Bestbrook Mountain Resort

The rooms had cooking facilities, but we couldn't find dishwashing liquid or a sponge. Getting to the dwarf caves also took longer than expected because the map and directions for the short hike weren't clear. We enjoyed feeding the animals and the brief cow milking, about 10 seconds each, then watched the calves drink. Most of the other activities felt aimed at little kids and were more demonstrations than hands-on. For example, with the butter churning we only got to turn the handle a few times. We're city adults who didn't grow up around animals and wanted to try a farm stay, but this suited younger children better.

By the end of the four nights, my son was catching guinea pigs and chickens himself and even tasting the cow's milk. He used to be very scared of animals, so seeing his confidence grow was lovely. We came back to Bestbrooke for the second year running, stayed on a powered site, and made it to all eight animal feeding sessions we could attend. The kids were sad when there weren't any more. The team know their stuff, are genuinely great with children, and patiently answer questions. We barely left the site this time, just popped out to Warwick for the bike track and got back for the 2:30 feeding, of course. Older kids might not want every feeding, so a shorter stay could be enough. Little ones will love meeting each animal, choosing favourites and collecting a fresh egg. They won't get enough. We have a 6yo and a 4yo, and we're already talking about making this our yearly holiday while they're little.

There are plenty of stairs and gravel slopes around the site, so it may not suit everyone. The staff make a real effort to offer the farm experience during reasonable hours, from 8:30am to 3:30pm, and they're friendly. It's kid-friendly and suitable for trained dogs. It is pricey, though I felt the upkeep and the number of staff on hand justified the cost. We'll be back, Bestbrook Team!

The kids had a great time with the activities, and the food was delicious. The drive from Brisbane was beautiful too. Bestbrook has a rustic charm, but what makes us want to return is the friendly, old-fashioned country service and all the smiles. For a wholesome farm stay with the family, it's hard to beat. We'd recommend a long weekend in one of the rustic country cottages around the estate.