Since 1979, the Golden Stave has raised over $14 million for 50 plus children's charities in NSW. The idea of a regular Music Industry charity luncheon had come from a similar event in the UK called the Silver Clef Music Therapy Luncheon. Chris Gilbey OAM and Peter Hebbes AM were familiar with the Silver Clef concept and Gilbey had just returned from the London event and so a meeting was set up at Peter’s office at Festival Records in Pyrmont in late 1978 and from that meeting Peter Hebbes AM, Chris Gilbey OAM, Ross Barlow OAM and the late Jack Argent decided that Australia should have a major fundraising activity to raise money for charity. The feeling was that such an event would also bring the industry closer together.

The team of four then put together a Lunch Committee including Kent Atkinson, Rod Earle, Belle Deverich with Patti Mostyn as Honorary Publicist and then invited 187 members of the Music Industry to sit down to lunch at Sydney's Sebel Townhouse on Friday 16th March 1979. Keynote Speaker for the lunch was John Singleton. The first Golden Stave raised $3,000 which the Government matched at four to one, making a total of $12,000 and hence “The Golden Stave Lunch” was born.

Chris Gilbey was the inaugural Chairman with Peter Hebbes as Vice Chairman of the Lunch Committee. In 1980 John Bromell and Theo Tambakis joined the Lunch Committee and the second Golden Stave Lunch was held on April 10th 1980 at the Sebel Town House.

1981, Barry Chapman, Ray St Clair, Ashley Coops and Helen Russ joined the Lunch Committee with Peter Hebbes elected Chairman with Chris Gilbey Vice Chairman and the third Golden Stave Luncheon was held again at the Sebel Town House raising $25,000.

Maryanne Knight, David Douglas, Judy Maguire and Morrie Smith joined the Lunch Committee in 1982 and the 4th Golden Stave Luncheon was again held at the Sebel Town House, total money raised was $40,000.

In 1983, Michael Chugg and Peter Jamieson joined the committee with Morrie Smith elected Vice Chairman for the 5th Golden Stave Lunch held at the Sebel on March 18th 1983 raising $38,000.

New members to the Lunch Committee in 1984 were Sam Hamilton, Peter Ikin, Bob Jamieson, Chris Meagher and Rod Muir with newly elected Chairman Barry Chapman and Peter Hebbes re-elected Vice Chairman and the Lunch this year was moved to the Regent Hotel Sydney (aka THe Four Seasons Hotel). This year was the first year the Golden Stave Lunch exceeded 500 guests, each year the Lunch was growing bigger and bigger and raising more money for charity.

In 1985 and 1986 the Lunch was moved to the Sheraton Wentworth with new committee members Greg Allchin, Ann Lindfield, Denis Handlin, Janice Ried and Christine Wyatt. 600 guests attended the Lunch in 1985 another new attendance record and 1986 saw 622 guests raise $120,000. The Lunch just gets bigger and bigger each year

In 1987 the Lunch went back to the Regent Hotel Sydney and was held on March 13th and John Clark joined the Lunch Committee.

In 1988 Larry Warren joined the Lunch Committee and the 10th Golden Stave Luncheon proved to be a very memorable day as the Lunch was moved to the Overseas Passenger Terminal which had no air conditioning and the day turned out to be extremely hot as the guests sweltered under the hot and steamy conditions but in true Golden Stave tradition the guests stuck it out to the end.