The Australian community has bid farewell to a figure once a staple in the nation's high society.

The widow of notorious businessman Christopher Skase has passed away at the age of 83.

Her family confirmed her death, which occurred in Melbourne on a quiet Friday afternoon.

Pixie Skase's life was marked by glamour and controversy, a duality perhaps best encapsulated by her daughter Amanda Larkins' heartfelt Instagram post announcing her passing.

'Our beloved beautiful mother Pixie passed away peacefully on Friday afternoon, the 15th of November,' Larkins wrote.

Pixie Skase, widow of businessman Christopher Skase, was 83 when she passed away in Melbourne. Credit: 7News / Facebook

'We have had no words to express our loss and still don’t. She was greatly loved and left a hole in our hearts. Rest in Peace, Mum.'

The announcement was met with condolences and tributes, reflecting Pixie's impact on those around her.

Pixie Skase became a prominent figure in Melbourne's social circles during the 1980s, when her husband's business empire was at its zenith.

However, the collapse of Christopher Skase's company, Qintex, in the early 1990s marked the beginning of a tumultuous period for the couple.

Christopher Skase declared bankruptcy, and the couple fled to Mallorca, Spain, to escape the fallout.

They faced corporate debts of $1.7 billion and personal debts of $170 million.

The Skases saga became a media sensation, with the Australian public and authorities keenly interested in Christopher Skase's extradition back to Australia to face his creditors and the legal consequences of his business dealings.

However, he died in 2001 from stomach cancer, never having returned to face the music in Australia.

Pixie Skase's return to Melbourne in 2009 was a much quieter affair.

She maintained a low profile, starkly contrasting the high-flying socialite lifestyle she once led.

In October 2018, she auctioned off personal items from her life with Christopher, which some saw as closing a chapter on a bygone era of extravagance and controversy.

Key Takeaways

• Pixie Skase, widow of disgraced Australian businessman Christopher Skase, has passed away at the age of 83 in Melbourne.
• Her death was announced on Instagram by her daughter Amanda Larkins, stating Pixie died peacefully on the 15th of November.
• Pixie Skase was a well-known figure within Melbourne’s social circles during the 1980s and fled to Spain with her husband following the collapse of his company.
• After Christopher Skase died in 2001, Pixie returned to Melbourne in 2009 and lived a low-key life until her passing, even auctioning personal items in October 2018.

Did the Skase saga impact your perception of business ethics and the high society of the time? How do you view the legacy left behind by figures like Pixie and Christopher Skase? Let us know in the comments below.

 

[Pommyoz]

She was as guilty is him. Absconding together, living on the run together, well, people don’t forget what Skase and Bond did to Australia. Wealthy socialite indeed. Another one hits the dust!

 

[Gazman]

I have no pity for the thieving bastards. All that money he stole was put in her name. Our politicians won't change the law so they can get the money back from family members. That is both major political parties, I wonder why?

 

[King Alix]

May she rest in peace

 

[King Alix]

May she rest in peace

 

[Jocko48]

Rest in Peace Pixie

 

[Veggiepatch]

May she rest in her own evisceration along with her thieving anus of a husband.

 

[Veggiepatch]

Eww!! I made someone angry! Bad luck!

 

[Littleboy8]

May she rest in her own evisceration along with her thieving anus of a husband.

R.I.H. With your husband where you belong.

 

[BeautifulMousey]

Condolences to her family and friends
RIP

 

[drambuie69]

One of my closest mates of 45 plus years worked at Channel 7 when the complex was at Epping NSW and was there when Skase moved in on 7 after 'gutting' other companies both in Oz and overseas. He started 'gutting' channel 7 soon after he got there. My mate worked in Atlab, the developing section of the channel and his name appears in the credits of such movies as Picnic at Hanging Rock, Stone just to name a couple. Skase was nothing but a thief, like Bond they operated on lines of credit from Banks due to their 'high profile and social standing.' After gutting a large portion of MGM Studios prop's warehouse and selling millions of dollars of famous clothes and memorabilia he fled before criminal investigations were started along with Pixie. My mate invited me to a few events held at Channel 7 and I met Skase/Pixie, I was not impressed however, as soon as they realised that I would not be 'an asset' to them either financially or socially they moved on. Skase plundered the Super Fund at 7 before fleeing Aust. and heading overseas with the aid of their 'socialite friends' in Melbourne. My mate retired and it broke him when he found out that 85% of his entitlement monies had been taken. Skase/Pixie turned up in Spain and 'bribed' the Spanish Gov. with the promise that he would build a huge and modern tourist complex which would entice the rich and famous people from around the world to come and spend their money in Spain. It also promised a huge boost to jobs both in comstruction and local employment to staff the complex. Aust. didn't have an extradition treaty with Spain and although Aust. did make application to the Spanish Authorities to have Skase held so that Aust. Authorities could start legal proceedings through the Courts, these were 'blocked or set aside' by the Minister in Spain. Skase gave and interview with reporters from Aust. and he stated that he would voluntarily return to Aust. to answer to the criminal accusations. This didn't happen as shortly after Pixie made the announcement that Skase had stomach cancer and his doctor issued a certificate that he was unable to fly. Skase had some 'pressure applied' by the Spanish Gov. as very little of the building of the tourist complex had been built. This resulted in a sudden movement of bull-dozers clearing a large area of land as it appeared that building was about to proceed. Skase later appeared in a wheelchair, at a meeting with reporters, to announce that he would attend a Court Hearing in relation to him returning to Aust. to fight and clear his name. At the time I was married and my wife was a RN working in Intensive Care, we were watching the press story and my wife started laughing when she saw Skase in the wheel-chair, holding a oxygen mask over his face. I asked what's so funny, she said that the chair was fitted with the 'old style' oxygen pump, electric powered and had to be plugged in.' It wasn't plugged in and Skase was breathing heavily with mask over his face, pretending.' Skase entered the Court complex however, a short time later he emerged and was placed into an Ambulance with his Doctor advising that 'Mr Skase had sufferred a medical episode.' the matter had been adjourned. Pixie stood in front of the reporters and made a statement that she would never set foot in Aust. again because of the way they were persuing her husband for no reason. She took out her Aust.Passport and tore it in half and got into the Ambulance. I thought it was the best bit of drama ever staged. I was only a matter of months later after Skase died that Pixie, again with the help of her socialite friends, she returned to Melbourne, moving into a very nice 'mansion in Toorack', amongst all her socialite friends and did this 'very quietly' with no reporting in papers or television coverage.
Sorry for the LONG STORY however, Skase and Bond were both of the same mould, thieves and con-artists, who gained wealth and all based on 'letters of credit' from financial institutions, who were along for the ride because they thought they could see 'big dividens' for them. In their wake a lot of normal working people were broken financially and mentally by those two and it was aided by our Gov. who were slow to act or didn't want to get involved.