Greenstone Catholic Church turned short-term accommodation offers a quiet refuge for travellers. Photo: Visit Yass Valley.
Australian villages and country towns have a charm and character that is hard to replicate. There’s something about small towns that encourages you to slow down and take it easy.
Most Australians live in cities, and more and more are seeking quiet escapes where they can reconnect with the beauty of the countryside. One such town is Bookham, 20 minutes from Yass and a little over an hour from Canberra.
It’s just off the Hume Highway, so it’s a perfect spot for travellers to rest for a while, and with a growing list of attractions, it’s quickly becoming a destination itself.
One of the big draws is the town’s natural beauty. Winding rivers and creeks, bush wildlife, ghostly gums, forested hills and bushwalks make Bookham an alluring town, if a quiet and understated one.
Joseph Germano reckons his farm has the best access to that scenery. His farm hosts glamping and camping, and with 2 km of Murrumbidgee river frontage and Ponds Mountain on the property, his boasting is understandable.
“The farm has been in the family for a long time, and we wanted to share it. It’s just such a beautiful part of the world,” he says.
The family property, named Jarabin, has options for more traditional camping, where visitors can bring their own tents, or glamping, which is more of a wellness and health-centred stay in a luxury tent with a bathroom, kitchen, and outdoor bath. Owners Joseph Germano and Benjamin Arabin invite people to stay, relax, and breathe the fresh air.
“We offer camping by the river with all the modern amenities in our luxe-tents. It’s a bush retreat but with the modern comforts, and it’s all off-the-grid with sustainable power and water,” Joseph says.
The farm is operational too, utilising regenerative farming to use the land sustainably. Jarabin is home to a herd of black Angus beef cows, and they make a comforting sight roaming the fields.
“Paddock to Plate is how we phrase it. Cut out the middlemen and the supermarkets and buy right from producers. If guests want, they can even get a package of great quality beef in their tent fridge waiting for them, and there’s a barbecue available at the tents,” Joseph says.
“Our focus is on wellness, and great food is a part of that, but we also have yoga mats and essential oils for a more holistic approach to health. But our best resource is the natural space.
“A lot of people from Sydney and Canberra come here for a digital detox. They swim, they use the tent kayak and go on the river, they go for long walks, and they use the telescope to see the stars because there’s no light pollution out here. The wildlife is very special too; we stock a birdwatching book in the tent, and people spot wallabies, wombats, kangaroos and even platypus,” Joseph says.
Guests can relax, wander or spend a vigorous few days in the great outdoors – Jarabin allows for it all.
“Everyone is enamoured by the silence and the picturesque views. It’s a great refuge. Sydney-siders and Canberrans come here to switch off and just listen to the birds.”
Jarabin isn’t far from town either.
A 15 km drive will take you into Bookham proper, where you can stop at Barney’s Cafe for a bite to eat and a cup of tea. Looking at their menu, you may start getting nostalgic for pre-pandemic prices. If you live in a city, it’s hard to imagine getting a full meal for less than $30, but Barney’s is proving it’s still doable, and there’s a homemade wholesomeness to country cafes that is hard to beat.
The architectural centre of the town is the Old Bookham Catholic Church, a beautiful greenstone building with stunning masonry that may remind keen-eyed observers of the St Peter and Paul Cathedral in Goulburn. It’s a gorgeous little building, recently converted into an Airbnb, allowing travellers and weekend holiday-makers to stay somewhere special. It has an alfresco dining area, original timberwork and floors, and the breakfast/dining nook is where the altar once was, underneath a beautiful stained glass window depicting Christ at Calvary.
Nearby Lake Burrinjuck is a great spot for outdoorsy people. Camping, cabin stays, or day trips are all on the cards for fishers, hikers, canoers and swimmers to come and enjoy. Burrinjuck Waters Holiday Park on the banks of the lake provides great access to the water and a panoramic view of the hills on the other side of the lake.
For those looking for more private water access, Gables Riverside Retreat is an elevated farm stay almost literally on the banks of the Murrumbidgee River. With a rustic country-NSW-meets-Provence style, the farm has a grill, an outdoor dining area, a fire pit, a patio and a kayak, so visitors can make best use of the river frontage.
Bookham is just 20 minutes from Yass, a larger country town with historic buildings, boutique wineries and shops, cafes and bakeries.
Thyme to Taste on the main drag is one of the best spots for great coffee and food, and its sister business Thyme to Taste Emporium functions as a deli and specialty bottleshop. It’s a great little shop that gives locals and tourists alike a taste of the Southern Tablelands, where breweries, wineries, and farmers spend years honing their craft.
Clementine Bakery is the town’s favourite spot for fresh bread and pastries, and it is open from Thursday through to Sunday.
When visiting anywhere, it’s best to go where the locals go.
Another spot to look for is Trader and Co, offering great cafe-style food with a lunch menu focused on hearty, filling food that doesn’t break the bank.
Once visitors are full and buzzing from a coffee, they tend to wander around the town and often gravitate towards one of Yass’s best buildings. The Yass Valley Anglican Church, St Clement’s, is a classic example of Anglican architecture. It was designed by famous colonial architect Edmund Blacket, with a prominent tower topped with a spire that faces the street and an understated design language that speaks for itself. Inside, it’s a calming, subdued space. Anglican churches do so well in inducing a sense of silent contemplation with neutral tones and the silence that comes with thick stone walls.
History and heritage are a point of pride for any country town, and Yass is no exception. The locomotive history of the town is told through the town’s Railway Museum, with a 1307 steam engine that served Yass for nearly a century, historic conductors’ uniforms and carriage cabins. It’s a great celebration of Yass’s history.
For boutique shopping and homewares, Merchant Campbell on Comur Street has locally and internationally sourced handmade ceramics, tableware, basketry, garden pieces, clothing and furniture. Their unique pieces focus on artisan-made products with a strong emphasis on design and ethical and sustainable production.
Looking to start your Yass adventure? Check out Visit Yass Valley for more information.
Original Article published by John Murtagh on Region Canberra.
