Inside Matt and Luciana Damon’s secret whirlwind trip to Melbourne – and the very surprising cheap and cheerful restaurant they dined at while in town

Last weekend they were surprisingly present on Derby Day.

And Matt Damon and his wife Luciana enjoyed a whirlwind trip to Melbourne to attend the race festivities.

The Hollywood star and his beautiful wife were at the star-studded Lexus Marquee on Derby Day, as guests of radio host Lauren Phillips and her aviation magnate fiance Paul O’Brien.

They were also joined by Elsa Pataky, the movie star wife of Chris Hemsworth, one of Matt’s best friends.

The couple stayed at Crown Casino and Resort, but it is believed they also enjoyed Phillips and O’Brien’s hospitality at his Melbourne country home.

O’Brien owns a house in the upscale inner-city suburb of South Yarra, and on Sunday evening the group dined at a local Chinese restaurant, Pacific Seafood BBQ House.

The Cantonese eatery is a household name in the area and is known for their delicious Peking duck and fresh lobster.

Meanwhile, on race day, Luciana was dressed by Australian designer-to-the-stars, Rebecca Vallance.

Vallance told Ny Breaking Australia she worked with stylist Suzy Eskander to create the perfect look for the beautiful brunette.

The gown, inspired by the 1920s/30s Art Deco movement, featured hand-applied beading on the front and back, which were individually riveted to the garment by hand, taking 12 hours.

The creation is made of bonded crepe fabric and 13-piece corsets with boning for support and structure of the bodice.

Vallance said Luciana was a pleasure to work with.

‘It was great to meet her. She was beautiful and looked fantastic in the dress. “She was very excited to be in Melbourne to attend Derby Day and have a fun and relaxing day at the races,” she said.

Meanwhile, Lauren denied that Matt was ‘harassed’ as he made a shock appearance on Derby Day on Saturday.

Despite the buzz the pair created on race day, Lauren continued speaking Jase and Lauren from KIIS FM on Wednesday the gamblers were very well behaved.

‘A lot of people came to see him. But no, he’s a great sport. He likes to talk to anyone who wants to talk to him,” Lauren said of the Oscar winner.

She explained that their group had chosen to stay in the Lexus Marquee for most of the day.

‘We didn’t walk around much. We got into the Lexus tent and pretty much stayed there,” Lauren added.

The radio star confirmed that Matt had no commercial agreement with Lexus, adding that organizers had no idea he was her ‘guest’ that day.

“They (Matt and his wife) were not paid. They just came out. We had a bunch of friends (there),” she confirmed.

“They love the horses, and they love Melbourne, so I was excited.”

Lauren explained that she gave Matt and Luciana a tour of Melbourne, including Gimlet restaurant, one of the city’s fanciest eateries.

Lauren also took the pair to karaoke before a night out on the town.

Matt surprised racegoers when he was spotted at Flemington with Lauren, wife Luciana and good friend Elsa Pataky on Saturday.

The Bourne Identity star put on an animated display in a tailored suit and sunglasses and was seen laughing and pointing as he got deep into the race.

Matt is good friends with Elsa’s husband Chris Hemsworth and regularly visits Australia to spend time at their mega-mansion in Byron Bay.

The actor spent six months living in the countryside with his family in 2021 when he filmed a role for the latest Thor installment.

“I’m so excited that my family and I can call Australia home for the next few months,” Matt said of the move at the time.

‘Australian film crews are known worldwide for their professionalism and are a pleasure to work with, so the fortnight of quarantine will definitely be worth it.’

Despite rumors of a move Down Under, Matt has denied he is leaving the US.

“Matt has been to Australia several times recently, but he has not bought a house there and is not moving there,” a rep previously said.

Matt is married to Luciana Barroso, 47, and the couple have three daughters: Isabella, Gia and Stella.

The Good Will Hunting star is also the stepfather to Luciana’s daughter from her previous marriage, Alexia.