The secret eastern suburbs tier list: High society snitch reveals the REAL hierarchy among Sydney’s elites… and who’s fallen from the A-list

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

But in reality, the big players in the east are no different from teenagers competing to be the most popular girl in school. They may be older, some even 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, there’s a lot of whispering about who is and isn’t in the harborside elite cliques.

We spoke to a knowledgeable ‘in crowd’ member and regular DM snitch who shared with us a tongue-in-cheek ‘tier list’ that has been making the rounds in group chats lately.

Socialites are divided into A, B and C lists. There are many household names and some controversial placements. We leave it up to you to decide whether these are fair.

First, the A-list…

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’Neilwho tied the knot with eldest son Ned in a lavish ceremony in the Whitsundays in 2018, 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 company ACFS.

The trio includes ‘Pilates queen’ Bernadette Faheywho married Buildcorp COO Jordan Sukkar in a star-studded ceremony in Sydney last November.

She is known as the fitness instructor to some of Sydney’s most powerful socialites, including Jade Yarbrough and Madeleine Holtznagel (more on that later).

Montarna Pittthe founder of successful Sydney PR agency The Audience Agency, also made the A-list, which isn’t surprising given her well-connected status.

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

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

‘The’ girl Harriet Williams has also cemented her place in the social elite, despite speculation that she has split from her husband Andy El-Bayeh.

Harriet, a kinesiologist at Inner Remedy, comes from a wealthy family in Sydney, 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 main social scene of the eastern suburbs.

Hoda, an architect, is married to bookmaker and horse racing king Tom Waterhouse, while Rey’s husband is multi-millionaire chicken heir Johnny Ingham.

Johnny’s sister Tamie Inghamthe former business partner of Jasmine Stefanovic and wife of celebrity chef Guillaume Brahimi, also occupies an exalted position at the top of the Emerald City’s social ladder.

THE B-LIST

While not quite at the top of Sydney high society yet, those on the B-list are still the ones to watch.

The largest of the B-crowd – at least according to the list doing the rounds – is the founder of PE Nation Beep Edwards. She’s a self-made fashion millionaire, but her reputation as a headline magnet may be holding her back from reaching the lofty heights of the A-list.

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

PR guru Roxy Jacenko is known for representing many celebrity clients and you’d think she’d find a place at the top, but we understand she’s since fallen to the B-list moving to Singapore with her family in 2023.

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

If net worth determined social status, she would be at the top, but her history of on-air scandals keeps her on the B-list. But we know for sure signed a 10-year, $200 million deal in 2023, she will go to the bank crying.

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

Completing the middle layer is Ellie Aitkenwho made headlines in late 2021 when her marriage to high-profile stockbroker Charlie Aitken exploded over his affair with her good friend Hollie Nasser.

THE C-LIST

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 richer, more famous, and more beautiful than any of us could ever hope for — and at least they’re not on lists D through Z, which we don’t to dare. publish.

The above mentioned Hollie Nasser found a niche, made relevant by her role in the eastern suburbs love triangle. Although she hasn’t done much since.

She has company Kristin Visserone of Sydney’s most sought-after 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 run-in with the law in 2021 prompted a magistrate to berate eastern suburbs elites for their casual cocaine use.

Model Laura Csortan became a Sydney ‘It’ girl when she won a series of beauty pageants in the late 1990s. But these days she has a lower profile.

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