Moorlands Farmstay

We recently had a great farm stay experience we would like to share. On a trip to north Queensland we had a night with the Reynolds family at Oakey, about 1 hrs drive from Toowoomba. Due to a power pole collapse at Laurette Reynolds Moorlands Homestead we spent the night over the road with Judy and Roy Reynolds at Rosalie Plains Homestead. Moorlands Farmstay at Rosalie Plains Station combines two cattle farms and one family. At one time this station was one of the largest on the Darling Downs. We arrived shortly after an adult family of five from Singapore and after a pot of tea and a slab of cake on the sunny verandah we were all taken to a neighbouring property at milking time. I must say those lovely black and white cows (Friesians) are HUGE when you stand right next to them! It was a family run dairy and, having just won a major prize for farm management in Queensland, it was fascinating. We learnt how many litres of milk per day you get from a cow, the life expectancy, the breeding procedure and so much more. The Singaporeans were just as engaged as we were. With the sun setting and the temperature plummeting we headed back to the homestead for pre dinner drinks. Dinner was served with all the splendour of a bygone era; engraved family silverware, crystal glasses and Villory and Bosch dinnerware. Ten of us seated very comfortable around a huge timber table eating sucking pig with all the trimmings and Lauretta or Ret as she prefers to be called (the 88 year old family matriarch) sharing stories of a life we were all so unexposed to. All three hosts involving all guests as if we had grown up together made this one of those nights you just do not want to leave the table from. True conversation with entertaining, gracious hosts, great food and free flowing wine before retiring to the fire side for more of the same. Who needs a television! As we drove away the following day we felt blessed as we had shared a real insight to Australia and Australian life that as city dwellers we are so ignorant of it was a truly memorable experience, one we will seek to repeat.