Equestrian rural property the envy of the nation: He Said/She Said
Equestrian pursuits are always costly affairs, be it thoroughbred racing, dressage, show jumping, eventing or polo. And pricey ponies were hot topics of conversation during Melbourne’s recent Spring Racing Carnival.
These expensive horse properties always sparked the interest of our property contrarians, Jonathan Chancellor and Margie Blok - particularly after Patinack Farm, the Gold Coast and Hunter Valley horse racing empire headquarters of embattled former mining magnate Nathan Tinkler, failed to attract a buyer at auction last month.
This week Jonathan and Margie look at two other impressive equine properties on the market.
HE SAID:
I still fancy Yallambee Stud, recognised in the thoroughbred industry as one of Victoria's oldest and most successful bloodstock operations. Set 50 kilometres from Melbourne CBD, the 243 hectare property has been breeding champion thoroughbreds for over five decades.
The vendors are the Woodard family, traditionally beef and sheep pastoralists from Skipton in the Western District of Victoria, who shifted their stud operation in 1986 to the Macedon Ranges region, drawn to its volcanic soils, high rainfall, water and proximity to Melbourne.
It was a sensible move with the equine operations designed to suit thoroughbred breeding, rearing youngsters and racehorse spelling. Yallambee Stud, jointly with neighboring Eliza Park Stud, stand two of Australia's most popular, commercial young stallions - God's Own and Magnus.
Expected to fetch about $7 million, Yallambee Stud (pictured below) is listed for sale through Sam Triggs and Jamie Inglis of Inglis Rural Property.
SHE SAID:
Montana Park in Queensland caught my attention due to its huge homestead. Large enough for myself, Jonathan and a host of horsey hangers-on, it is set on 42-hectares of lush land at Maleny - just an hour from the Doomben race track.
Listed for sale by tender closing December 12, Montan Park (pictured below) is described in its online marketing advertising as “the ultimate horse property without isolation or remoteness…a rare offering in one of Queensland’s most desirable locations”.
Rare indeed – few rural properties have a luxury homestead measuring 1,804 square metres. With views of the Glass House Mountains, this vast abode has umpteen bedrooms and bathrooms including an enormous parents’ retreat with separate his ‘n’ hers marble en suites, a steam room, massage room, opulent dressing rooms and a sitting area overlooks the green rolling hills.
While the Ray White Buderim selling agents, Lew Pottinger and Nathan Nicholl, rave about the “Versace-inspired” style of the main bedroom suite, I would redecorate it for my interior design taste is rather more simplistic. Thank goodness Melissa Penfold is offering e-décor on her new website - an online bible of Australia’s best shops and services, making good design accessible to everyone.
Also in the homestead are a feng shui-influenced office/media centre, a cinema room, state-of-the-art kitchen and enormous living, dining and entertainment areas flowing to the garden and resort-style swimming pool.
But it is the Montana Park horses who are truly pampered in 45 post-and-rail paddocks perfectly positioned around two Olympic-size dressage arenas, a six-horse “ezywalker” and lavish stables. Horses who prefer music can exercise at night in the covered all-weather arena with designer lighting and an integrated sound system.
Ideal for dressage workshop clinics, this equine complex also features an amphitheatre and extensive accommodation for riders. Designed to impress international instructors, it has a purpose-built guests suite with a common room, commercial kitchen and large dining area.
Rivalling the homestead in its size and lavish appointments, the stable complex incorporates 10 double-sized broodmare boxes, two stallion boxes, wash bays, a vet room, horse scales, tack room, rug room, feed room (with 1,200 bale capacity and grain silo), plus accommodation and access for large floats and goose neck trailers.
I recall when the stable complex was the showpiece of the previous owners, show jumping couple, David and Pam Courtice, who developed the property from a run-down dairy farm with 100-year-old fencing, pig pens and barbed wire.
The Courtices’ two-year transformation attracted intense local ‘sticky-beaking’ as mud turned into green paddocks, and impressive timber fencing was erected to define the perimeter of the picture postcard property, known then as Tengarra Park.
The Courtices’ daughter, Sam, was the only professional show jumper in the family. Although, another daughter Chrystal found the Maleny property on the internet after David had been looking for 12 months.
After the property sold to Dean Shannon, and his equine enthusiast wife, Kelly, its name was changed to Montana Park.
If I bought this property I would change the name back to Tengarra Park, and then set up a thoroughbred spelling business given the property has easy road access to racecourses at Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
