Grange Magnum no average drop
Eight Australian Prime Ministers sign Grange for charity
A Queensland-based charity is celebrating the upcoming auction of not one, but two vintage Penfolds Grange magnums that have been personally signed by every Australian Prime Minister born in the last century, with all funds raised going towards a therapy program for sick children.
Lisa Rowe, CEO of Wishlist — the charity which will be the beneficiary of the funds — said the 1999 and 2001 Grange magnums were arguably two of the most valuable autographed items in Australia, with each expected to command many thousands of dollars from astute collectors.
“We are incredibly grateful to have these two collector items thanks to the support of Gough Whitlam now 97 and rarely available for signings, Malcolm Fraser, Bob Hawke, Paul Keating, John Howard, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard and most recently, Tony Abbott, which can now be cellared by their new owners for decades to come,” Ms Rowe said.
“This is a great example of politicians, irrespective of their political leanings, getting together to support a very worthy cause. The program we will fund sees therapists use yoga and music as well as interaction with animals and structured play sessions to help reduce stress, anxiety and insomnia amongst paediatric patients.”
Sunshine Coast parent Zac De La Haye, whose seven-year-old daughter Indianna suffers from a rare form of bone cancer and has spent close to 150 nights in hospital, said the therapy had been a godsend in his daughter’s time of need.
“The visits from Happy the dog and the music therapy sessions in particular were especially helpful for Indianna,” Mr De La Haye said.
“The music sessions gave her the opportunity to express her frustration at being bedridden and away from home, as well as her joy and excitement at being involved in play.”
Mr De La Haye said the program also provided a much-needed reprieve for him and his partner, at a time when they were fraught with worry about their daughter’s health.
“We were spending such long hours at Indianna’s bedside that it was nice to take a moment to catch our breath when the therapist was with her or even grab a quick coffee, knowing that she was in safe hands and enjoying herself,” Mr De La Haye said.
“It was a great feeling to see her get to the end of a session and have a smile on her face, despite everything she was going through.”
The magnums were kindly donated by Rumba Beach Resort and Bella Grace Child Care on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. The 2001 magnum is set to go under the hammer at the sold-out Wishlist Spring Carnival Lunch on 20 September which has a track record of raising over $120,000 for Wishlist causes and the 1999 magnum will be sold on eBay for those without a ticket to the charity event.
The eBay auction commenced on Tuesday, 17 September and is scheduled to finish at 10pm on Tuesday, 24 September.
To follow the auction or bid to secure a rare piece of Australian history, view item number 200964370546 on www.ebay.com.au. The eBay auction is being managed by local Sunshine Coast wine retailer, Purple Palate on behalf of the charity to comply with laws governing the sale of liquor.
National collectors seeking to bid on both magnums should contact Purple Palate though their eBay listing no later than Thursday 19 September.
For more information regarding Wishlist, please visit www.wishlist.org.au.
// Ends.
TO SEE THIS ITEM ON EBAY PLEASE CLICK HERE.
Media contact
Maya Gurry, Fresh PR & Marketing
P: 0410 109 102
E: maya@freshprm.com.au
[nggallery id=10]
