Best Family Farmstays Near Sydney

Fresh air, a sky full of stars and adorable nursery animals… a farmstay experience is just the dose of nature and tech-free family bonding that you need. We're lucky to have some gorgeous ones a mere drive away from Sydney. Here is our list of the best, including a luxury option if you feel like treating yourself.

Bilpin Country Lodge, Blue Mountains

Why we love it: Bilpin Country Lodge is beautiful, clean and well equipped. There’s lots of space for the kids to run around in, plus there’s a game room, canoeing, hiking and, of course, a variety of animals to feed and pat. The kids won't know where to look or go first! We also love that you can book out the whole property for a big family gathering, anniversary or reunion – the lodge sleeps up to 20, so you can take over and make yourselves feel right at home. 
Time from Sydney: 90 minutes

READ ALL ABOUT ellaslist’s VISIT TO BILPIN COUNTRY LODGE

Mowbray Park Farmstay, Picton

Why we love it: At Mowbray Park, your stay includes accommodation, activities and three meals a day, plus you can access the whole farm. Now that’s a holiday! Activities include horse riding, tennis, swimming, table tennis, canoeing, archery, boomerang throwing, sheep shearing, whip cracking, bush dances, campfires, and farmyard activities, including feeding the cattle, collecting eggs and milking the cows. There’s plenty to keep kids entertained (hello Kids' Club!) while parents relax, unwind or enjoy the farm life.
Time from Sydney: 90 minutes

READ OUR ellaslist REVIEW OF MOWBRAY PARK FARMSTAY

Calmsley Hill City Farm, Abbotsbury

Why we love it: During Summer, you can camp at Calmsley Hill City Farm. Packages include two days at the farm, overnight camping, dinner, breakfast, exclusive activities, animal encounters, helping with morning animal feeding and collecting eggs for breakfast. Explore the farm’s paddocks with the friendly farmers as the sun sets, and camp out in a paddock in front of grazing kangaroos, wallabies and emus. This is one unforgettable experience!
Time from Sydney: 45 minutes

READ ALL ABOUT ellaslist’s VISIT TO CALMSLEY HILL CITYFARM

Chesleigh Homestead, Sofala

Why we love it: Chesleigh Homestead is an impressive 3,000-acre wilderness property in Sofala, a goldrush village in the historic NSW's Central West. The quaint and cosy residence has been built by hand over the past 40 years, to create an authentic, rustic country experience, and it is famous for home-cooked meals, beautiful horse riding trails, unique adventures learning how to pan for gold and their bonfire under the stars. Families will love feeding farm chickens, snuggling up by the open fire, enjoying the old fashioned games room and relaxing in the spa!
Time from Sydney: 3 hours

Pine View Camping & Farmstay, Goolma

Why we love it: A working sheep, cattle and cropping farm, Pine View Camping & Farmstay in Goolma, a tiny village NSW Central West, is home to a menagerie of resident animals including sheep, cattle, horses, chickens, dogs and an alpaca. There are weekend activities where kids can muck in and get involved with real farm life - feeding chooks and collecting the eggs, going on a farm tour, counting kangaroos and other wildlife and grooming horses are all in a days work. Little ones will love pony rides, toasting marshmallows around a campfire, tractor ride and stargazing too!
Time from Sydney: 3.5 hours

Waterfall Way Farmstay, Wollomombi

Why we love it: Waterfall Way Farmstay in the NSW New England region is a generous, self-contained country house with all the luxuries of your own home. Enveloped by stunning gardens and native bushland, it is a secluded private hideaway on a family-run beef cattle farm with amazing views over the extensive farmland and the picturesque Oaky River, where you can also fish for trout or try and spot the platypus! The luxurious wood fire will keep you toasty during the cold winter nights! 
Time from Sydney: 6 hours

Ashmar Farmstay, Gloucester

Why we love it: You'll have a gorgeous self-contained heritage cottage all to yourself in which to experience an authentic family farm life! Get started at Ashmar Farmstay by milking a cow, collecting farm eggs, feeding the animals and bushwalking through the ancient cycads. For kids, there is lots to see and do at the farm, and plenty of wide-open spaces to play in. They'll learn all about farm animals and where food comes from.
Time from Sydney: less than 3 hours

Kookaburra Farmstay, Port Stephens

Why we love it: At Kookaburra Farmstay there's a farmhouse, cottages and cabins for your overnight stay, as well as a daily animal feeding schedule that includes cow milking, a tractor ride to feed the pig, then the donkey, goats, alpacas, sheep and ducks. The farm is also close to beaches and tourist attractions around Port Stephens and Nelson Bay.
Time from Sydney: 2.5+ hours

Tobruk Sheep Station, Maroota

Why we love it: Tobruk Sheep Station is an authentic rural and outback setting, and fun, interactive farm experience for the kids. It features a working sheep station with two unique farmstay options where you can enjoy the charm of the rustic buildings, blacksmith's shop and farm machinery, plus the warmth of the open campfire in Drovers Camp with billy tea and baking damper. Enjoy hearty country meals, the friendly animals and the beautiful sunsets high above the Hawkesbury River and the Blue Mountains.
Time from Sydney: 70 minutes

Starline Alpacas Farmstay Resort, Hunter Valley

Why we love it: Starline Alpacas is a deluxe family getaway on a working alpaca farm with around 200 alpacas! Visit and hand-feed them while you wander the fields and you'll see the cria (baby alpacas) frolic in the late afternoon. There is also an orchard with quince, lemons, pears, apples and peaches, which you can pick during your stay. Choose from a range of cottages to stay in, and there's a saltwater swimming pool, spa, sauna and children's playground.
Time from Sydney: 2+ hours

Barcoos Barn Farmstay, Perthville

Why we love it: Barcoos Barn is a genuine working farm with loads of merino sheep, breeding cows, working dogs and horses, including Barcoo, the wonderful 20+-year-old Clydesdale, and Cody, the awesome Shetland pony. There’s loads of hands-on interactive family fun and kids will love the farm activities, led pony rides and sled or sulky ride, pulled by resident Clydesdale, Bella. Barcoos Barn has two self-contained units, plus caravan, motorhome and camping facilities.
Time from Sydney: 2+ hours

Ocean & Earth Farmstay, Limeburners Creek

Why we love it: Ocean & Earth Farmstay is a beautiful property surrounded by natural bushland brimming with native wildlife and friendly farm animals. You get the whole farmhouse to yourself, so you can completely relax, and there’s plenty of activities to keep kids entertained! While away the hours swimming in the dam, canoeing, fishing, yabbying, feeding resident farm animals – such as horses, cows, alpacas and chooks - bushwalking and bird watching. Plus, there's spectacular stargazing and a bonfire on Saturday nights!
Time from Sydney: 2.5 hours

Minimbah Farm, Kangaroo Valley

Why we love it: Minimbah Farm is a South Coast escape sprawled across 150 acres of beautiful scenic farmland, featuring its own flowing creek and amazing views with almost endless grass paddocks backing onto lush rainforest. It’s a fully operational beef cattle property, that also boasts goats, alpacas, horses, chickens, peacocks and abundant native wildlife, including echidnas, wombats, kangaroos, wallabies, lizards, parrots, kookaburras, magpies and cockatoos. There are three gorgeous farm cottages to choose from, equipped with a container to feed the goats and alpacas, and a basket to collect fresh farm eggs.
Time from Sydney: 2 hours

Dusodie Holiday Farm, Dungog

Why we love it: Dusodie Farm is set on the banks of the Chichester River, in the foothills of the Chichester State Forest. This a true farmstay experience, with plenty of animals and wildlife for all to enjoy. It makes for a great family getaway, where parents can relax while kids enjoy the cubby, sandpit or trampoline, hand-feed farm animals, and take advantage of the freedom of a country lifestyle. Wake to the sounds of abundant birdlife and inhale the crisp, clean country air.
Time from Sydney: 2 hours

Morvern Valley Country Cottages, Bundanoon

Why we love it: Morvern Valley is host-free, so a whole luxurious cottage is all yours! Each cottage has its own BBQ area, parking, fenced private gardens, and even its own hen house for egg-collecting fun. Children will be thrilled to meet the animals, including ponies, miniature horses, donkeys, sheep, chickens, ducks, giant geese, alpacas and other friendly farm animals that love a pat.
Time from Sydney: 90 minutes

Luxury Bonus: Back 2 Earth Farmstay, Berry 

Why we love it: A sustainable and organic farmstay meets health retreat, Back 2 Earth has it all: massage, a meditative float tank experience, psychotherapy and fabulous raw vegan cuisine and cooking classes – and all of this with a magnificent mountain range backdrop.

Pick your own veggies, meet the hand-raised farm animals – including the rescue animals now enjoying the peaceful farm life – and take advantage of the water activities nearby at the untainted Seven Mile Beach. The brand new accommodation includes the Luxurious Rustic Loft (a converted milking shed!), which accommodates two. Give it a go for your next mums' getaway or a romantic weekend away!
Time from Sydney: 2 hours
 

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