Welcome, it’s Adrian Bo from Ray White Park Coast Eastern suburbs, and today I’m outside 94 to 96 Alison Road, the Milepost Building, where I recently sold an apartment in Randwick, talking about the original home that was once located here back when Alison Road only had two houses. Back in 1909 Alison Road had two homes on it, Normanhurst, which I talked about in a previous episode, and Holkham. Holkham was built in 1882 opposite Randwick Race Course by Robert and Marianne Richards. The house was a two story, late Victorian style with a large garden and stables. Robert’s father, Benjamin Richards, had established a business called Riverstone Meatworks in 1878 on 2,300 acres right next to Riverstone Station, approximately 50 kilometres Northwest of here. It became one of the largest abattoir’s in New South Wales due to the great distribution network the railway offered, as well as Riverstone being part of the route that the cattle and sheep drovers used to bring their stock down from the Hunter River and Liverpool Plains. It processed over 2,000 sheep and 100 bullocks a day, employed hundreds of people.

In fact, Benjamin and his son, Robert, through Riverstone Meatworks, became the first exporter of frozen meat to the UK in 1880, no doubt providing vast cash flow to afford the construction of Holkham. The Richards family had 12 children, and even though Roberts passed away at the age of 61, Marianne remained living at the home with her children for another 20 years, though she did decide to sell off the particular land and the estate in 1911. She clearly loved the house. Apparently Marianne would sit in the tower room at the top and watch the racing at Randwick through her binoculars, apparently having a better view of the Milepost than paying customers in the grandstand. She would send her footman to the track to place bets for her, then watch the races through her binoculars. She eventually sold Holkham in 1923 after her children had grown up and left the home. The house remained until 1968. By then the subdivision of the Holkham and Normanhurst estates had matured and Alison Road was full of homes. In 1968 the house was sadly demolished and replaced with the current block of flats that we’re on now, known as the Milepost. You can still see the original stone gate post that would have formed the entrance to Holkham.

Amazingly the two bedroom apartments at the Milepost were being sold for between $14,500 and $20,000 back in 1968. Just behind the Milepost is Holkham Avenue, which was obviously named after the old home that was established here. A tramway line was built that ran just behind Holkham taking it to what is now Kynaston Avenue and Tram Lane. Local historian and Councillor, Kathy Neilson, is to be congratulated for her research on this property. Recently, I sold apartment 3B inside the Milepost, which was obviously previously the Holkham house building, which has undergone an immaculate foyer area renovation, and has some amazing communal facilities, such as a pool and park-like grassed areas with stunning view of the race course the apartment offered through the living room window, which may have been similar to that very view which Marianne Richards enjoyed from the home. The story of Holkham, the Richards family Meatworks, and the tram line is another element of our local community history that I’m determined to keep alive. If you’d like an appraisal of your property please don’t hesitate to call me on 0418 278 316, or email adrian.bo@raywhite.com. Keep smiling and always remember, your home is worth more with Adrian Bo.