Our 7 year old “Little Chef” was so excited to be staying on a farm for the very first time! We had booked a short break at Margaret River Hideaway and Farmstay. It is just a 5 minute drive from Margaret River town, found on the same road as the family friendly Colonial Brewery.
Our home for three days was one of the “superior cottages”. There are larger and smaller cottages also available. The two bedroom, 1 bathroom cottage is modern, spacious and has everything that a family of 3 or 4 could need.
There is an open plan kitchen, dining room and family area. The kitchen has a large fridge, microwave, toaster and kettle. The cupboards and draws are well equipped with cutlery and cooking utensils. There’s plastic tumblers and plates for the kids and a high chair too.
We were provided with breakfast for our first morning – cereal, bread, butter, jam, vegemite, milk and OJ. We mostly ate out, but on the occasions that we did eat in, we had all the basic equipment we needed to cook up a storm.
The kitchen has a big breakfast bar and a dining table that seats 6 – where I lost a couple of games of Monopoly. Outside is a small fenced paved area with a table and BBQ. Well behaved dogs are also welcome at Margaret River Hideaway and Farmstay.
We enjoyed relaxing by the wood fire with a book on the large, comfy corner sofa. It was such a novelty having a wood fire. It warmed up the entire cottage on the cold winter’s nights and made us feel very cosy. There is a fire guard to use too, if you have small children.
The bedrooms are clean and modern, with a double bed in the main, twin singles in bedroom two and an adjoining bathroom to both bedrooms. The bathroom is also clean and modern, with a shower, vanity and toilet. There’s a heat lamp for those chilly days and a kiddie step under the sink, for little ones to reach the sink.
On our first morning at the farmstay we could hear the sheep bleating outside and when we looked out of the window a sheep and her lamb were right outside. Many of the animals roam freely around the cottages.
We met farmer Vinnie at 8.30am to help him feed the animals. On the small farm you’ll find ducks, chickens, cows, peacocks, emus, alpacas, sheep and the two energetic farm dogs – Diego and Roxy. Little Chef especially loved the cute cows Twinkle Toes and Bad Hair Day.
Little Chef loved getting involved. He hand fed the chickens and ducks. He helped Vinnie load his wheelbarrow full of hay and we all walked towards the paddocks. We must have been a sight, with all the animals walking and waddling behind us! There was a big black hen that followed us around like a dog and was happy for the kids to stroke it gently – it was gorgeous!
At the paddock, there was alpacas and more cows, including a beautiful highland cow, waiting for their breakfast. The animals are all very calm and used to being around children.
We then took a longer walk into the back paddocks to find the sheep, who soon came running for their food once they heard us call them. Little Chef loved to give the little lambs a cuddle and he soon made friends with all the other kids staying there. They had a ball looking for eggs, wandering around the property discovering animals, playing on the wooden fort and making bush cubbys.
Feeding sessions are 4 times a week – Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. Vinnie and Lisa made us feel very welcome and had some great local tips for us too. We really enjoyed our first farmstay experience and look forward to more – it’s a lovely way to spend a family holiday.
For more information on Margaret River Hideaway and Farmstay www.margaretriverfarmstay.com
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Amanda Carlin has her own food and travel blog. Established in 2013, “The Chef, His Wife and Their Perth-fect Life” has enjoyed an exciting name change in 2021, as “The Chef’s Ex-wife” embarks on new adventures with Simply PERTHfect. Amanda loves getting out and about in Perth and WA, as well as brunching, tapas or something a little fancy in equal measures. With her son “Little Chef” in tow, Amanda always has plenty of family friendly eating options to recommend too! Be sure to check out Simply PERTHfect.
