Sam and Snezana Wood ‘relocate’ to Mornington Peninsula despite stage-four restrictions

The Bachelor‘s Sam Wood and Snezana Markoski have ‘permanently relocated’ to Mount Martha, on Victoria’s upmarket Mornington Peninsula, despite Melbourne‘s stage-four lockdown.

A representative for the couple told Daily Mail Australia on Thursday they were renting a new place due to building delays on their new home near the city.

It comes after Snezana, 39, was seen taking their daughters Charlie, one, and Willow, two, for a walk around the beachside area on Wednesday, and Sam, 40, was spotted leaving the rental property and driving back to Melbourne that same day.

New home: The Bachelor’s Sam Wood and Snezana Markoski have ‘permanently relocated’ to the Mornington Peninsula, despite Melbourne’s stage-four lockdown. Pictured: Snezana and her daughters Charlie, one, and Willow, two, leaving the family’s rented home on Wednesday

Digs: Sam and Snezana are renting this property in Mount Martha. A representative for the couple insist they have not broken any rules despite the fact they usually live in Melbourne

Digs: Sam and Snezana are renting this property in Mount Martha. A representative for the couple insist they have not broken any rules despite the fact they usually live in Melbourne

Sam and Snezana – who married in Byron Bay in 2018, three years after falling in love on The Bachelor – recently listed their Elsternwick home but are now building.  

Their representative said they were not breaking stage-four lockdown restrictions. 

‘The Wood family are following the stage-four lockdown regulations,’ they said. 

‘Sam and the family have permanently relocated to Mount Martha, their only place of residence, as the COVID-19 pandemic has caused delays in the building of their property in Melbourne. It is not a short-term rental.’

Travelling: Sam, 40, was seen driving back to Melbourne on Wednesday. His representative said it was for work purposes

Travelling: Sam, 40, was seen driving back to Melbourne on Wednesday. His representative said it was for work purposes 

Leaving the house: Snezana, 39, was seen taking their daughters Charlie, one, and Willow, two, for a walk around the beachside area

Stroll: Snezana, 39, took her daughters for a walk around the beachside area on Wednesday

Building delays: A representative told Daily Mail Australia on Thursday the couple had moved to a new place of residence due to building delays on their home near the city

Building delays: A representative told Daily Mail Australia on Thursday the couple had moved to a new place of residence due to building delays on their home near the city

When asked about Sam travelling from Mount Martha to Melbourne on Wednesday, the couple’s spokesperson said it was for work purposes.

‘Sam was permitted to travel from Mount Martha to metropolitan Melbourne as he was shooting Better Homes & Gardens, of which he has a valid permit to do so and that he carries with him at all times,’ they stated.

The Hamptons-style property they are living in closely matches a listing on Airbnb, which costs an average of $1,000 per night to rent.

A source told Daily Mail Australia the pair have been staying at the property since August 21.

The rental, which is just 900 metres from the beach, features four bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, a heated magnesium pool and an outdoor entertaining area.

Sprawling: The rental, which is just 900 metres from the beach, features four bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, a heated magnesium pool and an outdoor entertaining area

Sprawling: The rental, which is just 900 metres from the beach, features four bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, a heated magnesium pool and an outdoor entertaining area

Clarifying: The pair are not breaking stage-four lockdown, their representative says, because they aren't staying in a short-term rental. They have instead 'permanently relocated'

Clarifying: The pair are not breaking stage-four lockdown, their representative says, because they aren’t staying in a short-term rental. They have instead ‘permanently relocated’

Rules: Residents in Melbourne are only allowed to leave home for essential reasons, including food shopping, exercise, permitted work and caregiving

Rules: Residents in Melbourne are only allowed to leave home for essential reasons, including food shopping, exercise, permitted work and caregiving

Mount Martha is about 80km from Melbourne’s CBD, or a 90-minute drive.

Melbourne has been under stage-four lockdown since August 2. One rule for residents includes not being able to travel more than 5km from home.

Residents in Melbourne are only allowed to leave home for essential reasons, including food shopping, exercise, permitted work and caregiving. If rules are broken, residents risk a $5,000 fine.

Melburnians are still allowed to move home or to a non-residential property if it was organised before midnight on Sunday, September 13, but curfew hours apply.

Renovations on properties can still take place, as long as you have fully vacated the property. Only emergency repairs can be done if you still live at the home.

In recent weeks, Sam and Snezana have shared a number of photos and videos to Instagram from their rented home in Mount Martha.

On August 29, Sam uploaded footage of himself reading to one of his daughters on the backyard swing. 

Documenting: In recent weeks, Sam and Snezana have shared a number of photos and videos to Instagram from their rented home in Mount Martha

Documenting: In recent weeks, Sam and Snezana have shared a number of photos and videos to Instagram from their rented home in Mount Martha

Promotional work: Sam shared this image of himself sitting in the lounge room on September 1, in a sponsored post for a laundry detergent brand

Promotional work: Sam shared this image of himself sitting in the lounge room on September 1, in a sponsored post for a laundry detergent brand

Looks familiar! The lounge room features a palm tree print and plant in the background

Looks familiar! The lounge room features a palm tree print and plant in the background

He also shared an image of himself sitting in the lounge room on September 1, in a sponsored post for a laundry detergent brand. 

On September 1, Snezana posted glamorous selfies from the master bedroom. The black-framed bed and beaded chandelier hanging from the roof match photos on the Airbnb listing.

‘When you’re in stage four lockdown, Sam is working, Eve is in remote learning and you’re not allowed to have a babysitter but you still want to take pics for the gram (… so you can pretend you don’t spend all day in food covered sweats and work out gear),’ Snezana captioned the post, adding the hashtag #mumlife.

Stunning: On September 1, Snezana shared glamorous selfies from the master bedroom

Stunning: On September 1, Snezana shared glamorous selfies from the master bedroom 

Eye-catching: The black-framed bed and beaded chandelier hanging from the roof match photos on the Airbnb listing (above)

Eye-catching: The black-framed bed and beaded chandelier hanging from the roof match photos on the Airbnb listing (above)

On Father’s Day, she also posted shots of Sam and their kids playing outside the cubby house, alongside a gushing tribute to her husband. 

Last month, Sam spoke of the harsh realities of being locked down with his young family during Victoria’s deadly second wave of coronavirus.

‘I’m not going to lie, some days are definitely tough,’ he told New Idea magazine. 

Working up a sweat: Gym owner Sam has shared a handful of videos of himself working out in the luxury home and exercising outside near the shed

Working up a sweat: Gym owner Sam has shared a handful of videos of himself working out in the luxury home and exercising outside near the shed

Working up a sweat: Gym owner Sam has shared a handful of videos of himself working out in the luxury home and exercising outside near the shed

Tribute: On Father's Day, Snezana posted shots of Sam and their kids playing outside the cubby house, alongside a gushing tribute to her husband

Tribute: On Father’s Day, Snezana posted shots of Sam and their kids playing outside the cubby house, alongside a gushing tribute to her husband

Perfect for kids: Pictured is the cubby house, which matches the design of the home

Perfect for kids: Pictured is the cubby house, which matches the design of the home

'Some days are definitely tough': Last month, Sam spoke of the harsh realities of being locked down with his young family during Victoria's deadly second wave of coronavirus

‘Some days are definitely tough’: Last month, Sam spoke of the harsh realities of being locked down with his young family during Victoria’s deadly second wave of coronavirus

Sam, who owns a successful online fitness program and multiple gyms, did acknowledge, however, that he was ‘incredibly grateful to have a job when so many people are doing it so tough’.

He also disclosed he’d had a COVID-19 health scare recently. 

‘A few months back, I was feeling a little under the weather so I did the right thing and got tested, but it came back negative,’ he said. 

Remember this? Sam and Snezana met on The Bachelor in 2015, and married three years later

Remember this? Sam and Snezana met on The Bachelor in 2015, and married three years later