Talk about making a big splash — John Symond is planning the ultimate birthday party by buying himself the ultimate toy, a $75 million superyacht.
The Aussie Home Loans megamillionaire has a reputation for throwing some of the biggest parties on Sydney’s lavish social circuit.
But his 70th birthday celebration is set to be his greatest yet — and see him joined in Monaco by about 200 of his friends and family.
The BRW rich-lister, who last week officially announced his plans to remain chairman of Aussie Home Loans, will host a three-day birthday soiree that will double as the launch party for his beautiful new toy.
The prized $75 million vessel, which is still under construction at the Dutch shipyard Feadship, stretches 75m (which equates to about $1 million per metre) and includes such essentials as heated floors, a gymnasium with steam shower and a temperature-controlled wine cellar.
It is understood Symond, whose net worth was last valued at $580 million, is sparing no expense for the birthday celebrations with guests to be sprinkled throughout Monaco’s finest hotels, including the Hotel de Paris, The Heritage, The Fairmont and the Monte Carlo Bay Hotel. Symond’s spokesman this week confirmed plans for the party but said specific details of the yacht were being kept under wraps so as to “not spoil the surprise”.
He also denied Symond was footing the airfares for his extensive guest list, which is said to include his long-time banker pal Chris Knoblanche, hospitality mogul Justin Hemmes, Australian Olympic Committee boss John Coates, car dealer Neville Crichton and Catalina owners Michael and Judy McMahon.
“Guests will not be getting their airfares paid for but there will be accommodation for everyone and there are events planned across a full three days,” the spokesman said.
“John doesn’t want to reveal too much more because the planning is still very much under way and there are a lot of things still to be worked out.”
Symond’s stunning new toy dwarfs his previous yacht, the 45m tri-deck cruiser Sunseeker, and puts the mortgage king up there with US tech moguls, Middle East oil barons and Chinese billionaires in the yacht ownership stakes.
He remains, however, a long way off Russian billionaire and Chelsea FC boss Roman Abramovich, who holds the title of world’s most expensive yacht owner with his $1.5 billion craft Eclipse.
Source: The Daily Telegraph
