We broke up our winter school holidays with a few nights away with friends at a restful farm stay at Dairy Flat Farm Holidays.
Dairy Flat is perfect for a technology-free, slow-paced break where it is possible to combine time in nature and time curled up beside the fire with a good book. There’s something for everyone. We enjoyed the range of opportunities to be together - meal times, play times and walks - while feeling safe to let the children explore without them needing hovering adult supervision all day, every day.
I grew up visiting my own grandparents’ working dairy farm, so I find it extra special that the children can learn about the journey from farm to plate at a place like Dairy Flat.
In terms of details: We stayed in the main homestead. It’s exactly what you imagine when you think of living on a farm and it’s perfect for large families or groups. The homestead includes several bedrooms, three bathrooms, a lovely big formal dining room, an eat-in kitchen complete with wood-burning stove (plus a gas stove), a lounge room with a fireplace and - my favourite - a verandah which wraps around three sides of the home (there’s also a smaller verandah at the back). There’s a large, flat lawn in front of the home where the children can play while the adults enjoy a cuppa on the verandah.
As well as being a working dairy farm with calves and milking cows, Dairy Flat has other animals including pigs (and piglets - cute!), sheep and chickens. There’s also a tennis court, swimming pool (not used by us in winter), fenced playground, veggie patch and tree walk to enjoy. These can all be seen from the back verandah of the home, making for easy supervision of older children.
The homestead has basic kitchen supplies and there’s a fridge, dishwasher and oven in the kitchen, along with an extra fridge on the back verandah, where you’ll also find a large washing machine and a clothes dryer.
Drinking water is only available from one tap, so I’d recommend bringing your own drinking water. We were also mindful of not using too much tank water overall. You need to bring your own bed linen and bath linen as well. We brought lots of food so there was no need to leave for meals (though we did forget the coffee 😆), and since the farm is a bit remote, I’d definitely recommend bringing everything rather than planning to visit a town. The nearest town is Woodenbong, if you do forget anything. Catering and linen hire are available as extras, and details of these options are provided when you book.
The homestead is beautiful, but it isn’t pristine, which adds to the relaxing vibe. We kept muddy shoes outside, but other than that, we felt like we could make ourselves at home. There were times when the smells of the farm wafted in our direction and we did see the odd mouse on the verandah, which is not surprising, given that rural New South Wales is in the grip of a mouse plague. These things just added to the authenticity of our stay.
There’s wifi at the home and a landline for emergencies, but there’s no TV, and we enjoyed having limited access to technology. Nobody got bored because there was always so much to see and do.
While the kids came home to suburbia tired from long days outside on the farm, we all came home with a lovely sense of being refreshed and having lived the ‘simple life’ for a few days. The perfect antidote to stressful regular life. Highly recommend!
Find out more and book at
www.dairyflatfarmholidays.com.au/
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