News

Homestead couple host Cup cocktails

By Rohan Aldous

Oct 17, 2022

Homestead hosts: Rick Lansdown and Brett Ould at the Melbourne Cup tour event they hosted at their Robgill Homestead property, on the outskirts of Stanhope, on Friday evening.

Rick Lansdown and Brett Ould have brought a flair to the tiny Campaspe township of Stanhope that has left an indelible mark on the dairy farming community.

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It is nearly four years since they purchased the historic Robgill Homestead, only a few kilometres to the south of Stanhope, and began to offer their unique skill sets to the town’s development group.

There was no better example of the energetic pair’s “special touch’’ than the Melbourne Cup cocktail party that they hosted at the end of a busy day of touring the $300,000 trophy through the community.

Not that the couple did not experience their fair share of heartache in the lead up to the event.

“We have probably changed the plans 15 times in the last 24 hours,” Rick said, of the cocktail event, which took place on the rain-soaked lawn of the homestead’s magnificent gardens.

Mr Lansdown said the cocktail party was offered to the community for $55 a ticket, but would have commanded $350-plus on any day of the Spring Carnival.

With access to the property cut off from the east and water encroaching on other roads leading to the property, the event was — at one point — in danger of being cancelled.

But the group forged ahead with plans and a spectacular event ensued, including the presentation of a “mini-Melbourne Cup’’ to the town by racing historian Andrew Homer and Victoria Racing Club head of security Simon Ogden.

“We are so proud of the town,” Mr Lansdown said.

The couple have been key players in the annual Christmas display at Stanhope’s Station Park and this year will sponsor the town’s Christmas lights competition.

“Brett is Christmas mad and we have offered to sponsor the competition with will give $500,” he said.

Plans for Robgill Estate to host more weddings and birthdays are progressing quickly.

“This is somewhat of a launch for us as a host venue,” he said.

“We do plan to have a coffee shop here and allow people to visit the gardens, which are really still in their infancy.”

The couple ran a successful costume design business in Melbourne prior to arriving in Stanhope, working with television, stage and other entertainment organisations.

“We are like yin and yang, I build and Brett creates,” Mr Lansdown said.