A 253-hectare grazing jewel in the Hawkesbury Valley north west of Sydney has been sold to a family-owned poultry empire headed by the breeder of champion racehorse, Winx.
Hambeldon Park, which overlooks the Hawkesbury river near North Richmond, has been sold to the private development company, E.J. Cooper and Son, owned by the Baida family, for a reported $60 million.
The company is headed by John Camilleri who bred Winx but sold her for $230,000 at the Gold Coast Magic Millions sale in 2013 to a group of owners who included Deb Kepitis, daughter of chicken king, Bob Ingham.
Winx went on to win 33 consecutive races including a record four Cox Plates and almost $25 million in prize money.
Hambledon Park was put on the market in 2018 with expectations of $120 to $140 million.
The property, which was originally a dairy but more recently has been running beef cattle, is on the western side of the Hawkesbury river in an area where the local council has been opening up new land subdivisions for new housing despite choking traffic congestion in the area.
Hambeldon Park is about 70 kilometres from Sydney and was purchased in 1972 by leading NSW dairy farmer, Len Peel, who died in 2016.
The farm, which is largely open land, was marketed for the Peel family by Cushman and Wakefield.
Hawkesbury Council has already approved a 25-lot subdivision plan for the property.