Good neigh-bours: A winning trifecta of horse properties
If you’re a southern hemisphere horse, happy birthday to you.
Traditionally, all horses south of the equator celebrate their birthday each year on August 1.
It’s not just a quirky custom – it relates to the racing calendar and the thoroughbred breeding season. Horses in the northern hemisphere celebrate their birthdays on New Year’s Day.
So as horses everywhere blow out their candles, we’ve found three equine-related properties that will deliver their buyers many happy returns.
Nagambie, Victoria
Wood Nook at Nagambie. Photo: Supplied
Nagambie, about 90 minutes from Melbourne by road, is considered the horse capital of Victoria, according to the listing for Wood Nook Farm.
The 122-hectare landholding is one of Australia’s most prestigious and highly decorated equine breeding facilities.
Wood Nook is on the Goulburn River and known as a world-class breeding facility that has produced some of Australia’s most distinguished racehorses.
As well as the historical main homestead, triple garage, in-ground swimming pool and spa and manager’s residence, there is a large stable complex, veterinary building and staffroom, chemical shed, hay shed, machinery shed, eight-horse-capacity walker, undercover sand roll and numerous paddocks and yards.
The property at 394 Nook Road is for sale via private treaty through CBRE.
Coonabarabran, NSW
Forest Glen, Coonabarabran. Photo: Supplied
It’s the first time in 27 years that Forest Glen, seven kilometres from Coonabarabran, has been offered for sale.
The 782-hectare beef breeding, grazing and finishing operation is in a reliable rainfall area in the central west of NSW, about two hours from Tamworth, Dubbo and Mudgee. It is being marketed by Colliers International.
There is a six-bedroom, three-bathroom brick home plus steel cattle yards, a shearing shed, 17 dams and a supplementary lake, hay shed, powered workshop, silos, kennels, storage sheds – and, of course, stables.
Fingal, Victoria
Markdel at Fingal. Photo: Supplied
Markdel is a world-class thoroughbred training facility and lifestyle property at Fingal on Victoria’s picturesque Mornington Peninsula.
The 38-hectare property at 160-200 Sandy Road is within an hour’s drive of the Melbourne CBD and Victoria’s premier thoroughbred racetracks. According to the Colliers International listing, it was designed by Australian racing identities the Freedman brothers – Lee, Anthony, Michael and Richard.
Markdel has a 1200-metre rising railed sand-based grass track and an 1800-metre rising railed sand track. The property has produced high-profile Australian and international results, including Melbourne Cups, Caulfield Cups, Golden Slippers and Cox Plates as well as numerous Derbies and Oaks.
Other features include an enclosed circular sand yard, an eight-horse automated walker, a heated horse swimming pool, fully automated irrigation system, 80-megalitre bore licence, two machinery sheds with storage and an on-site property manager’s house.
