Country folk of Cootamundra, Gundagai invite you to meet 'the farmily'

The farmers of Cootamundra and Gundagai, and all places in between, are now opening their farm gates and paddocks to the public in a bid to attract more visitors to the region, and educate people about life in the bush.

Fresh from winning a national award for the excellent way in which they’re embracing agritourism, Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council has introduced a new initiative called “Welcome to the Farmily”.

The Welcome to the Farmily campaign marks the final stage of the vast Cootamundra-Gundagai Agritourism Development Plan and invites city visitors out bush to explore the unique offerings of the region’s farming community.

Not just explore. People are being encouraged to unplug, unwind, and immerse themselves in the charm of the region where they will be embraced like family by the down-to-earth locals who eagerly open their doors to you, your family, and friends.

There’s no-one more down to earth than the local mayor Abb McAlister.

Abb, a former stock and station agent, has probably had more on-farm experiences than most and is one of the greatest champions of his region.

“It’s a beautiful region, very picturesque from the hills around Gundagai out to the flat country and also highly fertile, so it always looks good,” he said. “As far as I’m concerned there’s no better place for city people to come and see what farming life is all about.”

“We’ve got livestock and cropping, so from sheep and cattle to the canola and wheat crops, so there’s a lot to see,” he said, “and then we have the beautiful Tumut and Murrumbidgee rivers running through the country, so there’s something for everyone,” he said.

The mayor says the project emphasises community and personal connections, encouraging visitors to engage with rural life through immersive storytelling and hands-on experiences.

Highlighting a range of authentic rural experiences, from farm stays and tours to connecting with passionate local operators, featured providers include Hillview Farmstay, Tarrabandra Retreat, Highfield Farm and Woodland, Stockinpiggle Free Range Pastured Pork and Pig Stud, and Wallendbeen Park Farm.

Wallendbeen Park alone is home to free-range Berkshire cross pigs, Wiltipoll sheep, cattle and two very loved sheepdogs but their pastured produce is well known in the paddock to plate butcher market and in restaurants in Sydney.

Annie Jacobs and her partner Christoph Preussmann also run a private guest cottage which allows visitors to enjoy their own rural retreat which, by all reports, exceeds expectations of anyone escaping the big smoke.

Over in the hills of Gundagai, Tarrabandra Retreat – a 400-hectare working property – has been spruiked as the perfect getaway where you can cast a line into the Tumut River or introduce the grandchildren to the wonders of farm life.

About 26 km south down the Hume, history and education merge at Highfield Farm and Woodland; visitors can learn about the Wiradjuri culture, immerse themselves in the changing history of the property, which in the 1800s was part of a large squatters run called “Yabtree”, and stay in an off grid ecohut on the same spot that was once a stockman’s outpost.

An exemplar to leaving the rat race behind is found down the road from Highfield at Hillview Farmstay, where the legacy of the Webb family proved too appealing for one city couple, Jann and Peter New, who came to stay, and bought the place.

Today they’ve fully embraced the 1000 acres of farm life, with chickens, alpacas, sheep, lamb, cows, a few kangaroos and, anyone who comes to stay in one of their nine cottages and glamping might even be lucky enough to spot the resident wedge-tailed eagle.

The enchanting agritourism campaign concept was created for Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council by Wollongong-based Wisdom Creative Marketing Agency and engaged Wagga photographer Matt Beaver to capture the essence of the region.

Along with a website and social media campaigns, a billboard promoting local agritourism was installed on the northern side of Gundagai in late October, further boosting the region’s visibility and inviting more travellers to discover the vibrant, welcoming community.

Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council’s journey with agritourism development began in 2018 with a Rural Land Issues Paper identifying agritourism as a growth opportunity for the region.

In 2020, regional tourism development consultancy Tilma Group were contracted to develop an agritourism strategy for council and last week the council, in conjunction with Tilma Group, took out the 2024 National Economic Development Award (NEDA) for Excellence – Regions under 15,000.

The award recognised the initiative for driving sustainable growth and community prosperity in the region.