'We had some beautiful moments': Brynne Edelsten pays tribute to her ex-husband Geoffrey after the flamboyant businessman was found dead in his Melbourne apartment aged 78

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The second wife of Geoffrey Edelsten has spoken of the 'beautiful moments' she spent with the flamboyant Australian businessman after he was found dead at the age of 78.

The ex-Sydney Swans owner died on Friday afternoon at his apartment in Melbourne, The Herald Sun reported. 

Victoria Police have confirmed a man in his late 70s died at the scene at Balencea Apartments on St Kilda Road. 

It is believed that he was found by his cleaner. His death is not being treated as suspicious.   

The businessman was renowned for his extravagant lifestyle and his fleet of luxury cars, as well as his tumultuous marriage to his first wife Leanne Nesbitt. 

The pair first met when Nesbitt was a 19-year-old model.   

Brynne Edelsten - who married the iconic medical practitioner in 2009 in a lavish $3million ceremony - led the tributes to him on Friday night.

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Australian businessman and one-time AFL owner Geoffrey Edelsten has died at the age of 78. Edelsten is pictured at Melbourne's Grand Hyatt in September 2015

'It is of great sadness to hear of the passing of Dr Geoffrey Edelsten today,' a spokesman for Ms Edelsten said.

'On behalf of Ms Brynne Edelsten, we send our deepest and sincerest condolences.

'Brynne and Geoffrey enjoyed some truly beautiful moments, including their wedding in 2009.

'While their marriage ended after 5 years together, Brynne remains grateful for the good times the couple shared and is deeply saddened and shocked to hear the news of his passing.'

AFL legend Greg Williams also paid tribute.  

'He was a great man,' the Carlton icon, who joined the Swans a year after Edelsten took over in 1985, told 3AW. 

'People had an opinion of him but he was a lot different than the actual opinion. He was a great guy with a great heart and he loved the Swans even though he barracked for Carlton. 

'I loved Dr Edelsten. All the blokes who played for the Swans I'm sure there's great memories there. ' 

Brynne Gordon and Geoffrey Edelsten at their wedding in 2009. The pair married in a glitzy ceremony worth $3million

Starting with a practice at Coogee, Edelsten began opening revolutionary 24-hour medical centres offering bulk-billing, so that patients bore no financial cost for consultations.

His first clinic was reportedly seeing 2,000 patients each week within four months of opening. 

By the time he had 13 medical centres, about 20,000 were coming through the doors every seven days.

Edelsten with Gabi Grecko. In 2014 Edelsten would marry the model, who was 46 years younger than him

Edelsten bought the Sydney Swans AFL team in July 1985, making him a household name.

The purchase made him the first private owner of a major AFL team.  

He famously married fitness instructor Ms Edelsten (née Gordon), in the flash, star-studded 2009 wedding. 

Grecko and Edelsten at the Brownlow Medal awards in Melbourne 2014. They tied the knot in 2015 and split four months later. The couple announced in June 2018 they were getting married again

Dr Geoffrey Edelsten pictured in his surgery in September 1985. His first cutting-edge clinic was reportedly seeing 2,000 patients each week within four months

Seinfeld actor Jason Alexander memorably was the MC at the wedding, with the American TV sitcom icon also narrating a pre-wedding DVD about the couple. 

The glamorous nuptials included a helicopter, circus performers and a luxury Bentley. 

That marriage was over by 2014.

Edelsten pictured in a Sydney Swans file photo. He made his money pioneering revolutionary 24-hour medical centres offering bulk-billing, so that patients bore no financial cost

Edelsten is pictured watching an AFL game from the stands in Melbourne in 1988

Later that year it was announced Edelsten was marrying model Gabi Grecko, who was 46 years younger than him. 

They tied the knot the following year after the ever-romantic Edelsten got down on one knee dressed in his brashest yellow suit before the waiting media. 

They split four months later but the couple announced in June 2018 they were getting married again.

An undercover car was among three police vehicles pictured at Edelsten's home on Friday. 

Edelsten was the first private owner of a major AFL team. He is pictured in a cover photo for Good Weekend

Edelsten with Leanne Nesbitt on their wedding day. The pair split after a tumultuous three-year marriage

Edelsten and Gabi Grecko arrive ahead of the Red Ball 2015 at the Grand Hyatt in September 2015

Nesbitt was a 19-year-old model when she first met the businessman. They tied the knot in 1984 but split in 1988

A manager at Hunter's Kitchen and Bar on the ground floor of the high-end apartment block said emergency crews first arrived at 3pm.   

A neighbour described Edelsten as 'well-mannered' and 'extremely private'. 

Edelsten was credited by then-Swans captain Barry Rounds for turning around the club's fortune after buying the team in 1985

Edelsten was also a long-term donor of Melbourne AFL team Carlton, with the Blues in 2013 giving him life membership.

The first captain of the Swans Barry Round heralded Edelsten's star power for helping put the team on the map after their relocation from Melbourne in 1982.

'He really put us on the map and created some important awareness with the Sydney people,' Round said. 

'We were only getting our best players and goalkickers in one of the back pages of the Sydney Morning Herald, but with his flamboyant style he really turned it around for the club.' 

'We were only getting our best players and goalkickers in one of the back pages of the Sydney Morning Herald, but with his flamboyant style he really turned it around for the club.'