Peacock loses historic homestead in fire

Harness racing identity Tony Peacock has been dealt another devastating blow, after a fire destroyed his home in the New South Wales Riverina at the weekend.

Peacock nearly lost his life over two years ago in a track accident and he and his partner Shelley have now been left with virtually the clothes they were wearing when a fire tore through the historic homestead at his Moama property.

The magnificently renovated 150-year-old homestead at the picturesque St Fort property was razed late on Sunday afternoon, destroying valuable trotting books, photographs, rare autographed memorabilia, inscribed rugs, racing colors and trophies.

"I reckon it was gutted in about half an hour. We grabbed the hoses, but there was a lot of beautiful old Murray Pine in the house, so it was pointless once the fire had taken hold," Peacock said.

"The fire brigade came out, but they couldn't save anything. The remains are still smoldering now. It's heart-breaking," he said.

"We've lost personal papers and records. Our passports, cheque books, accounts and other stuff are gone-but the main thing was that no-one was injured."

The alarm was raised around 5 pm when Shelley's son and grandson woke to find the house on fire.

"Bryce had been cropping all night and was having a sleep with his young son Isiah. He told me the first thing he remembers was waking up with sore eyes and the room was hazy," Peacock said.

"It didn't take him long to realize it was smoke and ran out screaming to Shelley that the house was on fire. They were very lucky to get out when they did."

Peacock was trimming the hooves of a yearling in the stabling area, while Shelley had taken a trotter for a training jog.

The home, originally used by Cobb and Co as the first stop from Victoria into NSW, had three fireplaces.

"They had been lit at 5 o clock when the day began to cool down. We've been lighting the fires each night for a while," Peacock said.

"It's just devastating because over the five years we've been here, there's been at least $100,000 spent on renovations. We put in a new kitchen, new bathrooms, en-suites and made other improvements.

Tony Peacock

"I've virtually been left with a pair of RM Williams trousers and a shirt. We did find a few trophies and some old horse photographs that were left out in the shed. None of the photographs were our horses though – they were some of the greats like Cardigan Bay and Niatross."

Peacock broke his back in December 2017 when he was training a young pacer at St Fort and was catapulted from the sulky. After a long rehabilitation program, he is back doing most chores at the property, but the past few years have been difficult with drought and water carting for the past 12 months.

The property is owned in partnership with a Sydney doctor, and is currently the subject of a legal dispute. It's believed the insurance policy had lapsed and hadn't been paid up.

"I received a call from the insurer's office notifying me that the insurance payment hadn't been honored. I rang the bank, but I wasn't able to do anything about it other than pass the information onto my business partner," Peacock said.

He said the couple had been overwhelmed by the support from the local community as well as others in the harness racing industry.

"We have other accommodation on the property including a small guest unit. It's just been unbelievable how many offers of furniture and other things we've had."

Terry Gange

NewsAlert PR Mildura

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

P 0498 490 672

 

E hello@newsalertpr.com.au

 

W www.newsalertpr.com.au