Callandoon is a commercial grazing property comprising 1700 acres. It is situated on the King Parrot Creek, 2km east of the Strath Creek township, an area explored by Hume and Hovell on their historic journey in 1824. Strath Creek is now the home of the Village Green Cricket Ground, a replica of the famous Lord's Cricket Ground in England, and has been host to international, interstate and local social matches.
The Strath Creek area was orginally settled by Scottish migrants in the mid 19th century. One of the very early squatters, Farquhar Mackenzie, built the first stone cottage (still standing) at what is now Flowerdale Estate. A large country house was subsequently constructed and drawn by the well known early Australian artist Eugene von Guerard when he stayed there in 1852. Von Guerard also sketched the Strath Creek Falls and his amazingly accurate oil painting of the same is in the collection of the NSW Art Gallery. Flowerdale Estate is now a delightful country guest house, host to many weddings, corporate retreats, private guests and at the weekends it opens its restaurant to the locals.
During its history Callandoon has been an extensive grazing property and also a thoroughbred horse stud when owned by the Johnson family. The famous stallion Vain was born on the property. Vain won multiple Group One races and then stood as one of Australia's leading racehorse sires for many years.
|