Australian actor Peter Hardy, best known for his roles in television series McLeod’s Daughters and the stage show Mamma Mia! has been identified as the man who drowned at a popular beach in Western Australia last week.
The 66-year-old died at South beach in Fremantle on Thursday morning after he was found unconscious in the water, having planned to snorkel. Bystanders performed CPR until paramedics arrived, but he could not be revived.
A report will be prepared for the coroner.
His brother, Michael Hardy, confirmed the news on social media, saying he was “devastated”.
“Rest in peace my beloved little brother,” he wrote.
Hardy was born in Perth in 1957. He began performing first on the stage and in musical theatre in the 1970s, which he continued to do for the rest of his life. He played Bill Austin, one of the lead roles in the musical Mamma Mia! in more than 1,500 performances over four years when the hit musical first arrived in Australia, as well as appearing in the 10th anniversary reunion show.
He also performed alongside Hugh Jackman during the Australian tour of The Boy From Oz, in An Officer And A Gentleman at Sydney’s Lyric Theatre, and in Priscilla Queen of the Desert, The Musical when the show toured the world.
He began appearing in films and television series in 1986, with one of his first roles a guest spot in Prisoner. He played Detective Cooney in Andrew Dominik’s 2000 film Chopper.
He starred as Phil Rakich in McLeod’s Daughters for 44 episodes and made appearances on a number of Australian shows, including Neighbours, A Country Practice, Rush, Blue Heelers and Jackaroo.
Hardy had been visiting Perth from London, where he was continuing to work as an actor. In 2021 he had a small role in the Matthew Vaughn film The King’s Man.
A second man also drowned at South beach on Sunday. Police said he was unresponsive when he was pulled from the water in the early afternoon and could not be revived.
