Five generations of the Lamonts have cared for this home and garden

Kooringal Stud can be defined by its sounds. When seated on the verandah of the homestead, built more than a century ago, the sounds start from the moment the sun rises. The first is the whinny of a mare and her foal from inside the stables, a 200 metre walk from the homestead. The revving of quad bikes as staff commence the morning feed run compete with the trills and songs of the assembly of birds within the terraced oasis of this picturesque garden.

Situated 25 kilometres north of Wagga Wagga in the New South Wales Riverina, Kooringal is home to Penny, 64, and 67-year-old Stuart Lamont. The stud and the land is steeped in Lamont history, with Stuart’s grandparents John and Christina taking ownership of the bare 1215 hectare block in 1910. They moved from Victoria’s Western Districts to Wagga Wagga with their children in tow and, since then, four generations of Lamonts have called Kooringal home.

In 1953, Stuart’s father Colin purchased three broodmares and the stud was established. Today, it is one of the oldest family-operated thoroughbred studs in Australia.

Visiting Kooringal is like opening a time capsule. Very little has changed: the Federation homestead, stables, woolshed and workshop were all built by Stuart’s grandfather John. 

“It is a beautifully built, sturdy home,” says Penny. Her love for the house she and Stuart have lived in since 1983 is on show as she takes a morning stroll through the garden. The couple’s children — Angus, 39, James, 37, Richard, 32, and 30-year-old Georgie — have all been involved in the stud’s operations over the years.

Today, Angus and Richard live and work alongside Stuart on the stud and farming enterprise and James (affectionately known as Jum) runs the social media and marketing from his home in Victoria. Angus and his wife Jenna’s three children — Sophia, eight, Arabella, seven, and three-year-old Jack — are the fifth generation of Lamonts to be raised there. The trio are often seen racing around the garden, swinging from the low branches of trees or peering in over the stable’s doors at the foals.

The evolution of Kooringal’s garden is a reflection of the work and dedication Stuart and Penny have put into the growth of both Kooringal Stud and the property. The garden plays an integral role in the stud’s identity. The stables and stud office are all located within walking distance of the homestead and garden, and, until 2020, Kooringal Stud yearlings would parade around the garden for the stud’s open days and yearly online sale.

“A few years ago we built a dedicated parade area for our annual sales, but we wanted to ensure it was still connected to the garden,” explains Penny, pointing out the dog-bone shaped arena. Despite the changes, the home and garden’s history is evident.

“We have some extraordinary trees in this garden,” says Penny. “The olive tree located near the tennis court is often mistaken for a Moreton Bay fig — it’s that huge. The lemon-scented gum [Corymbia citriodora] is equally exquisite. Both trees are over 100 years old and they’re exceptional specimens.” These two are not the only century-old remarkables. The Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) with its tendrils firmly clinging to the side of the homestead, as well as the purple wisteria growing over the front of the house, were both planted when the house was built in 1910.

As Penny meanders around the terraced garden, secateurs in hand, it’s the repetition of plantings: red and white roses such as ‘Iceberg’, ‘Mister Lincoln’ and ‘Kentucky Derby’; blue and white agapanthus and red tree houseleeks (Aeonium) that provide a show.  “A lot of what you see is just mass plantings to give the effect of a large garden, but with minimal upkeep,” explains Penny. “These plants are hardy and we chose them for their resilience in the drier times.

“It’s a practical garden. It certainly has times when it is busy, such as when the agapanthus needs deadheading. But it is a very easy-care garden with simple plantings.”

Living on the land and gardening has played a large role in Penny’s life. “In my early years we lived on a property in the Northern Territory, then we moved to a station at the foothills of the Snowy Mountains that had the most magnificent garden. I wasn’t very interested in helping maintain it,” says Penny with a laugh. “It was only when I grew my first zucchini that I thought I was a magician. That was the start of it really, when I realised I could grow something myself.”

The soil on which Kooringal Stud resides is known as decomposed granite, a granite that is weathered and easily broken down. This pliable rock enables the Lamonts to grow improved pastures in their paddocks. Within the garden, the addition of straw and horse manure — something they naturally have a lot of — makes for beautiful soil.

The garden is a joy to be in. Not only because of its spectacular mass planting but because of the hidden treasures you find within the garden beds and underneath the trees. Wire and clay sculptures, both found and purchased pieces from local artists, are peppered throughout. They’re positioned underneath the Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia), crepe myrtle (Lagerstroemia) and golden ash (Fraxinus excelsior ‘Aurea’) trees and hidden among the clumps of bird of paradise (Strelitzia reginae), the snow-white hardy hibiscus (Hibiscus moscheutos) and the seaside daisies (Erigeron glaucus).

“The collection started during the 2018–2019 drought. Our garden’s main source of water is from a nearby dam, but when the dam was extremely low, we had to significantly reduce the amount of water we were putting on the garden,” says Penny.

“These bits of metal trinkets I often just dragged out from under the shearing shed or found in the paddocks. It gave me something to look at when everything was so dry. The best part was we didn’t have to water them.”

Kooringal has been Penny and Stuart’s home for more than 40 years. “After we got married, we moved into the homestead and Stu’s parents Colin and Joan downsized into a small home nearby on the property.” During those years they’ve created a space that can be enjoyed all year round, with minimal upkeep, shady trees and plenty of lawn for their grandchildren to run around on.

“We love our home and love sharing it with family and friends. Three of our children are married and all three had their weddings in this garden,” says Penny proudly. “We feel privileged to be here and to also be quite close to the city — Wagga. It’s the best of both worlds.”

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