Dozens of guests, including former prime ministers John Howard and Scott Morrison, ascended the sandstone steps of Sydney Town Hall to celebrate property mogul and long-time Financial Review Rich Lister Harry Triguboff’s 90th birthday party on Saturday.

Clear skies and a balmy evening in the shadows of nearby Meriton tower in central Sydney meant many attendees were in the mood to chat about the man who still oversees a $21.2 billion property development empire that boasts more than 76,000 apartments across Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and the Gold Coast.