‘Anything that makes Dad happy.’ The Dallas-worthy dramas of the Laundys
· Australian Financial ReviewGreg Bearup and , Max Mason
May 26, 2026 – 5.00am
Every dynasty has a legendary origin story and for the Laundys, it is an unremarkable pub in south-west Sydney called the Twin Willows. It was built by Arthur Laundy Snr and his wife, Veronica, on what was then a four-hectare paddock on the outskirts of the city at Bass Hill. It opened in 1964 and is the foundation on which the Laundy family has built its immense fortune.
One of seven children, Arthur was a hard man fashioned by a bleak childhood. He was abandoned as a toddler when his parents separated, and grew up in an orphanage until he was 15. He and Veronica got their start by scraping to buy a lease on the Sackville Hotel in Rozelle. They eventually saved enough to build their very own pub, the Twin Willows. But he’d not be master of his bar for long.
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Greg BearupSenior writerGreg Bearup is a senior writer for The Australian Financial Review. Send encrypted tips to gregbearup_1234.09 on messaging platform Signal. Email Greg at greg.bearup@afr.com
Max MasonCourts and crime correspondentMax Mason covers financial crime, courts and corporate wrongdoing for The Australian Financial Review. Send encrypted tips to maxepmason.14 on messaging platform Signal (tinyurl.com/MaxMason). Email Max at max.mason@afr.com
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