Australian model Jessica Hart has been pictured beaming in her hometown of Melbourne this week, embracing a solo outing as she plans a permanent return Down Under. The visit follows the reported dramatic end of her engagement to American NASCAR driver James Kirkham.
A Chic Homecoming in Melbourne
The 39-year-old, who was born in Sydney but raised in Melbourne before her international modelling career took off at 15, appeared delighted to be back on home soil. Hart cut a stylish yet relaxed figure during her stroll.
Her outfit consisted of a simple black T-shirt layered under a black leather jacket. She paired this with frayed-hem denim shorts, showcasing her slender legs, and completed the look with black suede ballet flats. Her signature blonde hair was worn down.
Accessories included a teal leather shoulder bag, square-framed Saint Laurent sunglasses, and silver hoop earrings. Notably, her two children with Kirkham—five-year-old Baby-Rae and three-year-old Glorious—were not with her, suggesting she was enjoying some rare personal time.
The High-Octane Romance Hits the Skids
This cheerful appearance comes in the wake of her turbulent split from fiancé James Kirkham. The couple's relationship reportedly came to a fiery conclusion in early 2025 following a heated argument inside their $368,000 Mercedes-AMG G-Class.
Exclusive photos obtained by Daily Mail Australia captured the fallout. The pair were seen in a fierce dispute while driving to their Hollywood Hills home. Hart eventually pulled over, activating the hazard lights.
An onlooker described Kirkham gesticulating wildly before burying his head in his hands in despair. After he exited the vehicle, which was briefly blocking traffic, Hart drove off, prompting him to run after the car.
The day before this confrontation, Hart was seen without her engagement ring, looking visibly upset during a phone call. The pair have since unfollowed or blocked each other on Instagram and had not been seen together publicly since the United States Grand Prix in Texas in October 2024.
Building a New Life Down Under
Hart had already signalled a major life change prior to the split. In an interview with Harper's Bazaar Australia in June last year, she revealed her plan to move back to Australia after decades living in Paris, London, New York, and Los Angeles.
Her motivation is firmly rooted in family. "I want my children to be half-Australian and half-American – not just Americans with Australian passports," she stated. "I want them to be immersed in Australian culture and grow up the way we did."
Hart plans to redevelop a property in Ballarat, within the Victorian Central Highlands, which she bought from relatives. She described the move as a return to her roots and heritage, something that would have made her late mother, Rae, happy. Rae passed away in January 2023 after a battle with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).
Hart was previously engaged to Greek shipping heir Stavros Niarchos III. She later bonded with tattooed single father James Kirkham over a shared love of fast cars in 2019. He proposed at her baby shower for their first child, with daughter Baby-Rae arriving weeks later. Son Glorious was born in February 2022.
