The liquidator of trailblazing Wilyabrup winery Lenton Brae has won court approval to sell off the assets of its partnership company.
Auxilium Partners' Bob Jacobs asked the Supreme Court to rule that he could sell the assets of the Lenton Brae Limited Partnership as liquidator of its general partner, Necessary Holdings Pty Ltd.
But another partner, associated with Perth businessman and Kreepy Krauly founder Terry Jackson, sought Mr Jacobs' removal as liquidator and argued a receiver would have to be appointed to sell the assets.
This morning, Justice Jennifer Hill ruled in Mr Jacobs' favour, finding that Necessary Holdings had a "contractual right" to sell off the partnership's assets.
She also refused to remove Mr Jacobs as liquidator.
The underlying dispute between the founding Tomlinson family and Mr Jackson started about a year ago and saw Mr Jacobs appointed as administrator of Necessary Holdings in May, 2020, with the company facing about $1 million of debt claims from a Jackson family company.
Mr Jackson and the late Bruce Tomlinson, were long-time associates and connected through the 500 Club - a fundraising vehicle for the Liberal party.
Lenton Brae, which is credited with being the driving force behind the development of the semillon sauvignon blanc variety has continued trading since Mr Jacobs was appointed liquidator in September.
It was established in 1982 by Bruce Tomlinson, an arthitect and town planner, and wife Jeanette, with the winery's name coming from the area in England from where the Tomlinsons first migrated to Australia in the 1880s.
