Do your kids know where their sausages and chicken nuggets come from? How milk makes the journey from cow to Cornflakes and how wool makes the journey from the back of a sheep to warm your feet in the shape of Ugg boots?
Urban kids don’t often get a chance to visit the farm, which is a shame because given the opportunity most kids would really enjoy having a go at milking a cow, feeding the chooks and following the sheep dogs around as they go about their business.
Farm Stays allow families to experience farm life while on holiday – it makes a change from beaches and theme parks and it’s educational to boot.
Here are seven Aussie Farm Stays hand-picked by the guides from Bound Round, the travel app for kids, by kids.
Mowbray Park – NSW
This multi-award-winning Farm Stay is one of the most popular in Australia and it’s only 90 minutes' drive from Sydney.
Here you can do everything or nothing, with a kids' club to look after the kids and take them to visit the animals in the nursery, milk cows, bottle-feed calves, feed the pigs and watch a shearing demonstration, all while you relax at the pool.
If you’d rather be active with your kids, you can take them horse riding, go for a bush walk, or even take the working dogs for a walk.
Honeycomb Valley – NSW
This 36-hectare family farm is three to four hours' drive north of Sydney on the Legendary Pacific Coast route. There are stacks of activities here for kids.
Kids activities include animal feeding, goat milking, pony rides, bottle-feeding baby lambs, feeding the chooks and collecting eggs, grooming alpacas, fixing fences, spinning honey and harvesting herbs.
Visit the alpacas, have a go at throwing a boomerang, go for a cycle, or help dig the veggie patch.
Cool down in the solar heated pool, gaze into a campfire or take the pedal boats out for a spin on the dam.
Kilcoy Farmstay and Country Retreat – QLD
Kilcoy Farmstay is about a one-hour drive from Brisbane and has a range of self-catering accommodation. The historic property used to be the hub of Kilcoy but until it was recently renovated it had fallen into disrepair.
You’ll have a ball feeding the farm animals and lots of fun playing in the pool, running around in the garden and riding on the ute and the jetski.
Check out Bound Round Travel. Bound Round Travel Guides Put Kids In The Driving Seat
Find more family fun in the Sunshine State. Holiday Hijinks: Family Fun In Queensland
Lee Farm Stays and Cottages – QLD
Not far from Kingaroy on the Sunshine Coast, Lee Farm Stay is a family-owned business situated on 62 hectares of farmland surrounded by vineyards.
Kids can cycle around the farm, go fishing in the dam, play and feed the animals, swim in the pool or play on the trampoline and swing set.
Animals you’ll find here include; pigs, chooks, sheep, miniature horses, guinea pigs, birds, peacocks, dogs, cats, cows and turkeys. And kids are welcome to take part in other farm activities, including collecting eggs.
Bunyip Springs Farm Stay – QLD
Located 210 kilometres northwest of Brisbane and only 23 kilometres from the top of the Bunya Mountains National Park, Bunyip Springs Farm is a working grazing property of 251 hectares.
Kids can enjoy a hands-on experience with the farm animals, where they can feed the ducks, hens, farm dogs and cats, horses, calves and other livestock in the paddocks, collect the eggs or ride the horse.
Johanna Seaside Cottages – VIC
This coastal getaway is just off the Great Ocean Road, making it an ideal spot for exploring the magnificent coastline landscape with nearby attractions including The Twelve Apostles, Otway Fly, Cape Otway Lightstation, Waterfall Trails and Johanna Beach.
In-house activities include gathering your own veggies for dinner from the vegetable garden, visiting the calves during calving season, collecting eggs from the chook house and swimming in the indoor heated swimming pool.
Rawnsley Park Station – SA
Rawnsley Park Station is a working sheep station in the Flinders Ranges, around six hours' drive from Adelaide.
There’s accommodation to suit all budgets, from campsites and caravans to luxury eco-villas. You can sleep under the stars or in an ensuite with airconditioning and a fully equipped kitchen.
Activities include 4WD tours, bushwalking, guided walks, mountain biking, scenic flights and shearing demonstrations.
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