’Real’ Real Housewives we forgot
The feathers of Sydney’s social peacocks have never been so ruffled following Saturday Confidential’s list of Sydney’s ‘Real’ Real Housewives, so we’ve added a few more names to the list.
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The feathers of Sydney’s social peacocks have never been so ruffled following Saturday Confidential’s list of Sydney’s Real Real Housewives last weekend.
For every legal letter we received, this journalist received a grumpy email from anonymous people asking why I had left certain well-heeled socialites off the list.
“Your story has really set the cat amongst the pigeons,” one eastern suburbs insider said.
“These women are in a tizz. Some of the women who were included and didn’t want to be were furious and the women who thought they should be there but weren’t mentioned were filthy.
“A lot of these ladies are super private and like flying under the radar.”
In honour of journalistic fairness, we thought we would add a few more to our list.
Laura Cathery-Ibrahim
Laura Cathery-Ibrahim is touted as one of the “hottest” housewives with “one of the most banging bodies”. She’s married to property mogul Bashar Ibrahim, with the pair understood to be one of the most legitimately loved-up couples in the east.
Deborah Symond-O’Neil
Athleisure entrepreneur Deborah Symond-O’Neil is the daughter of Aussie Home Loans founder, John Symond.
She is a seasoned socialite, having been in the spotlight for more than two decades thanks to her dad’s incredible wealth and penchant for throwing a themed party.
The hands-on mother of two and founder of fashion store Mode Sportif married property developer Ned O’Neil in a lavish ceremony in The Whitsundays in 2018 and has since cemented her status as one of our best known – and best-dressed – housewives.
Lou O’Neil
Lou O’Neil, aka Lou Hay, is Deborah Symond O’Neil’s bestie. And they became sisters through marriage in 2022 when she married Ned O’Neil’s brother Jake (whose dad is millionaire superyacht broker and Rose Bay marina owner Denis O’Neil). Lou O’Neil’s wealth comes from her late father Donald Hay, who was the multi-millionaire founder of cleaning company Hayco.
The glamour girl and her husband recently welcomed their first child, a boy named Otis Donald O’Neil.
Steffanie Tzaneros
Former international model turned influencer Steffanie Tzaneros is married to Michael Tzaneros who is the son of shipping container king Arthur. She was hugely popular on the catwalks of Milan, Berlin and New York, before meeting Tzaneros in NY in 2012. The couple has three children. The Tzaneros family owns Australia’s largest privately owned container logistics operator, ACFS Port Logistics.
Emma Steel
Emma Steel’s name hit the headlines in 2019 following the messy breakdown of her marriage to Sydney brain surgeon Tim Steel, who she was married to for 11 years.
The animal lover can be seen riding her horse alongside her show jumping daughter as often as she is seen at lavish ladies’ lunches.
Steel, who modelled as Emma-Kate Sullivan as a teenager, was previously married to champion jockey Shane Dye.
Harriet Waugh
Known as one of the biggest sweethearts in the east, Harriet Waugh is married to hotelier Mitchell Waugh, who owns some of the city’s most iconic bars and pubs including The Toxteth in Glebe, The Marrickville Ritz and The Royal in Paddington. Harriet Waugh is known for holding one of the most popular and successful charity events on the social calendar, The Ladies Luncheon, which raises money for the Royal Hospital For Women. The mother-of-two girls is well liked and besties with fellow Real Real Housewife, Barbara Coombes.
Barbara Coombes
Barbara Coombes (nee Tzaneros) is married to property tycoon Michael Coombes. Once besties with Roxy Jacenko, Coombes has been approached to star on the Sydney version of The Real Housewives franchise, however said at the time, “Personally my husband might go shopping for a new wife (if I was on the show), so I am a no.”
Amber McDonald
Amber McDonald was married to Aussie Home Loans founder John Symond, for eight years before they called it quits on their marriage in 2023.
Prior to that she was married to former prime minister Paul Keating’s son Patrick. They have two children together.
McDonald, who owns fashion brand Common Hours, has since moved to Mosman and is rumoured to be dating again.
Lisa Wipfli
With a killer wardrobe and comedic husband, Lisa Wipfli has become a regular fixture on Sydney’s social scene. The mother of three, who is married to Nova funnyman Michael ‘Wippa’ Wipfli, organises the Ronald McDonald Gala Dinner each year, raising more than $1 million last year.
Wipfli has a hot little black book of contacts, which includes Karl Stefanovic and Westfield heiress Monica Saunders-Weinberg.
Georgie Curran
Interior designer Georgie Curran is married to TV production company boss Bernard Curran, whose parents are former rich-listers, Charles and Eva Curran. Georgie, her husband and their kids have swapped Sydney for the Southern Highlands.
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