That special day in August, where our brilliant community gathers to make a difference for children and families impacted by cancer, arrived once again, with our 18th The Million Dollar Lunch taking place last Friday, 23rd August.
The atmosphere was electric within the stunning setting of the Illusion themed room at The Palladium at Crown, where enormous generosity was shown, with over $2 million raised to ensure children with cancer survive and thrive.
The teams at Crown Resorts and Encore nailed the Illusion theme brief with flawless execution, as a contortionist, golden unicorn and performer Art of Glass greeted guests on arrival – all before The Palladium doors even opened.
Upon entering the room, the striking theme of Illusion then took over The Palladium in spectacular style.
Nova Breakfasts’ Lauren Phillips and Clint Stanaway were the charismatic hosts for the day, entertaining our 560 guests with their infectious energy.
The Hon. Jaala Pulford, Chair of the Children’s Cancer Foundation, paid tribute to the incredible generosity of the event’s cornerstone partners Crown Resorts, Australian Football League, Sportsbet and Lexus of Blackburn, internation flight partner Emirates, and key event partners Levantine Hill and Flinders & Co.
The Clements family bravely addressed the room and openly shared the devasting impact that childhood cancer has on an entire family.
Performances throughout the day were simply breathtaking.
Trailblazing pole choreographer and performer, and Australia’s Got Talent title winner Kristy Sellars graced the stage, followed by homegrown Australian sensation ANGEL, thanks to our friends at Frontier Touring.
Rob Mills then rocked out a few Bon Jovi classics, thanks to Torre Entertainment, which had guests up on their feet and dancing the afternoon away!
Kay and Burton graciously supported our live auction, auctioning thirteen exclusive items. These included a VIP Australian Grand Prix experience, Paspaley Kimberley experience, an AFL Grand Final package and an original pencil sketch study and limited edition print of Vincent Fantauzzo’s portrait of Heath Ledger (2008).
Twenty-one exceptional prizes were then on offer in the Lexus of Blackburn Premium Raffle – first prize the stylish LEXUS RZ450e Luxury, valued at $135,000. Guests were thrilled to see Ricky Ponting, Lexus of Blackburn Ambassador, present the keys to the lucky winner.
The date for The Million Dollar Lunch 2025 has been set for Friday, 15 August 2025.
