Justin Hemmes, Tom Waterhouse among guests at Sydney Children’s Hospital Silver Party
Sydney’s most reclusive and exclusive names have come together for a mind-boggling fundraiser night with the likes of Justin Hemmes, Tom Waterhouse and Annie Todd Cannon-Brookes splashing serious cash. SEE INSIDE THE MANSION.
Confidential
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The usual suspects were out in force at the annual Silver Party fundraiser for the Sydney Children’s Hospital on Thursday night.
But it was the reluctant socialites that Confidential was keen to catch up with like Annie Todd Cannon-Brookes, who with Atlassian co-founder husband Mike last year bought Australia’s most expensive house.
“We are tremendously boring, there is just nothing there,” she told Confidential. “We are very boring.”
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The couple bought Fairfax family Point Piper estate Fairwater in September for $100 million.
Atlassian co-founder Scott Farquhar previously bought the property next door, another Fairfax estate called Elaine, for $71 million.
The Cannon-Brookes family are extremely private and don’t venture out to public events often. On this occasion, low key Annie flew solo and dug deep, splashing cash to support the cause by buying auction prizes including a Guillaume private dining experience for $42,000. She pledged a further $20,000 on the night.
“It is quite timely because last night I was stuck at the children’s hospital with our two year old Rocket and I just remember thinking, ‘I am so glad I was coming here tonight’,” she explained of attending the fun. “It was a virus but it in the middle of the night when you need somewhere to go, it is a resource we need. We were in and out and he is on the mend.”
The Silver Party was held in the grounds of another iconic Sydney landmark, the Darling Point home of Shane and Penny Moran, Swifts.
Merivale boss Justin Hemmes kickstarted pledges on the night, offering $100,000 with the total of $1 million raised going towards the hospital’s Kids Cancer Centre.
Other guests included Anthony Minichiello and Terry Biviano, Skye Leckie, Amber Symond, Hoda and Tom Waterhouse, Charlotte and Poppy O’Neill, Alyce Tran and Deborah Symond O’Neil.
Another super private couple, Lionel and Lisa Lee, were also in attendance. While Lionel’s voice would be well known to many from the Bing Lee empire and voice of the retailer’s radio ads with mother Yenda, he isn’t one for attention.
The couple have four adult children aged 19, 21, 23 and 25 and like to keep their private life just that.
“I am not a celebrity, we sell fridges and teles, that is all,” he said. “I’ve got four kids and a wife and I’m happy. I am not really much of a socialite but when it is for a good cause, absolutely.”
Less shy Nicky Oatley posed happily with her new partner, investment manager Jonathan Pearce of CVC Limited.
Oatley is granddaughter Robert ‘Bob’ Oatley (worth $910 million) from the Australian winemaking and yacht racing dynasty. She recently finalised her divorce from ex husband Troy Tindall and took to social media to declare she is in a new relationship “and has been smiling ever since”.
Originally published as Justin Hemmes, Tom Waterhouse among guests at Sydney Children’s Hospital Silver Party
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