Vanessa Amorosi stepped back into the public spotlight at Melbourne Cup Carnival on Thursday, following years of an intensely public dispute with her mother.
The 45-year-old Australian singer attended Crown Oaks Day, widely celebrated as Ladies’ Day, ahead of her performance at Flemington Racecourse. She was expected to entertain racegoers with some of her best-known songs, including Absolutely Everybody, Shine and This Is Who I Am.
Amorosi took a dramatic departure from the event’s traditional romantic styling and soft pastel palette, arriving in a striking black dress with a Gothic-inspired design and splashes of colour.
The statement dress featured structured shoulder pads and a metallic gold splatter detail sweeping across one shoulder.
She completed the ensemble with a black fascinator resembling a cluster of curled branches, along with a silver clutch.
Nadia Bartel, meanwhile, embraced the day’s softer aesthetic in a peach-toned head-to-toe look from Lillian Khallouf.
Vanessa Amorosi returned to the public eye at Melbourne Cup Carnival after years of conflict with her mother
She finished her dramatic look with a branch-like black fascinator and a silver clutch
The 41-year-old Henne co-founder took a less conventional approach to race-day dressing in a faux-leather outfit comprising an oversized jacket cinched over a pencil skirt.
Bartel added pointed designer heels and a peach headpiece by Melissa Jackson.
She accessorised with oversized gold earrings and carried a $550 feather-trimmed bucket bag from Scanlan Theodore.
AFL WAG Annalise Dalins showcased her toned midriff in a cropped white jacket adorned with tassel detailing.
She paired the top with a matching mini skirt, highlighting her legs, and wore her blonde hair loosely swept into an up-do.
Zana Pali brought a tropical feel to the occasion in a green and brown Pucci gown.
The former My Kitchen Rules contestant, now a socialite, styled the halterneck dress with layered bracelets and a coordinating scarf woven through her curly hair.
Racing identity Kate Waterhouse chose a peach design by Alin Le’ Kal, featuring an elegant high neckline.
Nadia Bartel, 41, embraced a peach monochrome palette in a Lillian Khallouf ensemble
The Henne co-founder wore an unconventional faux-leather ensemble, with an oversized belted jacket over a pencil skirt
Annalise Dalins revealed her toned stomach in a tasseled cropped white jacket
She matched the jacket with a mini skirt and wore her blonde hair in a relaxed up-do
Zana Pali channelled a tropical mood in a green and brown Pucci gown
Waterhouse completed her outfit with a Jimmy Choo handbag and matching heels, pairing the accessories with vintage-inspired gold jewellery.
Among the other high-profile guests was Amy Pejkovic, who followed the pastel brief in a yellow lace gown and straw hat.
The 33-year-old model and former high jumper added an unexpected edge with animal-print stilettos.
Former MasterChef Australia judge Melissa Leong, 44, opted for a beige two-piece outfit that offered a glimpse of skin.
Her look consisted of a cropped top and floor-length skirt decorated with floral embellishments, drawing attention to her trim silhouette.
Leong finished the ensemble with a matching beige pillbox hat and a black leather clutch.
Celebrity stylist and footwear designer Lana Wilkinson embraced a softer look in a pastel pink strapless dress and coordinating wide-brimmed hat.
She wore stilettos from her own collection and carried a candy-pink patent handbag.
Amy Pejkovic followed the pastel dress code in a yellow lace gown teamed with a straw hat
Former MasterChef Australia judge Melissa Leong revealed a hint of skin in a beige two-piece outfit
Lana Wilkinson looked elegant in a pastel pink strapless dress and matching wide-brimmed hat
Podcast host Anna McEvoy turned heads in a floral kimono-style dress as she cuddled husband Michael Staples
Author Charlene Davies made an impact in a dramatic blue floor-length tulle gown
Seven personality Emma Freedman chose a black gown decorated with oversized blue flowers
Catherine Martin and Lilly Luhrmann embraced the racing theme in pastel gowns featuring horse prints
The Block star Darren Palmer wore a monochromatic green suit with a darker shirt underneath
Podcast host Anna McEvoy also drew attention in a floral kimono-style dress while posing alongside her husband, Michael Staples.
Crown Oaks Day provided a glamorous conclusion to the Melbourne Cup Carnival Fashions on the Field competition, presented by Lexus.
The winners of Best Suited and Best Dressed across the Melbourne Cup Carnival were due to be revealed at 3:35pm and 4:05pm respectively.
Amorosi’s appearance came after a lengthy legal dispute with her mother, Joyleen Robinson. The conflict ended with Robinson being required to leave the property she had regarded as her dream home after a court determined that Vanessa was the rightful owner.
The Narre Warren North property in Melbourne’s south-east sold for $2.6 million in August 2025. Robinson had lived there since 2001, after her then-successful daughter bought the home.
The sale took place several weeks before Amorosi discussed the family dispute publicly in a revealing interview with Channel Nine’s 60 Minutes, broadcast in September 2025.
In September 2024, Supreme Court of Victoria Justice Steven Moore ordered Robinson to leave the property within 60 days of receiving $870,000 in restitution from her daughter.
Amorosi was given until March 2025 to make the payment after securing sole ownership of the property through her Supreme Court case.
The sale represented another significant moment in the family feud, which began in 2014 when Amorosi hired forensic accountants over concerns about the way her finances had been handled during the height of her music career.
Ruby Brownless, daughter of former AFL player Billy Brownless, wore a pastel pink gown with a ruffled halterneck
Melbourne hair and makeup artist Jade Kisnorbo opted for a crisp all-white look
Fashion designer Alin Le’ Kal wore a long white coat over matching trousers and a partly unbuttoned shirt
Postcards host Brodie Harper stepped out in a red off-the-shoulder gown
TikTok creator Elle Ray showcased her figure in a fitted plum gown with a pink halterneck
