By Margaret Maccoll
Like moths to a light the quaint hinterland town of Kenilworth has become a haven for travellers who are drawn to its rolling hills, Conondale National Park walks, award-winning cheeses and multiple camping grounds.
When the tourist office spread the word there were requests flowing in from tourists for a farm experience, Lloyd and Barb Campbell answered the call, opening the gates of their Yabbaloumba Retreat for their inaugural Farm Day on Saturday 3 October with hopes of more to follow.
The property is hard to miss with it’s bright blue RUOK tree and massive metal ploughman sculpture and it’s hard not to be enchanted when you’re greeted by Barb and three week old Owen, the lamb, at her heels.
Having been abandoned by her mother Owen sleeps in the house, follows the humans and fails to recognise the other sheep as his family. He is one of an ever changing number of rescue animals on the farm.
In 2003 with no farming experience the couple left Mt Isa to buy a farm and retire in the Sunshine Coast hinterland.
Lloyd resigned his post at Campbells coaches and Barb quit running Indigenous training programs to buy their 200-acre property at Cambroon, about 10 minutes out of Kenilworth and settle into their homestead overlooking their land where Little Yabba Creek and Booloumba Creek converge.
The property farmed red claw yabbies when the Campbells bought it but they gutted the feeding ponds, stacked their dam with bass and acquired some sheep and beef cattle.
Barb said with drought conditions it was tough going so in 2010 they built half a dozen cabins to supplement the farm income and guests were keen to visit the picturesque farm.
When people requested weddings they built a wedding venue. Over the years their menagerie has grown to include geese, goats, a rescue long horn and a horse with alpacas and pigs soon to arrive.
Lloyd said with hand feeding the animals had become very friendly.
To prove his point he shouts, “sheep“ and on cue 20 or so black-faced sheep lift their heads and walk toward us with lambs in tow.
Barb hopes families will enjoy visiting the farm to see and feed the animals.
Lloyd has built a cart for children to ride and other activities are planned to entertain visitors on the day.
“There will be lawn games, face painting, a Platter Building Workshop with Grazing Acres at 10am and a Flower Arrangement Workshop with Yuraki Botanicals at 2pm and a pop-up lawn bar from 11.30am to 2.30pm, so there is something for everyone to enjoy,” Barb said.
The property has a COVID-Safe plan with event tickets only available online. Tickets are $15 for adults, $7 for kids up to 12-years-old or there are family passes (2 adults and up to 3 kids) for $45 and workshops are extra.Picnic lunches, morning or afternoon tea will also be available to pre-order online and available from the Barn Caf¨¦ on the day.Other farms days are planned for 17 October, 7 and 21 November and 5 and 19 December.
For more information or tickets for the event visit www.yabbaloumbaretreat.com.au.
