh loans against the iconic asset, which is the centrepiece of Catalano’s multimillion-dollar property empire, come as the disgraced businessman awaits his next scheduled appearance in court in July facing criminal charges of assaulting his third wife Stefanie.

Financial documents obtained by this masthead reveal Catalano’s son Jordan Catalano – who has replaced his father as director and secretary of a range of corporate vehicles following the alleged March 3 assault at the wealthy couple’s St Kilda penthouse apartment – took out two fresh mortgages over Raes in the first week of May.

The mortgages are in addition to an already outstanding mortgage held by Westpac over the prestigious asset. Second and third mortgages generally draw a significantly higher interest rate and can rank behind a first mortgage-holder in the event of foreclosure.

The $1000-a-night boutique resort is owned by a Catalano entity called Kirant Property Pty Ltd. Jordan, 35, is the sole director and secretary of that company, but his 59-year-old father controls its shares. Several of Catalano’s nine children are also listed as shareholders.

Paperwork for the fresh mortgages, signed by Jordan Catalano, was executed on May 4. The fresh finance was provided by a company called Grosvenor Street Services Pty Ltd. Corporate records reveal this company’s ultimate owner to be Sydney-based Centuria Capital, a listed funds management and real estate group led jointly by John McBain and Jason Huljich.

Antony Catalano was also contacted concerning the changes to his financial affairs, but did not respond to messages.

He has owned Raes on Wategos for more than a decade, having first acquired a 50 per cent stake in June 2013 before taking full ownership by buying the remaining half in 2014.

Since then it has become a retreat frequented by the rich and famous. Guests have included Tom Cruise, Elle Macpherson and Kate Winslet. It was last year named Gourmet Traveller’s Boutique Hotel of the Year.

Catalano has leveraged the Raes brand for further property development in the town and beyond. He is developing a hotel apartment and retail complex, The Bonobo by Raes, on the township’s Jonson Street and also has plans to develop a tourism asset in Bali’s Seminyak to be called Raes Bali. The businessman owns a private luxury charter yacht called Sea Raes and has previously owned a charter plane, which he operated as Air Ra