Heytesbury Pty Ltd
Encyclopedia
Heytesbury Pty. Ltd. is the privately owned company of the Holmes à Court family in Western Australia
.
Originally called Heytesbury Holdings, the company was formed by Robert Holmes à Court
in the 1970s as the holding company of his rapidly expanding financial empire. After the sale of its interests in Bell Group and Bell Resources in 1988, Heytesbury became an active private investment vehicle, acquiring Stoll Moss Theatres and Sherwin Pastoral Co, and investing in companies such as Jaguar Cars, Christies, Standard Chartered Bank
and U.S. Steel
.
Following the death of Robert Holmes à Court in 1990, his widow Janet Holmes à Court
took over the management of Heytesbury. Over the next decade a number of assets were sold to reduce the company's large debt load, including the Stoll Moss Group, a number of cattle stations in Northern Australia, and John Holland Group
(which had been purchased after Robert's death).
In 2000, the eldest son, Peter Holmes à Court
, elected to sell his one-sixth share of Heytesbury to pursue his own interests. Robert Holmes à Court, died intestate (without a will), leaving his wife one third of the family fortune with the four children getting the other two thirds. The amount Peter received was reported as A$35 million.
Shortly afterwards, in 2000, Paul Holmes à Court, the youngest son of Robert and Janet Holmes à Court took over the management of Heytesbury. In the same year, Peter Holmes à Court was appointed to the position of chief executive officer of the Australian Agricultural Company
(AACo) and was responsible for re-listing AACo on the Australian Stock Exchange
. This set Peter up in direct competition with the family, since the primary business of both Heytesbury and AACo was cattle.
In 2008, Paul bought out his other family shareholders and took sole ownership of the company.
Heytesbury now owns a number of large cattle stations in Northern Australia
(including the famous Victoria River Downs), Vasse Felix
(Margaret River's first winery) and the thoroughbred stud Heytesbury Stud near Perth
. Vasse Felix has established itself as a strong wine brand in Australia.
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
.
Originally called Heytesbury Holdings, the company was formed by Robert Holmes à Court
Robert Holmes à Court
Michael Robert Hamilton Holmes à Court was an entrepreneur who became Australia's first businessman worth over a billion dollars before dying suddenly of a heart attack in 1990.Holmes à Court was one of the world's most feared corporate raiders through the 1980s, having built his empire...
in the 1970s as the holding company of his rapidly expanding financial empire. After the sale of its interests in Bell Group and Bell Resources in 1988, Heytesbury became an active private investment vehicle, acquiring Stoll Moss Theatres and Sherwin Pastoral Co, and investing in companies such as Jaguar Cars, Christies, Standard Chartered Bank
Standard Chartered Bank
Standard Chartered PLC is a multinational financial services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom with operations in more than seventy countries...
and U.S. Steel
U.S. Steel
The United States Steel Corporation , more commonly known as U.S. Steel, is an integrated steel producer with major production operations in the United States, Canada, and Central Europe. The company is the world's tenth largest steel producer ranked by sales...
.
Following the death of Robert Holmes à Court in 1990, his widow Janet Holmes à Court
Janet Holmes à Court
Janet Holmes à Court, AC, HFAIB is an Australian businesswoman, and one of Australia's wealthiest women. She is the Chairman of one of Australia's largest private companies, Heytesbury Pty Ltd, having turned around its fortunes after the death of her husband Robert Holmes à Court in 1990...
took over the management of Heytesbury. Over the next decade a number of assets were sold to reduce the company's large debt load, including the Stoll Moss Group, a number of cattle stations in Northern Australia, and John Holland Group
John Holland (engineer)
Sir John Holland AC was an Australian engineer and construction magnate, who founded the John Holland Construction Group in 1949, was Managing Director until 1972, Chairman until 1986, and President from 1986 until his death...
(which had been purchased after Robert's death).
In 2000, the eldest son, Peter Holmes à Court
Peter Holmes à Court
Peter Holmes à Court is an Australian businessman and a joint owner of the National Rugby League team South Sydney Rabbitohs together with Russell Crowe....
, elected to sell his one-sixth share of Heytesbury to pursue his own interests. Robert Holmes à Court, died intestate (without a will), leaving his wife one third of the family fortune with the four children getting the other two thirds. The amount Peter received was reported as A$35 million.
Shortly afterwards, in 2000, Paul Holmes à Court, the youngest son of Robert and Janet Holmes à Court took over the management of Heytesbury. In the same year, Peter Holmes à Court was appointed to the position of chief executive officer of the Australian Agricultural Company
Australian Agricultural Company
The Australian Agricultural Company is a company which serves to improve beef cattle production through responsible natural resource and land use...
(AACo) and was responsible for re-listing AACo on the Australian Stock Exchange
Australian Stock Exchange
The Australian Securities Exchange was created by the merger of the Australian Stock Exchange and the Sydney Futures Exchange in July 2006. It is the primary stock exchange group in Australia....
. This set Peter up in direct competition with the family, since the primary business of both Heytesbury and AACo was cattle.
In 2008, Paul bought out his other family shareholders and took sole ownership of the company.
Heytesbury now owns a number of large cattle stations in Northern Australia
Northern Australia
The term northern Australia is generally known to include two State and Territories, being Queensland and the Northern Territory . The part of Western Australia north of latitude 26° south—a definition widely used in law and State government policy—is also usually included...
(including the famous Victoria River Downs), Vasse Felix
Vasse Felix
Vasse Felix was the first vineyard and winery established in the Margaret River Wine Region. Established in Cowaramup in 1967 by Dr Tom Cullity, Vasse Felix is recognised as a pioneer of the Region.-Wines:...
(Margaret River's first winery) and the thoroughbred stud Heytesbury Stud near Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
. Vasse Felix has established itself as a strong wine brand in Australia.