Derryn Hinch's final Survivors Luncheon and legacy as a media icon
Consensus Summary
Derryn Hinch, a media legend known as the Human Headline, attended his final Survivors Luncheon on June 20 at The Emerald Hotel in South Melbourne, where about 40 media figures gathered for a private event. At 82, Hinch was frail but engaged with friends, sharing plans for his upcoming 85th birthday and reflecting on his long career, including being sacked 16 times. The lunch, lasting a little over three hours, was marked by emotional moments, including a tearful farewell from Tony Tardio, who credited Hinch for inspiring his radio career. Hinch’s health had declined after almost nine months of dealing with leg issues, and he passed away shortly after the event. The gathering highlighted his enduring legacy as a resilient and beloved figure in Australian media.
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Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Derryn Hinch attended The Survivors Luncheon on June 20 at The Emerald Hotel in South Melbourne
- The event included about 40 media identities such as Mal Walden, Denis O’Kane, Rod Hardy, Gordon Bennett, Annette Allison, Beverley Pinder-Mortimer, Ash Long, Chris Ryan, David Mann, Bob Phillips, and Jack Levi
- Hinch was 82 years old and used a walker named Johnnie Walker after a series of falls at home
- Hinch had been sacked from media roles 16 times over his career
- Hinch was a regular at The Survivors Luncheon in recent years with Beverley Pinder-Mortimer, his friend of more than 50 years
- Six months before the June 20 event, Hinch was the guest speaker at The Survivors Luncheon gathering
- Hinch had plans for his 85th birthday and discussed them with attendees, mentioning his 80th birthday as a recent milestone
- Hinch had been dealing with troublesome cuts on his legs for almost nine months before his death
- Hinch was one of the first to leave the lunch, which lasted a little over three hours
- Tony Tardio, a former 3AW newsreader, met Hinch with a hug and kiss at the event and revealed Hinch inspired his radio career
- Tardio described Hinch as the reason he got into radio, having raced to finish a supermarket shift at 8.25am to hear Hinch’s editorial at 8.30am on 3AW
- Hinch’s usual lunch order included one glass of white wine with ice and a small pie with mushy peas, later swapped for soup
- Hinch died on Friday (the day after the June 20 event)
Source Articles
White wine with ice, a meat pie and lots of love: Hinch’s last great lunch
The broadcaster loved a long lunch, and twice a year, his friends gathered in South Melbourne to celebrate the “great survivors” in media.
White wine with ice, a meat pie and lots of love: Hinch’s last great lunch
The broadcaster loved a long lunch, and twice a year, his friends gathered in South Melbourne to celebrate the “great survivors” in media.