Olivia Newton-John

It's no wonder that Hollywood is mourning her and that tributes have come from her star friends from Britain as well.

But Australia has and will always claim her as its "darling" and "sweetheart".

Obituary: Olivia Newton-John

This is where she started her musical career, even though she grew up wanting to be a vet and then a policewoman.

Newton-John formed a girl group with three other school friends at 14 and started performing in a café run by her sister's boyfriend.

Australians grew up with a young Olivia Newton-John on their screens.

The star died from cancer, her manager told the BBC.

Her husband John Easterling said she "passed away peacefully" at her ranch in California on Monday morning.

An actress and musician, Newton-John achieved commercial success as a country singer and sold millions of records globally.

But it was her role as high school student Sandy in the film adaption of Grease that catapulted her to worldwide fame.

The actress' original script from the film was also among the items at the sale in Beverly Hills, California, which in total raised $2.4m.

Some of the proceeds will go towards Newton-John's cancer treatment centre in Australia.

The buyers' identities are not public.

Grease was released in 1978 and Olivia Newton-John played demure Sandy alongside John Travolta as bad boy Danny.

The infamous black outfit marked Sandy's transition from a good girl high-schooler to a sexy, leather-clad biker chick, when the couple sang You're the One That I Want in a fairground.

The Grease star, 69, told Australian TV show Sunday Night she was now using medicinal marijuana and other natural remedies.

Newton-John survived her initial breast cancer diagnosis in 1992 but revealed that it had returned in 2013.

A third diagnosis, of a tumour in the lower back, was made last year.

The new diagnosis is stage 4 breast cancer that has metastasized to the spine.

In the emotional interview on Sunday Night, she said: "I'm one of millions in this fight. I shouldn't say fight... in this journey.