An InStyle Power Ranking Of The Real Housewives Of Sydney

When it comes to the Real Housewives franchise, the Australian spin-offs might be considered second tier. Maybe it’s the fact that we were a little late to the party — the Real Housewives of Melbourne first aired in 2013, seven years after the O.G, the Real Housewives of Orange County, debuted — or the fact that we’re so far south people tend to forget about us down here. But for what it’s worth, the Australian Real Housewives deserve their flowers. And you best believe they’ll be from Poho in Double Bay.

The third season of the Real Housewives of Sydney airs this week, and all the wild cards from season two are returning to gossip at length, make major mountains out of molehills and parade around Sydney’s lush eastern suburbs in spectacularly sequinned, ridiculously short and, to be frank, fairly questionable ensembles. After a rough start way back in 2016 — the show was reportedly cancelled by Foxtel for being “too extreme,” which is both impressive and slightly embarrassing — season two returned in 2023 with a mostly fresh and slightly less, er, aggressive cast. Well, in the physical sense at least.

Ahead of the third season’s premiere, we present InStyle’s power ranking of the Real Housewives of Sydney, based on various subjective factors, such as their likeability, their reality star quality and perhaps most importantly, their taglines.

Tagline: My life is a fairytale but this princess does not need saving.

Given we don’t have anything to judge the newest member of the RHOS cast, Martine Chippendale on, she takes eighth place by default. She’s a former HR specialist turned mum-of-two and housewife to a retired doctor, has perfect skin and believes “it’s just a rule of life that everyone needs to have a nemesis.” Seems promising.

Tagline: Kindness should never be mistaken for weakness.

Former television presenter-slash-wellness entrepreneur Sally Obermeder returns to play peace-keeper of the group this season. She’s the housewife equivalent of Switzerland, which means she scores low on the drama scale, but wins points for likeability and only weighing in on an argument where she sees necessary (a skill a few of the other housewives could do with acquiring).

Tagline: My skirts may be short, but I’m not short of an opinion.

A horse girl with a penchant for mini skirts and natural tans (something tells us her and Chippendale might disagree on a few things…). Victoria Montano started a strong drama plotline last season courtesy of an unfortunate fur scandal which put her on notice with vet and fellow housewife Dr Kate Adams and the RSPCA. Her tendency to spout arguments that don’t tend to make a lot of sense is reminiscent of Melbourne's Lydia Schiavello. IYKYK.

Tagline: When you’re a classic like me, you don’t need a comeback.

One of only two housewives to have survived the tumultuous first season of RHOS (and be asked to return), Nicole Gazal-O’Neil won Miss Australia in 2002 and is still talking about it 23 years later. Being one of the OG cast members lends her a degree of clout within the group, but any dramatic plotlines she is embroiled in tend to be resolved within one to two episodes.

Tagline: Create your own success and you’ll answer to no one.

A pioneer of sorts, Dr Kate Adams is perhaps the only person ever to experience the Bondi Vet to Housewives pipeline (one can only assume I’m A Celebrity will be her next step). She was a key player in the Fur-Gate plotline of last season, and earns bonus points for her unwillingness to let it go, despite the issuing of numerous apologies.

Tagline: Sydney may be full of icons, but I’m still the main attraction.

A once-thriving shoe label and WAG status had Terry Biviano entering the RHOS circle with a few runs on the board. She appeared at the epicentre of various dramatic altercations last season — namely when she called Krissy Marsh a “shit stirrer,” which affords her additional points for brazenness and little regard for RHOS hegemony.

Tagline: Friends are like diamonds. Just watch out for the fakes.

A towering figure in the RHOS circle, Krissy Marsh is somewhat of an icon. It takes a robust individual to withstand the brunt of season one cast member Lisa Oldfield’s wrath, but as Marsh proved in her season two reprisal, what doesn’t kill you really does make you stronger. Here’s to plenty more Krissy Fits on season three.

Tagline: Life is my runway and I never miss a step.

If there was a formula for the perfect Housewife, Caroline Gaultier would come pretty close. A model turned, well, we’re not actually sure what she does (apart from living a fabulous life), she’s irreverent, has little time for bullshit — which makes her delightfully refreshing — and delivered countless iconic lines in season two. Namely, when she described her style as falling into one of two categories depending on her mood: homeless person or a high-class escort.

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