Have you ever wondered what life on the farm feels like? Imagine getting immersed in agricultural life or participating in its social practice. Whether your purpose is recreational or educational, it will surely be a worthwhile experience.
Being one of the most environmentally diverse countries on the planet, it’s no surprise that Australia is also a farming nation with its vast agricultural land. Hence, it can offer some of the most ideal farmlands to tourists who want to enjoy the great outdoors and learn about how farm life revolves on a day-to-day basis.
A farmstay is a type of accommodation on a fully operational farm. In short, it is another way of showcasing how farm life works for kids and adults alike while they enjoy their break from their busy school and work schedules.
Gone are the days when the exclusive destinations tourists go to on a holiday are beaches and other types of nature tripping and recreation. Even farmers have adjusted the way they work to make room for interested people in learning this livelihood.
Types of Farmstays
Farmstays can be in any form and function below:
Agritourism
From the name itself, agritourism is basically where a farm or agricultural land with farming facilities opened to the public for various reasons such as touring, having farm stands where different farm produce are being displayed for sale, and u-pick where tourists are allowed to pick fruits and vegetables from the farm themselves and pay for them.
Ecotourism
Ecotourism is a form of tourism with a noble purpose and not just offering a venue purely for personal enjoyment. This is considered responsible travelling to any natural, conserved, and protected parts of the environment with the intention of promoting the conservation of the area and everything in it, as well as improve local people’s well-being.
Geotourism
Geotourism is a bit similar to ecotourism in the fact that they both have responsibilities that come along with every trip. However, geotourism aims to sustain or even enhance the geographical characteristics of the environment, its heritage, culture, and the aesthetics of the place, as well as the welfare of the residents.
Experience Farmstays in Australia
Farmstays are an ideal destination if you are looking for a staycation that involves either being one with nature, with different activities and tours or interacting with farm animals that your family can enjoy.
You can choose the level of accommodation that you prefer or afford as every state has them all. The typical characteristics of farmstays in Australia include:
- Bed & Breakfast
- Campsites
- Cattle Mustering
- Farm animal activities for children
- Homesteads
- Horse Riding
- Pet-friendly
- Rustic cabins
Two Ways to Enjoy Farmstays
Farmstays can be the interactive type or family-focused if you have children who might be interested in collecting eggs, feeding animals, and doing other farm-related functions. That is if they allow kids at all because there are others that don’t. It can also be just a place to unwind where you can savour moments like relaxing underneath the night sky or gazing at the setting of the sun with the scent of grass, of hays, and of nature all over.
Hands-On Experience
If you and your family have been living in the city all your lives and want to experience life in the countryside even for just a short while, farmstays are the best way to make your wish come to fruition. Here, you can get the type of comfortable accommodation that suits your preference plus experience camping or using a caravan.
Kids will surely enjoy experiencing firsthand how to feed livestock like chickens, pigs, and horses, learn where their food comes from, milk cows, and even watch hens lay eggs or watch these hatch. You can even collect eggs for breakfast for a full farm-to-plate experience.
If you are lucky enough to find full-experience accommodation, they might even offer horseback riding, saddle a pony, or let you ride a wagon. Some even allow having a campfire so you can toast marshmallows in the middle of the night while stargazing.
Rest and Explore
If your idea of vacation or holiday is just momentarily shutting off from the hustle and bustle of city life and just being one with nature, farmstays are one brilliant way to achieve it. De-stress and recharge your energy by just enjoying the views while listening to the sounds of insects and birds, and even the swaying of the leaves of the trees all around.
Even just the simplicity of catching up on your favourite book or savouring your morning coffee with sunshine on your face is enough to reinvigorate you. Or better yet, take out your camera that has been sitting for so long on your shelf collecting dust and try renewing your passion for photography.
This can also be a chance for couples or families to bond over the quiet stillness of nature or even as a special place to hang out and catch up with friends in a more chill manner. Surely, even officemates will gladly turn off their phones and leave their work laptops at home to enjoy everything that farmstays can offer. Be it fishing, birdwatching, stargazing, or exploring country roads together, among other activities.