Riverway Chalets, Northcliffe

Riverway Chalets in Northcliffe is an absolute must do for fans of farm stays, peaceful getaways and particularly animal lovers. Run by the absolutely dynamic Leonie and her husband Dwayne (who we’ll hopefully meet next time!) it didn’t take us long to realise Leonies passion in life for animals and all she can do to save those in need.Before even seeing the chalet we had been introduced to her family and extended animal family…literally, all of them. It was amazing – cows coming over for a chat and a nuzzle, horses being called from far off fields, sheep, chickens, dogs, cats and every other farm animal you can imagine – all as welcoming as the host (Cinnamon was our favourite)!

We had come enroute from Balingup to Albany which was also the night of a severe storm. It was lovely inside our cosy cottage with the wood fire, a glass of red and a game of scrabble. There was no internet access which suited me fine as I really wanted to completely switch off and switch on to nature. We couldn’t have been in a more perfect haven.There are 4 cottages accomodating 2 to 6 people. We had a one bedroom cottage and they allow single night stays which was perfect, though we will definitely stay for longer with the kids next time.The cottage has everything you need for self-sufficiency as well as a few creature comforts like warm doonas, a huge wood pile and some lovely complimentary natural products in the bathroom.Be sure to do a shop before you arrive, we unfortunately left our food behind and struggled to find anything open early evening. The local supermarket provided some snacks to tide us over, but definitely stock up before as you probably wont want to venture anyway.

Despite the storm causing some havoc we were still able to get in a great walk the evening before it begun and in the morning when it was over.Leonie and Dwayne have got some wonderful guides for botanic spotting and despite the woolly weather we were able to capture a few wildflower finds and local posers for some lovely snaps.The property is a massive 100 acres and would be great for kids to explore and enjoy in its entirety. Leonie insisted we come back with our children so she could share her animals, the farm and their unique corner of the world. Such a gorgeous “down south getaway” that truly was bursting with life, mindfulness and good vibes.Riverway Chalets