Wilga Station, Bathurst’s luxury farm stay, is now offering accommodation guests immersive new ‘Farm Tours’ to deepen their connection, learning – and pleasure with a bush-camp lunch – on the 260-acre historic sheep farm.
This is one of many unique farm tours that take visitors behind-the-scenes and onto the land in Central NSW. Time to pull on them boots!
Wilga Station’s new 1.5hr tours are run by owners Hamish and Mez Keith and include a visit to a beautiful Aboriginal site on Evans Plains Creek and a walk to follow the Sheep’s Trail along a 1km landscaped bush track. See local wildlife (hopefully yabbies and turtles!), meet the friendly sheep and lambs, and hear about shearing, lambing, crops and the environment.
Each tour can be tailored and comes with an optional ‘bush camp’ lunch by the creek, an open BBQ with delicious country food – think Hamish’s grandmother’s country bacon, three cheese and French onion damper, local meats, and hot coal cooked buttery potatoes.
Wilga Station, on Wiradjuri Country, offers relaxed luxury just under three hours’ drive from Sydney and Canberra. The working sheep farm has been home to the Keith family for three generations with two off grid accommodation options, the Farmers Hut, a romantic getaway for two people, and The Shearers Hall, a country retreat for up to 10 people. There is also a huge natural swimming pond, pond where guests can fish, kayak and swim, and has an open fire pit and spot to watch the sunset from the weeping willow island.
The new Farm Tours cost $175 for 1.5 hours. They have been launched due to demand from guests and the recent discovery of Aboriginal markings. A new tour with local Aboriginal elders will be launched in 2025. Go to www.wilgastation.com.au.
Other farm tours near Bathurst include Kenzall Farm, Highland Co and Redground Truffles.
Other must-do ‘Farm Tours’ in Central NSW:
Glen Donald Estate, Cowra – this new sustainable farm offers two-hour tours of their olive grove with olives and garlic to pick, eggs to collect and farm animals to meet including alpacas. $35 per adult includes a bottle of olive oil and kids are free. www.glendonald.com.au
Outback Lamb, Parkes – a three-hour tour of this family run farm explores the seasonal activities of lamb farming with morning tea. $25pp. www.outbacklamb.com.au
Country Food Trails, Orange – a six-hour farm tour to a variety of local farms can include a visit to hazelnut farms, stone fruit orchards, a saffron farm and olive grove. Tastings, lunch, transport is included $245pp. www.countryfoodtrails.com.au
Rosnay Organic, Canowindra – offer farm tours each weekend at their organic farm and vineyard to learn about the processing of olives, figs and grapes. $10pp. www.rosnay.com.au
Jannai Goat Dairy, Lithgow – this hidden gem makes award winning boutique cheeses, after a visit to the cellar door a tour of the dairy shows how the factory works, taste a variety of cheeses and meet the animals. www.jannei.com
Central NSW includes Oberon, Bathurst, Orange, Blayney, Cabonne, Cowra, Forbes, Parkes, Grenfell, Lithgow and Lachlan. Go to www.visitcentralnsw.com.au
