Melbourne vs Sydney: Insider Tier List Reveals City Rivalry and A-List Dropouts

The eastern suburbs may look like a playground for Sydney’s young, hot and rich.

But in reality, the major players in the east are no different to teenagers competing to be the most popular girl in school. They may be older, some even a little wiser, but – according to our society insider – the same rules apply.

Behind the scenes at the Vaucluse mansion parties, Double Bay brunches and Mimi’s long lunches, whispers abound about who’s in and who’s out of the elite harbourside cliques.

We spoke to a well-informed member of the ‘in crowd’ and regular DM snitch who shared with us a tongue-in-cheek ‘tier list’ that’s been doing the rounds in group chats lately.

In it, socialites are divided into A, B and C lists. There are plenty of familiar names and some controversial placements – we’ll leave it up to you to decide if they’re fair.

First up, the A-list…

Pictured from left to right: Caroline Tran, Lou O’Neil, Montarna McDonald, Bernadette Fahey, Kris Macourt and Deborah Symond O’Neil

THE A-LIST

Leading the pack is Lou O’Neil (née Hay) who is the daughter of the late Donald Hay, the brush-manufacturing pioneer and founder of Hayco.

In 2022, she married Jake O’Neil, a property developer and the second-eldest son of millionaire superyacht broker and Rose Bay marina owner Denis O’Neil and his wife Charlotte.

Lou, a beauty and fashion content creator, isn’t the only wealthy outsider to marry into the super-rich O’Neil family.

Aussie Home Loans heiress Deborah Symond O’Neil, who tied the knot with eldest son Ned in 2018 in a lavish ceremony in the Whitsundays, also made the A-list.

Poppy Tzaneros (née O’Neil), the daughter of Denis and Charlotte, runs in the same circles. She is married to Anthony Tzaneros, a member of the founding family of the giant port logistics firm ACFS.

Joining the trio is ‘Pilates queen’ Bernadette Fahey, who married Buildcorp COO Jordan Sukkar in a star-studded ceremony in Sydney last November.

She is known for being the fitness instructor to some of Sydney’s most high-powered socialites, including Jade Yarbrough and Madeleine Holtznagel (more on them later).

Montarna Pitt, the founder of successful Sydney PR firm The Audience Agency, also made the A-list, which is hardly surprising given how well-connected she is.

Montarna Pitt (pictured), the founder of successful Sydney PR firm The Audience Agency, also made the A-list, which is hardly surprising given how well-connected she is

Also making the A-list is Nadia Fairfax, who is considered one of Sydney’s top socialites

Pictured from left to right: Lou O’Neil, Deborah Symond O’Neil and Poppy Tzaneros

Stylist and brand consultant Caroline Tran and writer Kristina Macourt are also notable members of the Sydney ‘It’ crowd.

Also making the A-list is Nadia Fairfax, long considered one of Sydney’s top socialites and fashion bloggers. She is married to Michael Wayne, the managing director of Medallion Financial and a regular contributor to Sky Business.

‘It’ girl Harriet Williams has also cemented her place in the elite social scene, despite her recent split from marketing guru Andy El-Bayeh.

Harriet, a kinesiologist at Inner Remedy, hails from a wealthy Sydney family, while Andy is the chief creative officer and founder of creative agency Example.

Hoda Waterhouse (née Vakili) and her sister Rey-Hanna Vakili are also part of the eastern suburbs’ principal social scene.

Hoda, an architect, is married to bookmaker and horse racing royalty Tom Waterhouse, while Rey’s husband is multimillionaire chicken heir Johnny Ingham.

Johnny’s sister Tamie Ingham, the former business partner of Jasmine Stefanovic and wife of celebrity chef Guillaume Brahimi, also holds a lofty position at the top of the Emerald City’s social ladder.

Pictured from left to right: Hannah Gold, Kristina Macourt, Bernadette Fahey, Montarna Pitt, Brittany Gallagher and Harriet Williams

Hoda Waterhouse (née Vakili) and her sister Rey-Hanna Vakili (both pictured) are also part of the eastern suburbs’ principal social scene

Tamie Ingham, the former business partner of Jasmine Stefanovic and wife of celebrity chef Guillaume Brahimi, also holds a lofty position at the top of the Emerald City’s social ladder

THE B-LIST

While they aren’t quite at the pinnacle of Sydney high society, those in the B-list are still ones to watch.

The biggest of the B-crowd – at least according to the list doing the rounds – is P.E Nation founder Pip Edwards. She’s a self-made fashion millionaire, but her reputation as a tabloid headline magnet perhaps keeps her from reaching the lofty heights of the A-list.

Dina Broadhurst, variously known as the ‘nude artist’ and ‘The Body of the East’, also sits firmly in the middle of the pack (although, personally, we think she deserves to be in the A-list based on her figure alone).

PR guru Roxy Jacenko is known for representing many celebrity clients and you’d think she would find a place near the top, but we understand she dropped to the B-list after relocating to Singapore with her family in 2023.

The B-list includes some familiar names, including Pip Edwards (left) and Jackie O (right)

Dina Broadhurst, known as the ‘nude artist’ and ‘The Body of the East’, sits firmly in the middle of the pack (although we think she deserves to be in the A-list based on her figure alone)

Roxy Jacenko is known for representing many celebrities and you’d think she would find a place near the top, but we understand she dropped to the B-list after relocating to Singapore

Joining Roxy on the B-list is Madeline Holtznagel (right), the 27-year-old girlfriend of Sydney hospitality mogul Justin Hemmes (left). They are expecting their first child together

Jackie ‘O’ Henderson is aggressively refurbishing her image from radio shock jock into a more brand-safe Goop-y influencer for Gen X women.

If net worth decided social status she’d be right up there, but her history of on-air scandals keeps her in the B-list. But we’re sure, having signed a 10-year $200million deal in 2023, she’ll be crying all the way to the bank.

Joining her on the B-list is Madeline Holtznagel, the 27-year-old girlfriend of Sydney hospitality mogul Justin Hemmes, 52. They are expecting their first child together.

Rounding out the middle tier is Ellie Aitken, who hit the headlines in late 2021 when her marriage to high-profile stockbroker Charlie Aitken blew up over his affair with her close friend Hollie Nasser.

Rounding out the middle tier is Ellie Aitken (centre right), who hit the headlines in late 2021 when her marriage to stockbroker Charlie Aitken blew up over his affair with her close friend Hollie Nasser. (Pictured from left: CJ and Hollie Nasser, and Ellie and Charlie Aitken)

Kristin Fisher’s (pictured) reputation took a hit when a brush with the law in 2021 prompted a magistrate to scold eastern suburbs elites for their casual cocaine use

Sisters Jade (right) and Jasmine Yarbrough (left), from Queensland, round out the C-list

Model Laura Csortan became a Sydney ‘It’ girl when she won a string of beauty pageants in the late ’90s. But these days she keeps a lower profile

THE C-LIST

Now, there’s nothing wrong with being a C-lister.

While those sharing this list may have had snarky intentions, the socialites in Class C are still more rich, famous and beautiful than any of us could hope to be – and at least they’re not on lists D to Z, which we dare not publish.

The aforementioned Hollie Nasser found a place, buoyed to relevancy by her role in the eastern suburbs love triangle. Although she hasn’t done much since.

She’s joined by Kristin Fisher, one of Sydney’s most in-demand beauticians who runs an eponymous salon in Double Bay.

But while her talents as an ‘eyebrow queen’ are legendary, her reputation took a hit when a brush with the law in 2021 prompted a magistrate to scold eastern suburbs elites for their casual cocaine use.

Model Laura Csortan became a Sydney ‘It’ girl when she won a string of beauty pageants in the late ’90s. But these days she keeps a lower profile.

Sisters Jade and Jasmine Yarbrough, from Queensland, round out the C-list. Jasmine is married to TV star Karl Stefanovic while (unfortunately) Jade’s biggest claim to fame is being involved in the ‘Noosa rumble’ with her ex Michael Clarke.

This article was first published on January 9

…and the Melbourne socialites

When our high society snitch passed on a ‘tier list’ of Sydney’s most talked-about socialites, we knew straight away it was one for our Mail+ subscribers.

So after the Emerald City’s rankings proved wildly popular, we did a ring around Melbourne’s most clued-up insiders and asked: who are the big names south of the border?

Below, we present our tongue-in-cheek tier list of the unofficial queens of Toorak, Brighton and South Yarra.

Some you’ll know from Daily Mail’s years of showbiz coverage, but others have the kind of wealth that keeps them below the radar, and it’s hard not to conclude that they make Sydney look like Australia’s second city when it comes to style.

The socialites are placed into three tiers – A, B and C – and, as with the previous list, we’ll leave it up to you to decide if their placements are fair.

Without further ado, here are the A-listers…

Top of the food chain is Sarah Lucas (formerly Lew, née Nowoweiski) and her daughter Bella Lew, whom she shares with ex-husband Steven Lew, the son of retail billionaire Solomon Lew

Sarah (centre) and Bella (right) are pictured at Sarah’s pre-wedding party in Venice in 2023

Interior designer Tamsin Johnson (pictured with her husband, celebrity tailor Patrick Johnson) is also a notable member of Melbourne’s ‘It’ crowd, despite having moved to Sydney

A-list

Top of the food chain is Sarah Lucas (formerly Lew, née Nowoweiski) and her glamorous daughter Bella Lew, whom she shares with her ex-husband Steven Lew, the son of billionaire retail magnate Solomon Lew.

Sarah married her second husband, restaurateur Chris Lucas, in Venice in 2023 at the luxury Aman hotel, in the same second-floor ballroom where George and Amal Clooney tied the knot.

Tamsin Johnson is also a notable member of Melbourne’s ‘It’ crowd despite having moved to Sydney. She runs her own interior design practice and is behind some of the Victorian capital’s finest homes.

‘Queen bee’ AFL WAG Rebecca Judd also makes the A-list, which is hardly surprising as she is so revered in the city’s social scene she has been given the nickname ‘God’.

Georgia and Bella Geminder, the glamorous granddaughters of billionaire ‘cardboard king’ Richard Pratt, also run in the same elite circles.

Their mother, Fiona, owns cardboard giant Visy and is worth a reported $3.4billion, while their father, Raphael, who is also on Forbes’ Rich List, has a 40 per cent share in the plastics manufacturer Pact.

Sacha De Winter, who married into the prominent blue-blood Baillieu family, has also cemented her place in the lofty heights of Melbourne’s social scene.

‘Queen bee’ WAG Rebecca Judd (pictured with husband Chris) also makes the A-list. She is so revered in the city’s social scene she has been given the nickname ‘God’

Georgia and Bella Geminder (both pictured), the glamorous granddaughters of billionaire ‘cardboard king’ Richard Pratt, also run in the same elite circles

Sacha De Winter (pictured with her husband Hamish Baillieu), has also cemented her place in the lofty heights of Melbourne’s social scene

Amanda Valmorbida’s (left) family made their fortune as wholesalers for the La Gina and Sirena tinned food brands in the 1970s, and by importing Lavazza coffee. Her husband Tim Holmes à Court’s (right) father is a cousin of Australia’s first billionaire Robert Holmes à Court

Kristen Fowler (pictured), who is married to Harry Fox, the grandson of billionaire trucking magnate Lindsay Fox, also holds a position on the top of the social ladder

Joining the A-list is Amanda Valmorbida, whose family made their fortune as wholesalers for the La Gina and Sirena tinned food brands in the 1970s, and by importing the ubiquitous Lavazza coffee.

Her husband Tim Holmes à Court’s father is a cousin of Australia’s first billionaire Robert Holmes à Court.

Kristen Fowler, who is married to Harry Fox, the grandson of billionaire trucking magnate Lindsay Fox, also holds a position on the top of the social ladder.

B-list

One of the main ‘It’ girls on the B-list is Rebecca Harding, who is engaged to TV, radio and podcast superstar Andy Lee.

Rozalia Russian, the model-influencer wife of hospitality king Nick Russian, who owns Bar Bambi on AC/DC Lane, also earns a place in the middle tier.

Former WAG-turned-fashion designer Nadia Bartel has moved up the ladder, having successfully rebuilt her reputation after that Kmart plate incident.

One of the main ‘It’ girls on the B-list is Rebecca Harding (left), who is engaged to TV, radio and podcast superstar Andy Lee (right)

Rozalia Russian, the model-influencer wife of hospitality king Nick Russian, who owns Bar Bambi on AC/DC Lane, also earned her place in the middle tier

Former WAG-turned-fashion designer Nadia Bartel has moved up the ladder, having successfully rebuilt her reputation after that Kmart plate incident

Journalist-turned-skincare entrepreneur Zoë Foster-Blake should be at the top, what with her estimated net worth of $36million, but her move to Sydney with husband Hamish Blake has impacted her position in the Melbourne scene.

Joining her on the B-list is Lisa Wipfli, the wife of Nova 96.9 breakfast host Michael ‘Wippa’ Wipfli, who also splits her time between Melbourne and Sydney.

Radio presenter Lauren Phillips, who is engaged to private jet mogul Paul O’Brien, has been a C-list fixture for years – but by thrashing Kyle and Jackie O in the breakfast show ratings, she has climbed up a rung.

Designer Effie Kats is another prominent socialite whose clothes are regularly seen on the likes of Dannii Minogue, Kelly Rowland, Carrie Bickmore and DJ Havana Brown.

Lindy Klim moved back to Melbourne last October after splitting from her second husband, property developer Adam Ellis, and living in Indonesia for years. Being a legitimate Balinese princess guarantees her a spot in the B-list – and the only way is up.

Journalist-turned-skincare entrepreneur Zoë Foster-Blake should be at the top, what with her estimated net worth of $36million, but her move to Sydney has impacted her ranking

Joining Zoë on the B-list is Lisa Wipfli (right), the wife of Nova 96.9 breakfast host Michael ‘Wippa’ Wipfli (left), who also splits her time between Melbourne and Sydney

Lauren Phillips (left) and Effie Kats (right) also made the B-list

Lindy Klim moved back to Melbourne last October after living in Indonesia for years. Being a legitimate Balinese princess guarantees her a spot in the B-list – and the only way is up

Rounding out this middle tier is Emma Hawkins, the wife of Geelong great Tom Hawkins, and reality TV star and co-founder of the Liberty Belle Skin Centre Andrea Moss

Also in the middle tier are Emma Hawkins, the wife of Geelong great Tom Hawkins, and reality TV star and co-founder of the Liberty Belle Skin Centre Andrea Moss.

Other notable B-listers include Holly Lucas, the daughter of famed Melbourne restaurateur Chris Lucas; and Georgia Maddern, the niece of TV stalwart Rebecca Maddern and wife of Patch Garnaut of the Garnaut financial advisory family.

The C-list

While they aren’t quite at the pinnacle of Melbourne’s high society, these names are still ones to keep an eye on.

AFL star Josh Daicos’ fiancée Annalise Dalins works as a model and is signed to top agency Vivien’s – could she be the next ‘Queen bee WAG’?

Sarah Ellen has also been making a name for herself after leaving acting behind to focus on her influencing career, and now boasts almost 800,000 Instagram followers

Also building a reputation in the beauty industry is Bridget Bond, the head of international brand development at cosmetics giant Mecca

Footy WAG Jessie Murphy (née Habermann), the wife of former Carlton skipper Marc Murphy, is also one to watch, having burst onto the scene at the 2016 Brownlow Medal

Brendan Fevola’s stepdaughter Mia Fevola rounds out the list as a budding influencer and entrepreneur

Sarah Ellen has also been making a name for herself since leaving acting behind to focus on her influencing career, and now boasts almost 800,000 Instagram followers.

Also building a reputation in the beauty industry is Bridget Bond, the head of international brand development at cosmetics giant Mecca. Bridget is the sister-in-law of A-lister Holly Lucas.

Footy WAG Jessie Murphy (née Habermann), the wife of former Carlton skipper Marc Murphy, is also one to watch, having burst onto the scene when she wore a daringly low-cut dress at the 2016 Brownlow Medal.

Brendan Fevola’s stepdaughter Mia Fevola rounds out the list as a budding influencer and entrepreneur.