How to get here

If you’re driving, we are located:

  • 35 minutes from Quirindi

  • 55 minutes from Gunnedah

  • 1 hour from Tamworth

  • 3.5 hours from Newcastle

  • 4.5 hours from Sydney

Commercial flights link Sydney (Qantas) or Brisbane (Link Airways) to Tamworth Regional Airport where you can hire a car.

 

About Springfield and the woolshed

Located on the Liverpool Plains with easy access to regional centres including Quirindi, Gunnedah and Tamworth, “Springfield” is a property that has been farmed by The Hockey family since 1947.

Formerly part of renowned “Breeza Station”, “Springfield” was established over 100 years ago as an out-station for the once 130,000 acre property. The corrugated iron and timber woolshed was built to service the large-scale sheep operations that once dominated the district, playing a vital role in shearing and wool production. At its peak, Springfield supported thousands of sheep, and the woolshed was a seasonal hub of activity.

Today, Springfield remains a family-run operation, managed by brothers James and Michael Hockey alongside their families. Spanning 3,500 hectares, the property produces a diverse range of crops including wheat, sorghum, barley, chickpeas, canola, sunflowers, and cotton—rotation decisions guided by seasonal conditions. The farm also runs a cattle enterprise and has proudly diversified into agritourism through the development of Springfield Woolshed.

A close-up of parts of a historical sheep shearing mechanism inside a woolshed
A field of sunflowers stretches as far as the eye can see
A dirt road leads to a property entrance with a cattle grid and wooden panelling either side

About us

A family of five sit on some wooden steps at the entrance to a corrugated iron shed. Male and female parents are dressed in smart casual attire, with three children.

Michael grew up at Springfield, pursued a career in agriculture and returned to the family farm in 2002.

Laura grew up in Walgett, studied teaching in Sydney where she met Mick and moved to the Liverpool Plains in 2013.

In 2016, Mick and Laura restored Springfield Woolshed for their own wedding – a huge labour of love culminating in a truly personal celebration. Reluctant to see the space sit vacant, they began hosting events for friends and the community, before opening bookings to the public in 2020.

Today, they continue to live and work at Springfield with their three young children – Willow, Hunter and Charlie.