Scenic Macquarie River estate goes to auction

LAZY River Estate on the banks of the Macquarie River is set to sell as the picturesque function and event centre, homestead and vineyard goes under the hammer in October.

Sellers Peter and Pam Scott are marketing their beautiful 13ha estate through Andrew Starr and Chris Malone of Ray White Rural NSW. The property will go to auction on Friday, October 9 at 10:30am.

Mr Scott said the pair stumbled upon Lazy River Estate by chance 26 years ago while looking for a new home close to Dubbo’s centre.

“When we first saw it, it wasn't like it is now. It was an old dwelling that had seen the 1955 flood but we fell in love with the block for lots of reasons,” Mr Scott said.

“It’s close to town and we saw it as a beautiful lifestyle block to raise our children on the banks of the Macquarie River."

It wasn’t until later that the Scotts decided to experiment with viticulture and expand the property to include a function centre and wedding facilities.

“We ventured into viticulture then the dream progressed and got to a point that if no one else was going to build a beautiful function and event centre in the area then we should be the ones to do it,” the Lazy River Estate seller said.

“We had a dream together and the kids were very much involved. The youngest being in a bassinet under an umbrella in the back of the ute as we dug 10,000 holes for our grape vines.

“It’s ready for its new life and whoever is out there who might want to take it on. It’s a very rewarding part of hospitality to be in and there is no other wedding facility like it.”

Painstakingly designed and developed, this quintessentially Australian lifestyle property home to 500 year old gum trees and exuding rustic charm is only three kilometres from the regional centre of Dubbo.

The estate comes with 10,000 grape vines and an established wine and lager label. But the property is most well-known in the region for its boutique accommodation and facilities catering for weddings, concerts and large events.

The function centre houses up to 200 guests while there is also a dedicated wedding ceremony area within the perfectly manicured grounds. Over their tenure, the Scotts have hosted more than 400 weddings with guests coming from all over Australia and even from as far as Texas.

Lazy River Estate has also had its fair share of Australian stars gracing the entertainment area stage including Jimmy Barnes, John Farnham and Darryl Braithwaite.

Also included in the sale is the family house on the grounds that features a swimming pool and stunning views from the verandah.