Guests dined on a menu that included sunchoke ravioli with reggiano cream and shaved summer vegetables,Dover sole for main course and lady apple tart with calvados ice cream for dessert.

Celebrity chef Curtis Stone,flanked by his wife Lindsay Stone,an actress known for starring inThe Bold and The Beautiful,gave the food at the Friday events a score of"ten out of ten".

Norman,with his wife Kirsten,said he was trying to get Mr Trump to Australia in December for the President’s Cup,but he was “not too sure” about the chances of success.

Norman laughed off suggestions that Mr Trump,a close friend,spent too much time on the golf course.

"Nobody can golf too much,"he said.

Australian astronaut Andy Thomas arrived with praise for the Australian agreement with the US to share space technology,with a focus on his home town of Adelaide.

"I think it's fabulous. It's a paradigm shift for Australia – it's one of the most wonderful things I’ve ever heard of,"he said.

However,Dr Thomas was sceptical about whether the Trump administration could achieve its stated aim,with Australia's help,of returning to the moon by 2024 with a female astronaut.

"Ambitious – from an engineering point of view you might be able to[do it] but from a programmatic point of view I think it would a big challenge,"he said.

Mining billionaire Gina Rinehart praised the"very important"agreement Mr Morrison and Mr Trump announced on Friday to fast-track the extraction of rare earth materials. Fortescue Metals executive chairman Andrew"Twiggy"Forrest also declared it important.

Mr Stokes said the events were"wonderful"while fellow billionaire Anthony Pratt,a friend of the President,said it was a"great honour"to be at the White House.

Australia's ambassador to the US,Joe Hockey,joined by his wife Melissa Babbage,said the event was a"great night for the alliance"between the two countries.

"It’s been fantastic – our hosts have been amazing,"Mr Hockey said."It’s a great night for Australia,a great night for the alliance."