A RICH HISTORY

The name Bhima has been synonymous with thoroughbred breeding excellence in the Hunter Valley of NSW for many many years since being established by Vivian Bath in 1953.

Since purchasing Bhima in 2015, Mike and Kate Fleming have continued learning about the stories of this land and the elite horses produced from it. This rich history will be preserved and honoured as the next chapter of Bhima unfolds.

1824

Scone district was home to the Tullong and Murrain tribe, part of Geawegal Clan. In 1824 government surveyor, Henry Danger, surveyed the Scone area.

1825

The first properties in the area were selected including Invermein and Segenhoe. Francis Little (from Dumfrieshire, Scotland) was granted Invermein (2,000 acres) and shortly after in 1826 the homestead was built.

1860

Francis Little dies aged 62. His eldest son, William Little ingerits the estate.

1877

William Little retires and sells the estate to two brothers Frederick & Edward Parbury where they farmed cattle and sheep

1881

Invermein was subdivided after Edward Parbury's death. The homestead and 2,000 acres of land was purchased by James Henry Doyle.

1898

James Henry Doyle sells a portion of Invermein to the Clift family which they then named Cliftlands.

1910

Cliftlands is bought by the McDonald family who start a tobacco and dairy farm, which was also used as an internment camp for Italians during WWII.

1953

Vivian Bath conceived his dream horse stud while imprisoned in Japan's infamous POW camp, Changi. Owner of Goodwood Park Hotel in Singapore, Bath bought 'Cliftlands' to retire.
BHIMA STUD was born.

1967

Bath'son, David, leaves King's College in Sydney to jackaroo at Widden Stud. He spent time in the USA at Claiborne Stud and as an apprentice at Keenland, followed by a stint at the British Bloodstock Association in the UK.

1969

BISCAY retires to stand at Bhima Stud. Sire of Bletchingly whose progeny include Australia's champion racehorses Kingston Town Emancipation and Canny Lad

1972

David returns home to Bhima at the age of 23 to take over the running of the stud. He marries Sue and major renovations of the homestead begin.

1972-1994

The Horsemen of Bhima. The stud would have up to 20 staff, 300 mares and stand several stallions.

1994

GEOFF & BERYL WHITE purchase Bhima Stud along with neighbouring historic property 'Invermien' for $4.5million. They merged the two properties into one broodmare farm, to have up to 100 horses, 35 of them being broodmares. The Whites already owned Marscay, who they bought for $50,000 at the William Inglis & Son.
Sale in Sydney in 1981, he is now considered one of the country's greatest broodmare sires

Geoff was one of Australia's leading civi engineers & his group of companies - G.B White Pty Ltd and founder of White Industry Ltd. White Industries was responsible for the construction of many famous public buildings, including the National Art Gallery, Court of Australia and the National Mint in Canberra.

2015

Bhima is sold to Mike and Kate Fleming after being inherited by Greg White (son of Geoff and Beryl).