a new golden age
“Abercrombie House enjoys every possible heritage listing you can have in this country and people in this community feel a strong connection to the property
Xanthe Morgan has 40 paying guests coming for dinner but she appears totally undaunted by the task ahead of her. “It’s just simple country fare,” she says. “Pumpkin soup with croutons, roast beef fillet with vegies and a cake for dessert.” Besides, she adds, she has help, with a nod to her husband, Chris, who is busy dressing the tables in the ballroom while chatting to guests who are taking a self-guided tour of Abercrombie House, and a neighbour who is currently manning the coffee cart, but will later help with the service.
The historic home on the outskirts of Bathurst has belonged to the Morgan family since 1969, when Chris’s parents bought it and started a restoration program that has been continuing ever since. Built in the 1870s by Bathurst district pastoral pioneers, the Stewart family, the property has four main attractions, according to Chris. “It’s a working
