Want your own private wedding venue? Check out this celebrity estate on the market for $9m

One of the Hunter Valley’s most popular wedding venues is on the market.

Greystone Estate, a luxury purpose-built weddings, events and functions property at 617 Hermitage Road in Pokolbin, is listed for sale by expressions of interest with Cain Beckett at Jurds Real Estate.

“We are guiding $8 million,” Mr Beckett said.

“In terms of operations, it has become the go-to wedding venue in wine country and is a significant financial performer.

“The sale will include all future bookings, including weddings, and the new owner will continue to operate it as a wedding venue.”

Mr Beckett confirmed the sale of the venue would not affect any current bookings.

Famous faces who have hired the venue for their wedding include Australian international cricketer Josh Hazlewood, who married his partner, Cherina, there in 2022.

In 2023, Channel Nine sports broadcaster Danika Mason famously called off her wedding at the estate after abruptly ending her engagement with Todd Liubinskas weeks out from the big day.

“The privacy of it allows it to be a bit of a celeb venue,” the agent said.

“It’s gated and behind high hedges, so they tend to book many high-profile weddings.”

The 10-acre estate is designed to offer “all-in-one” events, with accommodation, function spaces, a bar area, an open-air pavilion and car parking.

The property has multiple residences, including Gow House, the restored 1887 weatherboard cottage, which was moved from a landmark corner block in Merewether.

The estate accommodates up to 32 guests across two cottages, the main house and Gow House.

The accommodation includes 15 ensuite bedrooms, and the property has a resort-style swimming pool for guests.

Elsewhere on the property is the events pavilion, which caters for up to 125 people.

“It is luxurious and high-end across all finishes and fixtures,” he said.

“It is being sold on a going concern basis and is fully staffed and operated.

“It is a very successful business and holds multiple weddings a week.”

Greystone Estate is owned by Newcastle property developers Melissa Calder-Mason and her husband, Tony.

The couple bought the estate, previously operating as Splinters Guest Retreat, in 2018.

Under their ownership, the property has evolved into a high-end venue with luxury accommodation and event spaces.

“It was previously called Splinters, and an old woodwork teacher built a couple of cabins on the property, which are still there, but the owners have added a significant amount more,” he said.

“They have done major work on the property.

“They installed a new pool, Gow House and the functions centre and the chapel are all new, and every building has been completely refurbished.

“The slate floor in two of the cottages is the only original feature you would see.”

The renovated cottage, Gow House, was moved from its original location on the corner of Patrick and Watkins streets in Merewether after the couple bought the property for $1.8 million in 2017 to build a series of townhouses on the block.

The charming three-bedroom house was owned by Betty Gow, whose family held the property for four generations.

Ms Gow was well-known in Merewether for tending the perfectly manicured gardens on the property.

Rather than tear it down, the house was cut in half and moved to the site in Pokolbin to undergo renovations.

It’s now a stunning country-style luxury cottage with original period features.

“I was one of those people who drove past and said, ‘You can’t pull it down’,” Ms Calder-Mason told the Newcastle Herald in 2018.

“I don’t like seeing old things destroyed. I like to try to preserve old buildings.”

CoreLogic records show the estate was last sold in 2018 for $1.65 million.