It had been reported that Brad Pitt was set to reunite with wife Angelina Jolie in Sydney this Christmas.\

But it was a case of Christmas coming early for the Jolie-Pitts on Friday, as Brad joined Angelina, 38, and their six children, Maddox, 12, Pax, nine, Shiloh, seven, Zahara, eight.

The family came together on board a luxury yacht named Ghost in Sydney Harbour.

And Brad immediately started documenting their holiday on his camera.

Brad has been hard at work filming war drama The Fury in England, whilst Angelina has been based in Sydney directing her next feature, Unbroken.

A source had told UsWeekly that Brad was set to fly out to his family just after his 50th birthday on December 18 to join fiance Angelina

But it looks as though Brad couldn’t wait another moment.

As Angelina and the children lay on the top of the yacht, doting dad Brad took the opportunity for a family photograph as he snapped away on a digital SLR camera.

Angelina was seen gathering the children together, dressed plainly in black, with a jacket and aviator shades.

Earlier, Brad and Angelina had been seen arriving with the family at the beach, and getting on a water taxi making their way to the large cruiser.

It was certainly a day of fun on the boat as the children played together blissfully, whilst their loving parents watched on.

There was also time for some paddle-boarding, and later on dry land, a trip to the zoo.

This is the first time the two actors – who met eight years ago on the set of Mr. and Mrs. Smith – have been apart for so long.

They last spent time together on November 16 when the actress was picking up a Humanitarian Award at the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences fifth annual Governors Awards in Los Angeles.

The two were affectionate as they sat next to each other during the ceremony. 

Since then Angelina has been spotted spending her down time with Vivienne and Knox in Sydney.

Last month, the owners of Petra Island in the middle of Lake Mahopac in Putnam County, New York, denied reports that Angelina had splashed $20 million on the land ahead of her husband’s 50th birthday next month by revealing the paradise retreat is still up for sale.

The exclusive heart-shaped island is located approximately 50 miles north of Manhattan, but Donna Massaro – whose parents Joseph and Barbara own the retreat – insists they haven’t received an offer since the land was put on the market four months ago.

She told the New York Post newspaper: ‘I don’t have any idea where that [report] came from. The family threw it out there to see if anyone was interested, and so far no [potential buyers] have [come forward].’

The 11-acre island contains two properties designed by Brad’s favourite architect, Frank Lloyd Wright, including a cottage built in the 1950s and a 5,000ft main residence constructed in  2008 from one of the master architect’s final plans.