PROPERTY OF THE WEEK
A HOME overlooking Thornhill Park, the Queensland racehorse training centre owned by leading Australian trainer Bruce McLachlan gives buyers the opportunity to keep a close eye on his methods.
Thornhill Park lies directly below the hilltop position of the home being sold by Mr Bruce Judge, former Ariadne company chairman and the man with the unenviable reputation for having presided over what was, in 1988, Australia's largest corporate loss ever.
The three-bedroom house has picture postcard views of the McLachlan complex and surrounding Rocksberg countryside north of Brisbane.
Every room of the home has been designed to sneak preview the practice sessions of the thoroughbreds.
Thornhill Park was launched by McLachlan in the 1980s and he insisted the track be built to the precise dimensions and curve of the famous Eagle Farm track in Brisbane.
Built in 1986 and situated on more than 70 hectares of freehold land, the entire eastern boundary is attached to the Thornhill Park property.
Close to central Caboolture (about 45 minutes' drive from Brisbane) in one of the fastest-growing shires in the country, the property's back boundary is the south branch of the Caboolture river.
The entry foyer of the home is tiled in terracotta and leads to the right to a sunken lounge and to the left the casual dining area and well-equipped timber-finished country kitchen.
In the centre of this combined dining and living area is a big brick working fireplace.
Skylights throughout the home add an extra dimension but the attraction is the view, visible through floor-to-ceiling glass walls and cedar-framed doors.
A paved patio stretches along the length of the house, a landscaped, terraced and partially covered entertainment and barbecue area, again with the unique training track and stables view.
Even the split-level master bedroom, at the opposite end of the house to the other bedrooms, has a vista over the action below.
There is a large, separate bathroom, with spa bath and shower for the master bedroom, plus a big walk-in wardrobe.
''This house will particularly appeal to any Asian buyer with an interest in bloodstock,'' said marketing agent Mr David Fairfax of PRD Realty Caboolture.
''Where else could you watch the progress of one of the world's leading trainers and all this activity from every room?'' The property was not sold at auction in January, and offers in the region of A$829,000 (about HK$4.3 million) are now invited.
For more information contact Mr David Fairfax, PRD Realty Caboolture 61 74 957-700.
