Oatley family puts its historic Craigmoor vineyard at Mudgee up for sale

The wealthy Sydney-based Oatley winemaking family has decided its Craigmoor Winery Estate at Mudgee in NSW is not core to its business operations.

Craigmoor, Mudgee which the Oatley family has put on the market at an asking price of $3.5m

The wealthy Sydney-based Oatley winemaking family has listed one of its centrepieces, the Craigmoor Winery Estate at Mudgee in the NSW Central West, with an asking price of about $3.5m.

Established in 1858, the winery was purchased by family patriarch the late Robert Oatley in 2006.

The Oatley family scions have now put the land, vineyards and facilities on the market – but not the cellar door business.

Sources said the family had recognised that Craigmoor was not core to the business and wine production moving forward, and has put the 43ha property on the market via an expressions-of-interest campaign which closes March 7.

According to the marketing material, after selling Rosemount Estate in 2001, the Oatleys refocused their efforts on Mudgee – modernising the Craigmoor vineyard while respecting its 1800s heritage.

Expressions of interest for land, vineyards and facilities, excluding the cellar door operations, must be received by March 7.

The family introduced new grape varietals, updated winemaking techniques and established Craigmoor Estate as a premium label.

The decision to offload Craigmoor is not the first time the Oatley family scions have attempted to sell down assets since Robert Oatley’s death in 2016.

In September 2023, the Oatley family put Hamilton Island in Queensland’s Whitsundays, on the market with an asking price of $1bn. But the tourism island failed to find a buyer at that price and was taken from the market by November that year.

Meanwhile, in Mudgee, the historic Craigmoor property located in the area’s prestigious “Golden Triangle” offers prospective buyers vineyards, alongside extensive infrastructure such as dining spaces, a cricket pitch and outdoor event areas.

Craigmoor, Mudgee is part of the Oatley family’s winemaking empire.

This sale includes the property, land, vineyards, and facilities but does not include the existing business, which is owned and operated separately.

With its historic charm and versatile features, Craigmoor is ideally suited for tourism, events, and hospitality ventures, according to the marketing campaign.

More than 5ha has shiraz vines, a further hectare is planted with Chardonnay vines which are more than 60 years old. There’s also frontage to Pipeclay Creek and 160,000L freshwater storage.

Craigmoor is situated 5km from Mudgee in New South Wales’ renowned wine region, 268km from Sydney and 233km from Newcastle.

McGrath Central Tablelands Adam Woods and Knight Frank and Mark Litwin are handling the marketing campaign.