Russell Crowe’s sweaty Souths cap raises $400k for firefighters

Actor Russell Crowe’s sweaty, sooty Souths cap has raised $400,000 for Rural Fire Service brigades after another Australian billionaire and US software CEO matched Atlassian co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes’s winning bid of $100k.

• Bushfire crisis forces drought towns to truck water in
• Even as their truck melted, this brave RFS crew fought on

A soiled Rabbitohs cap owned by Hollywood actor Russell Crowe sold to the head of Australian software company Atlassian has raised $400,000 for NSW firefighters.

Crowe this morning announced Atlassian co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes had won the cap for a $US68,000 or $A100,500 bid.

The actor whose Nana Glen property near Coffs Harbour was hit by bushfires a few weeks ago has pledged to match the billionaire’s $A100,500, with the total amount of $200,000 to go to dozens of NSW RFS brigades.

Crowe wearing the Souths cap sold at auction, while helping out neighbours in burnt areas of Nana Glen.

But the fundraising didn’t stop there with Cannon-Brookes’s Atlassian co-founder Scott Farquhar and his wife Kim quickly pledging another $100,000.

“Would love to join the party (unless 3 is a crowd)!” Mr Farquhar said on Twitter.

“The RFS do amazing work. Thank you both for leading the way. $100k from my wife Kim and I.”

The couple’s donation was followed up by US software company Qualtrics CEO Ryan Smith who said he would also tip in $100,000.

“I’m not from Australia but have offices and friends there. Painful to watch.” Mr Smith said.

Slightly worn hat
twitter auction
until Fri 29 7:21am Australian eastern standard time.
Current official top bid -

$3100 USD.

If you want to bid more than that, do so connected to this tweet.
Be clear - $ Amount USD.
I’ll double or triple the amount and donate to @NSWRFS pic.twitter.com/f3I4o0ajcg

— Russell Crowe (@russellcrowe) November 28, 2019

The Souths cap will be given to a child affected by the bushfires after Cannon-Brookes requested Crowe give it to a kid and “make his day.”

Crowe on Thursday announced plans to auction off the cap, which Crowe found while cleaning up his Nana Glen property damaged from the recent bushfires.

Mike Cannon-Brookes from Atlassian pledged the winning bid.

The beneficiaries of the auction include RFS brigades at Coffs Harbour, Nana Glen, Karangi, Woolgoolga, Urunga, Coramba, Orara, Solitary, Bostabrick, Corindi, Sandy Beach, Moonee, Repton, Bunts and MNC Support, Crowe said.

Mr Cannon-Brookes offered to bid $100,000 if Crowe promised to sign it “today is the day” and add his name.

The CEO’s post has received hundreds of likes and counting including a touching picture from a group of RFS volunteers saying “Thanks Mike!”

The hat Russell Crowe auctioned off to raise money for NSWRFS.

So @mcannonbrookes highest bid $68k USD .
I’ll match that.@NSWRFS

Coffs RFS
Nana Glen 1
Nana Glen7
Karangi7
Woolgoolga 1
Urunga1
Coramba 1
Coramba7
Orara1
Orara9
Solitary 9
Solitary1
Bostabrick1
Corindi1
Corindi7
Sandy beach
Moonee 1
Repton
MNC support 6
Bunts

— Russell Crowe (@russellcrowe) November 28, 2019

Thanks Mike! pic.twitter.com/EW8n1iW2Tc

— A.B (@annabellebrett) November 28, 2019

The auction, which spanned 24 hours, attracted a number of bidders, the highest coming in at 7am this morning at $US4300 from host of Triple M show Moonman Lawrence Mooney.

Announcing the winning bid, Crowe, who is not in Australia said “I want to thank the volunteers all over the state and all over the country that work tirelessly to keep our communities safe.”

Earlier in the week he said his 400 hectare property had been “absolutely f***ing smashed” from the bushfires.

The NSW RFS took to Twitter to show their gratitude for the donation.

“Wow! Incredible show of support for our amazing volunteers. Thank you,” they said.

Arrow indicates where my house is. pic.twitter.com/8NogDlP0GW

— Russell Crowe (@russellcrowe) November 27, 2019

The NSW Rural Fire Service has put out a fresh warning for residents to prepare for fire ahead of a hot and windy weekend forecast.

On Friday morning, about 60 of the 147 bush and grass fires across NSW were uncontained.

Six people have died and some 663 homes have been destroyed in bushfires across the state this season.

A ‘watch and act’ alert was issued on Thursday evening for a bushfire in the Tallaganda National Park, west of Braidwood, in the state’s southeast. It has since been downgraded to ‘advice’ level.

Originally published as Russell Crowe’s sweaty Souths cap raises $400k for firefighters