Escape the city with the 14 best Queensland farm stays

Immerse yourself in country life with a stay on this working dairy farm sitting just 90 minutes away from Brisbane. Nestled into the natural beauty of the Scenic Rim, Tommerup’s is home to a gaggle of dairy cattle, pigs, and sheep, spread across 200 acres.

Run by sixth generation farmers the Tommerup family, the property allows guests to help milk cows, feed the animals and collect eggs among other tasks. Rest your head in one of two options: The Homestead, the original family home built in 1888; or more petite offering The Cottage.

Cedar Glen Farmstay, Scenic Rim

Horse enthusiasts will be drawn to fellow Scenic Rim resident Cedar Glen Farmstay. The owners have been living on the land here since 1888 and today offer a bounty of different experiences centred largely around riding, from lessons to trekking through neighbouring Lamington National Park.

But that’s not all there is to do on the 1050 acre property. The family-run farm will showcase the best of country life, from animal feeding to cracking whips and making damper. There are four different cottages to choose from when it comes to spending the night: the original Homestead, Dairy Cottage, Wallaby Cottage, and Stinson Cottage.

Worendo Cottages, Scenic Rim

Nuzzling the Lost World Valley is Worendo Cottages. Not just an idyllic retreat for those eager to escape the big smoke, this country resident caters to the foodies with its Wild Lime Cooking School where local produce and native Australian ingredients are the stars.

Aside from cooking there’s plenty to do for kids especially: feed the sheep or local native bird population, meander your way across the property following the farm circuits, or trek to the top of the neighbouring hills for a view of Widgee Valley.

If you’re spending the night, shack up with the family in the Worendo Homestead, which welcomes dogs and sleeps up to 12, or keep things romantic with a stay in the secluded Wild Lime Cottage.

Clandulla Cottages and Farmstay, Scenic Rim

At the foot of Tamborine Mountain you’ll greet Clandulla Farmstay. A particularly family-friendly offering, this working property welcomes little ones to partake in the daily activities required to maintain it.

Begin your day in the barn with a continental breakfast before feeding the very friendly livestock around the property, from sheep to chooks, taking the opportunity to get up close and personal with the farm’s latest baby animal arrivals.

Accommodation here is conveniently self-contained, with four different cottages to choose from.

Farm stays in Queensland Country

Sitting west of the Great Dividing Range, this regional stretch is famed for its fruit producers and slower pace of life.

Bunyip Springs Farmstay, South Burnett

Trek your way deep into the heart of the South Burnett district, and neighbouring the Bunya Mountains you’ll come to find Bunyip Springs Farmstay.

Animal-lovers will adore the opportunity to care for the array of farm animals that call this place home: think alpacas, cows, horses, and more. Spend your days hand milking, feeding, riding, and collecting eggs before venturing further afield into the neighbouring bushland, where the likes of the Coomba Waterhole and bushwalking tracks of the Bunya Mountains National Park reside.

Two original cottages and a newer four-person unit accommodate guests eager to spend the night.

Bestbrook Mountain Resort, Southern Downs

Brought your dog in tow? You best make way for Bestbrook Mountain Resort on the border of the Great Dividing Range, just 90 minutes away from Brisbane, where dogs are welcome to join in the fun.

The family-owned and operated property caters to those who don’t like to sit still. Activities are plentiful here and country-inspired. Feed animals, milk cows, make butter, billy tea and damper, before sharpening your skills when it comes to whip-cracking and horse riding.

Those eager to save some pennies will be pleased to note that there’s an array of accommodation options, from self-contained cottages to bush camping.

Lee Farmstay and Cottages, South Burnett

Kingaroy isn’t just home to an impressive number of peanut producers, but Lee Farmstay. Among its many animal-related activities is the chance to have a fish in the on-site dam, so don’t forget to pack your rod.

For those who don’t consider themselves fans of throwing in a line, you can instead spend your day taking care of the army of farmyard animals on the property: chooks, sheep, miniature horses, peacocks, cows, turkeys, ducks and guinea pigs included.

There are a number of different cottages in which to stay, all welcoming of any accompanying pets.

Gold Coast Hinterland farm stays

Forget about the glitz of Surfers Paradise and friends; the Gold Coast Hinterland is a luscious arena of green Gondwana rainforests and mountain ranges.

Paradise Country Farmstay, Gold Coast

Just a short drive from the bright lights of Surfers Paradise sits the far more peaceful Paradise Country Farmstay. The farmyard population here roam the property; prepare to share your space with the cows, horses, chickens, pigs, alpacas, and goats that live here.

There’s also a baby animal farm, demanding ample of your attention, and an exhibition of native wildlife to help you get to know the locals. Accommodation options vary; check into an eco-tent for something more luxurious, or pull up into the campground with your tent or motorhome. As a part of the Warner Bros. family, guests here will also be treated to free entry to any of the company’s nearby theme parks.

Sunshine Coast Hinterland

Not just a haven for beautiful beaches, the Sunshine Coast Hinterland is a fertile pocket of land awash with a bounty of food producers and farmers.

Wittacork Dairy Cottages, Sunshine Coast

Educate yourself about the dairy industry with a stay on one of the state’s working dairy farms. At Wittacork Dairy Cottages you’ll muck in with daily tasks, milking cows, feeding calves, and collecting eggs where needed.

But it’s not all work and no play; spend your spare time exploring the district which nestles Kondalilla National Park, home to some of the state’s best waterfalls and plenty of walking tracks. Rest up after an adventure-filled day in one of Wittacork’s five simple guest cottages overlooking Lake Baroon.

Rosecliffe Boutique Farm Cottages, Noosa Hinterland

Within 30 minutes of leaving the sand of Noosa Main Beach you’ll be on the property of Noosa Avalon.

Your time here can be spent taking care of the cows and chooks that form the bulk of animal residents and exploring the surrounding Noosa Trail Network, welcoming of bushwalkers, horse riders and mountain bikers alike.

There’s a series of 1920s Queenslander cottages to choose from, each is not only self-contained but comes equipped with a fire pit, so don’t forget the marshmallows.

Farm stays in the Outback

A little further afield but well worth the drive, this secluded part of the state is laced with authentic Outback experiences for young and old.

Shandonvale Station, Barcaldine

Deep in the heart of the outback you’ll meet Shandonvale Station, just under an hour’s drive from Barcaldine, and one and a half from Longreach.

The isolated working property is the definition of true blue; spend your days catching yabbies and fish from canoe on the river, take to the gun range, assist in the care of 4000 sheep (and 140 camels), experience your first heli muster, and spend nightfall around the campfire.

Evenings are a little more luxurious; guests sleep in the 100-year-old shearing quarters fully restored for optimum comfort.

Farm stays in Southern Great Barrier Reef

Henderson Park Farm Retreat, Capricorn

Found yourself in the capital of the Australian beef industry, Rockhampton? Then you’re not far from one of the state’s best farmstays. Henderson Park Farm Retreat is nestled just a half hour away, and is a fifth-generation commercial cattle station hoping to impart its knowledge of the animals and the industry.

Aside from helping care for the resident cattle population, spend your time on Henderson Farm trekking the bushwalks which wind their way through the property, or splashing about in neighbouring Hedlow Creek.

Splitters Farm, Bundaberg