House Rules contestants Mikaela and Eliza have been eliminated from the competition tonight.
And despite being the first team to go, the surfing sisters tell New Idea they feel nothing but grateful for their time on the show.
“Eliza and I put 110 per cent into everything we did, so it was difficult to walk away disappointed when you’ve given it your all,” Mikaela says. “Getting on the show and having the interior house renovated was a win in itself.”
“It has been a whirlwind. We learnt so much from the show and we’re so grateful,” Eliza adds. “Being back in the house is so surreal.”
The sporty siblings entered the show, hoping to repay their mum for all of her hard work over the years.
So, what does their mum think of the house, which was completely transformed by strangers?
“She absolutely loves it,” Eliza beams. “She just can’t believe how lucky we are to have been given this opportunity.”
The sisters and their mum say the lounge, dining and kitchen are their favourite parts of the house.
Since leaving the show, Mikaela and Eliza say they have hit the gym hard.
“Eliza and I have been training really hard because we did have to take a break while we were on the show,” Mikaela says. “We’re back into it full-time now. I’m starting to feel like myself again.”
“I was starting to feel like a marshmallow!” she laughs.
“I was calling myself a dumpling,” Eliza adds.
Being back home also means the sisters have been able to spend time with their partners again. Eliza reveals being away from her boyfriend Jimmy, while filming the show, was a struggle at times.
“He was very supportive,” Eliza says.
Despite being the first to leave the show, the sisters have become celebrities in their local country town and say they get recognised all the time.
“We get stopped in the street every single day,” Mikaela says. “So, we have to make sure we don’t look dishevelled!”
The sisters struck up a close friendship with Tim and Matt on the show and tell New Idea that they still keep in touch with their fellow contestants.
“We have a group chat that we use to all keep in touch,” Mikaela says. “We’re definitely still close with the boys, and Katie and Alex. Those are probably the two teams we were the closest with.”
“Lisa and Andy are awesome too.”
“We have an underlying respect for all the teams,” Eliza adds. “They all worked really hard to give our mum this beautiful home.”
The sisters also explain that their dad is no longer in their lives.
Mikaela added: “We’re focused on the future and mum – she’s the foundation for us.”
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