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During the event, Mr Abbott said he and Malcolm Turnbull owed Mr Morrison a "tremendous debt" after this year's election victory.

He said Mr Morrison had saved the federal government from being judged "an embarrassing failure" with his "near miraculous" win in May.

"Had we lost this election, this government would have been judged an embarrassing failure," Mr Abbott said.

"So I might have started it - but frankly Scott, you have saved it.

"And for that, I do not normally bracket myself with Malcolm Turnbull, but Malcolm Turnbull and I both owe you a tremendous debt."

The $175-a-head dinner ($130 for members) was held at the sprawling Miramare Gardens estate in Terrey Hills, just outside Mr Abbott's former electorate of Warringah. Last year the venue featured in the pages of Vogue magazine when former Miss Universe Australia Monika Radulovic married artist Alesandro Ljubicic.

Every member of the NSW Liberal Party was invited, including Mr Turnbull, although senior party sources indicated the former member for Wentworth was not called upon to speak.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton, former speaker Bronwyn Bishop and Liberal MP Craig Kelly arrive at the dinner.Credit:AAP

Selected attendees were invited to a private pre-dinner drinks function at 6.15pm. Liberal Party state director Chris Stone asked them to please "share only the dinner details" with their guests.

Big names on the guest list were NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, federal cabinet ministers Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton and Energy Minister Angus Taylor, Mr Abbott's former chief-of-staff Peta Credlin and Liberal vice-president and Q&A star Teena McQueen.

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Seated at the head table with Mr Abbott, Mr Morrison and Mr Howard were Liberal MP Kevin Andrews, Liberal senator Eric Abetz and former deputy prime minister Warren Truss, among others.

It was a decidedly cross-factional evening in attendance if not in spirit. Mr Abbott's conservative allies were joined by a healthy contingent of NSW moderates including Families Minister Gareth Ward, federal MP for Mackellar Jason Falinski, Manly state MP James Griffin and North Shore state MP Felicity Wilson.

Numerous business figures from the northern beaches were also there, including former Woolies boss Roger Corbett (who is also president of the Liberal electorate conference in Warringah), former Sydney Airport chairman Max Moore-Wilton, UNICEF boss and former NRMA head Tony Stuart and philanthropist couple Kay van Norton Poche and her husband Greg, who founded Star Track Express.

The invitation went out to every member of the NSW Liberal Party.

Mr Abbott's wife Margie was forced to miss the celebration as she was in hospital recovering from a lumpectomy, but the former PM was joined by his sister Christine Forster who praised her brother as "an amazing asset to our country" despite their documented differences on marriage equality.

NSW Liberal Party president Philip Ruddock - who will be returned to that position unopposed at Saturday's state council meeting - was due to give the vote of thanks. He said members' interest in the sold-out event was unprecedented.

"We've had an enormous number of people who wanted to be there but couldn't people who recognise [Mr Abbott's] very significant and outstanding contribution to Australia," he said.

"People don't always agree on every issue, but they recognise that his service has been unique and extraordinarily special."

Guests gave Mr Abbott a standing ovation when he entered, and the 1000-strong crowd sang Advance Australia Fair before tucking into an entree of carpaccio di bresaola and mains of braised beef cheeks or crispy skin salmon fillet.

Mr Abbott was also bestowed with a lifetime service award, the highest award that can be given to a member of the NSW Liberal Party.

He entered Parliament in 1994 at a byelection and held the seat of Warringah for 25 years. During that time he served as a minister in the Howard government, including in the health portfolio, and then led the Liberal Party into government in 2013 with a decisive victory over Kevin Rudd's Labor.

But he was deposed when Mr Turnbull challenged him for the top job in 2015, following a period of instability in the government and backbench dissatisfaction with his judgment and his office. At the May election, Mr Abbott lost his seat due to a massive swing to independent Zali Steggall, a former Olympic skier.

Michael Koziol is a political correspondent for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.

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Liberals gather en masse to honour Tony Abbott's 25 years in politics - Sydney Morning Herald