1979
The mountain is acquired
Ruwenzori - the “Mountains of the Moon” - takes its name from a range of six glaciated peaks on the border between Uganda and Zaire.
A friend who grew up in that region suggested the name after noticing how the granite landscape above Mudgee echoed those distant mountains - though, happily, without the glaciers.
The McGregor family acquired the property in 1979, following the subdivision of the original Wyaldra Park estate into 25 acre parcels. Local graziers rarely ventured into the heavily timbered granite mountain terrain - once nicknamed “Seldom”, for how seldom anyone visited.
A massive bushfire in 1980 cleared the native vegetation, exposing the flat ridge top, and youngest son, Scott (a lifelong rail enthusiast and a busy actor at the time), immediately saw the potential as “a great spot for a weekender”. The flag was raised at dawn on 22 December 1980, in the glow of a setting full moon.
In search of affordable accommodation, Scott bought railway carriages from the NSW Government at bargain prices and hauled them up the mountain, one by one - assembling, over decades, one of the most celebrated homages to the romance of rail, and one of the most unique places to stay in Australia.
Long before the cedar panelling and silver washbasins were restored to their former glory, each carriage arrived stripped bare and had to be craned, one by one, up the mountain.
The McGregor family buys the property after the original Wyaldra Park is subdivided into 25 acre parcels - a heavily timbered granite ridge local graziers nicknamed “Seldom”.
A massive bushfire clears the ridge top and reveals its potential. Scott McGregor raises the flag at dawn on 22 December, in the glow of a setting full moon.
A double-arm timber railway signal is erected on December 22, a year to the day after the flag.
On January 25 the first carriage is positioned - a first-class NSW Railways sitting car built in 1890 by John Morrison & Co. from teak, cedar and pitch pine.
The Guards Van is positioned on September 13 as the first workshop and store; the Caboose - a coalfields brake van from around 1910 - follows ten days later.
On January 6 the State Car is craned into position - a TAM sleeping car built in 1927 by Meadowbank Manufacturing, with cedar panelling and silver washbasins. In September “Operation H2O” brings a water tanker, windmill, water tower and the State Car bathroom.
The verandah linking the main carriages and the sunken garden are built in January.
On March 25 the Station building is opened by actor David Nettheim, incorporating original architectural features reclaimed from demolished railway stations.
On December 1 the Pullman car and Louvre Van are positioned - marking ten years since the flag was raised, and the debut of Scott’s “Off the Rails” business.
A Wiring Van and storage shed are added for the Off the Rails operation.
Mains power is connected and the property expands by another 25 acres - “Habanat”.
Five restored carriages and the Station, on 20 hectares of private mountain bush high above Mudgee - booked as a single, exclusive hire.
This extraordinary enterprise has been my life’s work, and I can’t wait to share it with you all. I hope you enjoy exploring my special mountaintop retreat.