History: Guntawang Station
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1874
18 July 1874
1880
2 October 1880
1904
3 March 1904
Sale of Guntawang.
Messrs Wilkinson and Lavender, Ltd., in conjunction with Messrs. Crossing and Cox, will offer at the Wool Exchange, Sydney, on Wednesday, 30th March, the Guntawang Estate, together with all stock. Full particulars appear in another column3
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28 March 1904
Sale of Guntawang
The far-famed Guntawang estate will be submitted for auction at the Wool Exchange, Sydney, on Wednesday next, by Messrs. Wilkinson and Lavender, in conjunction with Messrs. Crossing and Cox. The property is being offered in accordance with the will of the late Mr. Richard Rouse4
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1907
15 April 1907
1909
4 March 1909
RAINFALL AT EUMARALLA.
During February 444 points of rain were recorded at Eumaralla station (late Guntawang)7
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1918
7 January 1918
The Eumaralla Estate.
The well known Mudgee district property known as Eumaralla (formerly Guntawang) has been sold by Mr. Denison to Mr. D. Clark, until recently of Monivae, Lue, which he disposed of to Mr. McMaster8
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1922
17 August 1922
NEW BUICK FOR GUNTAWANG.
Mr. A. G. Leresche, the live district distributor for Buick motor cars, reports having sold a remarkably fine buick to Mr. L. R. Coward, of Guntawang station. The car is a model 49 seven seater, dark wine color, and is fitted with wire wheels. The model 49 Buick is noted for its fine lines and easy riding qualities. This is the second Buick car that Mr. Coward has purchased9
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1932
11 August 1932
ACCIDENT
ON Friday morning, when Mr. Tom Wolton was proceeding from Orange to Guntawang station, near Gulgong (of which he is manager), his car struck a culvert after he had passed Molong, near Foy's Farm. Fortunately Mr. Wotton escaped injury, but the car was damaged. The front axle was bent and the mudguards and running board on the left side smashed10
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1951
28 June 1951
Death of Former Owner of Guntawang
A former owner of Guntawang Station, near Gulgong. Mr. John Whitehead, died at his residence, Dalton Street, Orange, last Sunday week.
Deceased, who was one of the best known identities of the Euchareena district, was 77 years of age.
Until two years ago when he sold his property, Weandre, Boomey, via Molong, to go to Orange to live in retirement, Mr. Whitehead had spent practically the whole of his life on the land, principally in grazing activities.
His wife predeceased him by seven years, and he is survived by three daughters, Mrs. Lyons (Molong), Mrs. Doris Baird (Stuart Town), Mrs. J. Edwards (Euchareena). One son, Darvel, predeceased him. There are five grandchildren. Sisters are Mrs. Bourke, Mrs. J. Sloane and Mrs. R. Barrett, all of Wellington. Mrs. Withers (Dubbo), Mrs. Bayliss (Dubbo), Mrs. J. Barrett (Euchareena), Mr. Les Whitehead, of Dubbo, is a brother, and Mr. W. Whitehead, of Uarbry road, Gulgong, is a nephew11
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1992
17 March 1992
Former Yuill property goes to auction
The liquidator of Bondoro Pty Ltd, a company which owns Brian Yuill's former horse stud and country estate, has rejected a $3.5 million offer for the Mudgee property and will auction it next month.
Two properties, Guntawang and Westwood, have been for sale by tender as one parcel for the past 18 months through Raine & Home Commercial. However, Mr Richard Brien, Bondoro's liquidator, rejected two offers of $2.5 million and $3.5 million as unacceptable.
The properties will now be offered for sale in four parcels at an Elders Real Estate auction on April 30.
Guntawang, which is about 25 kilometres from Mudgee, is well known for its preparation of racehorses under the management of Cheryl and Max Crockett.
Guntawang comprises 452 hectares of unrestricted freehold with a fully operational horse stud and training and spelling complex.
It has stables and attendants' quarters, 30 horse stalls, 13 covered breaking yards, 84 holdings yards, 15 sand roll yards, a lunging yard, and a 2,000-metre grass and sand track.
The 1860s homestead, which has undergone much costly renovation, has seven bedrooms, three with en-suite bathrooms, a billiards room and large family rooms with underfloor beating. The bouse is decorated with quality furniture, ornaments and utensils which are included in the sale.
Other accommodation on the estate includes a four-bedroom furnished guest house and three staff cottages.
Brian Yuill — whose merchant bank Spedley Securities collapsed 2 1/2 years ago with debts of $1.4 billion — put a lot of money into Guntawang after the collapse, and apart from major renovations to the house, a swimming pool was installed and subsequently relocated. In 1990 Mr Yuill was reported as having attempted to buy back the Mudgee property. The selling agent, Mr Tim Sbortis, of Elders Mudgee, said the Westwood property was being offered in three lots at the auction — one of 325 hectares in seven paddocks with a cottage; one of 265 hectares divided into four paddocks; and one of 217 hectares split into three paddocks.
It is expected that Guntawang will sell for about $3 million while Westwood is expected to bring about $1 million, which equates to about $1,200 a hectare.
ANDREA DIXON12
2022
1 August 2022
Sydney couple buy famed horse stud near Mudgee: Equine oasis
Guntawang, a vast colonial-era estate and renowned horse stud near Mudgee, complete with a full-size racetrack and colourful 200-year ownership history, has been snapped up by Gulgong lamb producers Peter and Louise Pethe.
The Australian Financial Review understands Guntawang, which was offered for sale by thoroughbred horse breeder Charlie Cropper, changed hands at close to the $15 million asking price. Title deeds show Guntawang Rural, a company jointly owned by the Pethes, slapped a caveat over the 594 Goolma Road property in Gulgong just to the north of Mudgee two weeks ago.
The couple run a White Suffolk purebred lamb operation across more than 1000ha on a nearby Gulgong property called Omeo (as well as owning a home in Sydney's eastern suburbs) and supply meat to online Sydney butcher Kingsmore Meats.
They declined to comment on the acquisition of Guntawang. Richard Royle and Deborah Cullen of Cullen Royle brokered the sale.
The 452ha property on the banks of the Cudgegong River includes a magnificent seven-bedroom Italianate homestead dating to the 1870s, with an in-ground pool, tennis court and a separate pavilion.
The homestead sits on a hill overlooking the vast estate, which is home to a 2000-metre grass and sand racetrack, modern equine complex and many of the original buildings including red-brick stables and coach house.
Guntawang's origins go back to about 1825 when it was part of an original land grant of 4000 acres given to the pioneering Rouse family. The Rouses produced fine wool and beef cattle, as well as racing and carriage horses at Guntawang. They held on to it until 1908.
Louisa Albury, the mother of the Australian poet Henry Lawson, was born in one of the buildings in 1848. By the 1860s, Guntawang had become a self-contained community with its own school, post office, church and inn, catering to miners working on the Mudgee goldfields.
In 1987, it became the country estate of corporate high-flyer Brian Yuill, then the big-spending boss of merchant bank Spedleys, who owned racehorses, an $88,000 Bentley and a townhouse in London's Chelsea. However, Mr Yuill held on to Guntawang only briefly. In 1989 Spedley Group collapsed owing creditors $1.4 billion. Mr Yuill, who used Spedley as his personal bank, was jailed for four years in 1995. He died in 2014.
In 1992, Mr Cropper acquired Guntawang from liquidators for $2.29 million. Since then it has sustained its reputation as one of the country's leading horse studs and equine complexes, producing a string of champion thoroughbreds. "It's had a pretty amazing history," co-selling agent Mr Royle said. "This sale is likely a per hectare record for the area."
He said a confidentiality agreement prevented him discussing the buyer or price. Mr Royle said the top of the market - Cullen Royle specialises in the rural lifestyle market - had not been impacted by rising interest rates. "A lot of them are cash buyers13 ."
CREDIT: Larry Schlesinger