Bob Oatley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bob Oatley
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| Born |
Robert Ian Oatley
11 June 1928 Mosman, New South Wales, Australia
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| Died | 10 January 2016 (aged 87) Pittwater, New South Wales, Australia
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| Occupation |
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| Known for | Wild Oats XI Rosemount winery |
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| Children | 3 |
| Relatives | Kristy Oatley, Lyndal Oatley (granddaughters) |
Robert Ian Oatley (born June 11, 1928 – died January 10, 2016) was a famous Australian businessman. He was also a winemaker, a yachtsman, and someone who gave a lot to charity. He was best known for owning the yacht Wild Oats XI. This yacht won the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race nine times.
In 2003, he bought Hamilton Island in Queensland for $200 million. He also owned retirement homes and a villa in Sardinia, Italy. Oatley started the Rosemount winery in the Hunter Valley in 1969.
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About Robert Oatley
Robert Oatley was born in 1928 in Mosman, a suburb of Sydney. His father was Geoffrey Oatley and his mother was Isabel "Jean" Brown. Robert's mother, Jean, passed away when he was just 13 months old. This meant he grew up as an only child.
His father worked in the wool industry. This job often took him away from home, traveling across New South Wales. So, Robert was mostly raised by his mother's sister, Muriel. He went to Mosman Primary School.
Early Career and Coffee Trade
Around 1943, during wartime, Robert started his first job. He worked for a company called Colyer Watson. His tasks included delivering letters and filling inkwells. As he got older, he became very good at business. He even traveled with his boss on business trips.
Colyer Watson also had a coffee business in Papua New Guinea. This part of the company owed money. Robert was given the job of getting that money back. In the 1950s, he began his own business trading coffee and cocoa beans from Papua New Guinea.
When he was in his early 40s, Robert bought the Papuan coffee division from his employer. He renamed it Angco. He made his company bigger, trading with countries all over the world. About 15 years later, in 1985, he received an award called the British Empire Medal for his work. After Papua New Guinea became independent in the mid-1970s, Robert started selling his businesses there.
Winemaking Success
Robert Oatley also started his very successful Rosemount winery in the Hunter Valley in 1968. The name "Rosemount" was actually used by an older winery in the same area back in the 1860s. Robert sold his Rosemount winery in 2001.
By this time, Robert and his family had started other wineries. In the early 1990s, they opened another winery near Mudgee. This company was called Oatley Wines and its wine label was named Wild Oats.
Robert Oatley passed away on January 10, 2016, at the age of 87. He died from a lung infection.
Family Life
Robert Oatley married Rosemary Nell Bray on April 12, 1951. They had three children: Andrew "Sandy", Ian, and Rosalind. They later divorced in 1982. Robert then married Valerie.
Two of Robert's granddaughters, Kristy Oatley and Lyndal Oatley, are cousins. They are both Olympic equestrians, meaning they compete in horse riding sports at the Olympics.
Awards and Recognition
Robert Oatley received the British Empire Medal in 1984. This award was given for his important work in the coffee industry in Papua New Guinea. In 2014, he was also made an Officer of the Order of Australia. This is another high honor in Australia.
