Hi Fiona,
Here is my first article published on Weekend Notes. https://www.weekendnotes.com/bellingen-farmstay/
Michael Genrich
Outdoorstype
We visited Bellingen Farm Stay with our two young girls and have nothing but praise for the farm, its location, and for the owners who were attentive, friendly and very informative about the area, their animals and beautiful acreage.
The Farmstay is perfectly positioned half way between Bellingen and the stunning coastline so going to the beach for the morning, then sightseeing in Dorrigo, followed by dinner in Bellingen is all achievable.
FIona was lovely with the children, and morning feed time with the animals was the highlight of our stay. I also treated myself to one of Fiona's massages and I can honestly say it was one of the best massages I have had and Fiona is obviously very experienced.
The cabin itself was homely and had everything we needed. It had glorious views of lush rolling hills and distant mountains...total serenity. All we heard in two days was the occasional pet duck or cow!
Bellingen Farmstay is the perfect place to unwind and get back in touch with nature. My 6 year old described it as 'the best holiday ever' and I'm sure we'll be back.
Linda Ellison Nov 17
Ellison Family
Lovely Mum and Daughter on a small holiday. When I went in to clean this is what I found. "Thank you for having us Fiona. You are a treasure and this place is a haven of bliss. Thank you so much. " Jan 2017
Rachel and Julie Adams
Our family thoroughly enjoyed our seven night stay at the gorgeous Bellingen Farmstay. As we live in a major city, our little four year old daughter rarely has the opportunity to experience what life is like on a Farm. She loved feeding the precious animals each morning and it was such a unique experience for us to wake up to the sound of ducks quacking, cows mooing and the hens pecking around our front door. Our daughter was thrilled. What a wonderful greeting each day. It was also incredibly special to witness her confidence grow with the animals each morning to the point where (with Fiona’s guidance) she was happy to eventually feed them on her own. She hasn’t stopped talking about it! We would highly recommend this experience and can’t wait to come back. Thank you!
January, 2016
Morello Family
Dear Brett and Fiona
Thank you for having us on your property. Meeting you and your animals on the farm was a pleasure. I loved kayaking and canoeing and making the fire. Animal feeding was definitely my favourite part of the day. You're in such a nice area, close to many tourism activities. Wish I was here longer. Thank you. Dylan Baxter. September 2015Dylan Baxter
BELLINGEN FARM STAY
We spent a magical weekend (Friday and Saturday nights) at Bellingen Farmstay and were as relaxed and recharged as though we had spent a week.
Our hosts, Brett and Fiona Hannaford, were extremely friendly and welcoming and allowed us to experience the farm at our own pace. We joined Fiona on the morning animal feeding rounds and a tour of the property.
We loved our accommodation, a mudbrick fully self-contained cottage with kitchen, dining and lounge creatively decorated with local art and craft, and an outlook onto rolling paddocks towards the river.
Cattle graze, free-range chooks make friends, Mary the sheep is a little shy (not contrary) and Dan, the ex-racehorse, can be enticed with a handful of grass. There is also an amazing organic orchard,which during our visit was laden with the best tasting Mandarins ever!
The pace is completely relaxed, you can stroll around the entire property which is biodiverse with the beautiful Kalang River for swimming and kayaking, a lilypond and grazing paddocks.
An additional highlight of the region, is the Brierfield Hall, 5 minutes up the road, (which can be hired for events), and where we had the pleasure of celebrating a 60th birthday. The hall is set on a leafy hill side and has a wide verandah and stage and perfect for hosting medium sized functions.
We look forward to another visit to Beautiful Bellingen Farm Stay.
Georgia and Tim Connell
Sydney
Aug 15
Tim & Georgia Connell
Cremorne, Sydney
Bellingen Farmstay is a magical spot for a family holiday. It enabled us to enjoy the best of both worlds on our latest holiday – combining a peaceful, rustic farm experience, with close proximity to stunning beaches. We have two young boys, aged 4 and 6, who happily kept busy each day with animal feeding in the morning, then swimming and picnics at the beach, followed by fishing and canoeing on the river at the end of the day.
Just a short walk from the cabin, the gorgeous, tidal river easy for novice paddlers as well as clear and calm enough to jump into for a swim. We we were thrilled to see shiny fish leaping around us as we paddled the peaceful waters, although we failed to catch any!
Our accommodation was homely, simple and comfortable. As advised, we brought our own food, beach towels and extra toilet paper to save a trip into town after arrival, so we were able to settle straight in. The beautiful little town of Bellingen is only 15 minutes’ drive from the farmstay so we enjoyed the markets, op shops and cafes on the weekend.
Fiona was a lovely, warm and helpful host who made us feel right at home. We enjoyed catching up at the morning animal-feeding sessions and then heading off on our daily adventures.
We had a beautiful time at Bellingen Farmstay and highly recommend it.
Francis - O’Brien Family, Brisbane, January 2015
O'Brien Family 2015
As we unpacked our bags into the comfortable cottage at Bellingen Farm Stay we discussed how soon we could come back for a longer holiday – this is the kind of place I could rest, read and recuperate for days on end. The reading material on offer immediately struck a chord with me and hinted at the mood of the place – ‘The Celebration of Abundance: A simple guide to discovering life’s treasures’. And indeed we have.
The kids fell in love with owner Fiona at first sight, Master Four running to give her a huge hug. Kids have a sense for these things. So we were more than happy to leave them in her capable hands while we snuck into Bellingen for date night.
Michelle Newman
Visiting Journalist
We all had a fabulous time. They boys loved being able to run and be free and we loved being able to relax and know they were safe and having fun without having to be constantly supervised. It was great being so close to Bellingen and the coast and still feel like we were in the "middle of nowhere". We'll definitely be back.
Challis Family
After driving for nearly 7 hours to get to Bellingen Farmstay all we can say is it was worth it. This amazing property has a beautiful energy that immediately relaxes the mind, body and spirit. As a couple needing to get away from it all for a few days this was the perfect place to unwind. Each morning we were greeted by the chickens at the front door and a beautiful juicy organic mandarin for morning tea. We spent the days visiting Bellingen, Coffs Harbour, the beach and Dorrigo National Park which are all within easy driving distances to be back for the afternoon when we would sit back with a cuppa and watch the sun settle behind the hills as the cows grazed below us and the birds flew around us .The self contained open plan cottage was perfect for us it was lovely and clean with no toxic chemical cleaning smells. Fiona greeted us on arrival and then left us to our own devices until our last night when she visited and said good bye. We have not and will not hesitate in recommending Bellingen Farmstay to our family and friends. You will wish you had discovered them sooner.
August 2013
Belinda & Greg
Hi Fiona
I wanted to say how much I enjoyed staying at your Farmstay. I was very upset to leave the farm and the animals. What I most enjoyed about the Farmstay was all the animals, being able to pat, feed and spend plenty of time with them. Such as 1. Mary the sheep, who every morning would wait patiently at the door for a slice of bread. 2. The Cows, when I called them they would come for their feed. 3. Dan the Horse, because he was very affectionate. 4. The Chooks because they gave me eggs. 5. The Guinea Pigs, because I could sit with them and have them on my lap and pat them. I also like being able to pick the fruit to eat whenever I wanted to. I also liked being in the wide open spaces and I can't wait to go back again.
31 August, 2013Laura Jones
9 years old, from Sydney
We have had an absolutely wonderfully relaxing holiday here at Bellingen "Family Fun Stay". It is beautiful - the accommodation very comfortable and has a great feel to the place. We thank Fiona, our host, who is very helpful and friendly and we appreciate the respect given for our privacy. We will definitely be recommending and hopefully coming back here to stay again. Greg, Joanne & Jessee.
Greg, Joanne & Jessee
