Perth billionaire gaming founder Laurence Escalante bunkers down in Hamptons-style farm stay for quarantine

Most West Aussies would be happy with a well-stocked fridge and working air-conditioner while they quarantine, but Perth’s super rich set their sights higher. Billionaire Laurence Escalante has been bunkered down in a five-bedroom, four-bathroom 1000sqm Wheatbelt property — The Hamptons Farm Estate — which has a resort-style pool, generous entertaining area and outdoor play equipment for his four children. The luxurious property outside Toodyay has featured in a variety of TV shows and magazine spreads, including Open Homes Australia and Ready Set Reno. Mr Escalante has been flaunting his stay at the mansion, which costs an eye-watering $1900 a night, on social media. The videos give an insight into the glamorous isolation, including his family’s trip in a fleet of luxury sports cars to get a hospital PCR test. Mr Escalante may have skipped the airport screening queues by flying in on his $120 million Bombardier Global 7500 jet but was unable to avoid quarantine. He arrived on February 5, which was when the State Government had been due to throw open the borders, but after Mark McGowan’s backflip the cashed-up entrepreneur now has to lie low. Before arriving home in WA, Mr Escalante enjoyed a trip to Dubai alongside his family and they took the new private jet for a spin around the globe, stopping off in the Caribbean among other places. The man behind the juggernaut Virtual Gaming Worlds spent New Year’s Eve partying on a yacht in Sydney Harbour and also spent most of January living it up on the east coast, with his Instagram videos flaunting his glamorous lifestyle. Mr Escalante’s self-funded Perth-based company VGW has grown at an extraordinary pace in the past two years, especially in the US. Before the successful venture, he worked as a financial planner after starting out in the humble surroundings of Hungry Jack’s as a teenager.