The Legend of Cockfighter's Ghost

It was one dark stormy night that the legend of Cockfighter’s Ghost – the spectre after whom our vineyard was named – was born. But to tell you the tale I must first take you back. Back 175 years to when this country was young.

For it was then, at the request of Governor Macquarie, that six explorers set out on a journey to open the Hunter Valley to free settlers by establishing an overland route between Wallace Plains and Windsor.

One wild, windy night – not long into their travels – as the group was crossing the Wollombi Brook, misfortune struck. A horse named Cockfighter became bogged in the quicksand that fringed the creek.

Though heroic efforts were made to try and save the horse, nothing could be done. The men watched helplessly as poor Cockfighter slowly drowned.

In time, convict gangs constructed a road beside the fateful creek, which by then had become known as Cockfighter Creek. It was said that if a man dared travel this road by night, a tale to tell he’d surely have, of the ghost-horse that haunts the creek.

Now even today the legend of Cockfighter’s Ghost lives on.

So if by chance you pass the vineyard that bears his name one dark and stormy night, listen carefully and you may just hear his ghostly brays echoing across the loamy plains.