This article is from the Australian Property Journal archive
MULTIPLE Melbourne Cup-winning horse racing identity Lloyd Williams is shopping around his famous training facility Macedon Lodge.
Sprawling 300 acres north west of Melbourne, Williams and his son Nick have overseen the purpose-built facility since 2005, producing more than 20 Group 1 winners as the partnership plunged an estimated $30 million into the property.
Horses trained at Macedon Lodge have taken out the Melbourne Cup, Caulfield Cup, and Sydney Cup, and include Green Moon, Almandin, Fawkner, Zipping, and Efficient. Macedon Lodge was also the base for 2001 Caulfield and Melbourne Cups winner Ethereal, trained by Sheila Laxon, and champion sprinter and sire of Black Caviar, Bel Esprit.
“Over the last 14 years I have lived at Macedon Lodge and supervised everything but more recently I have found it impossible to devote the time and energy required,” Lloyd Williams said.
Macedon Lodge has regularly housed up to 100 horses and has more than 15 kilometres of tracks, a 75-metre horse pool, 75 boxes, 25 grass day yards, 20 spelling paddocks, a water-walker, and a specialised lighting facility for convalescing horses.
The property also has on site accommodation for over 15 staff, office facilities, entertainment areas, and a staff café.
CBRE’s Mark Wizel is managing the sale campaign with managing director, Magic Millions Sales Pty Ltd, Barry Bowditch on behalf of Hudson Conway, via an expressions of interest campaign closing in early March.
Wizel said the highly specialized property offered the absolute best in class facility available anywhere in Australia and arguably in the Asia Pacific region.
“As such we expect it will attract the attention of the local, national and international racing worlds as a ready-to-go operation with nothing to spend.”
Nick Williams said the family’s horse racing operations would continue, but with reduced numbers.
