Echo Farm owners Linda and Bruce Hay pull up stumps after two years of Covid-19 restrictions

Cute animals, an eco-friendly home and lots of pats. This little farm is on the market as Covid-19 forces its owners to shut the gate on their retirementment dreams.

Owners of a beloved petting farm will pull up stumps after two and half years of Covid-19 left them drained and depleted.

Linda and Bruce Hay “fell in love” with the Mount Gambier farm in 2016 when visiting and a year later, just before Christmas, made it their home.

Originally set up as a pioneer museum in 2007, the couple spent four years increasing the number of adopted animals and adding an eco-friendly home.

Mrs Hay said they had an eight-year plan to help her husband move towards retirement.

“We bought the farm before Bruce turned 60 and our plan was that we would get it up and running in the first couple of years,” Mrs Hay said.

“Then we could semi-retire here.”

Mrs Hay said “after treading water for so long due to Covid restrictions” she was sapped of energy and ready to sell the business.

After two years of "treading water" Linda Hay is burnt out and is looking to hand the baton of her beloved farm onto a new owner. Picture: Arj Ganesan

“The first couple of years went fine — we were on track and then Covid hit and we’re back to where we started.”

Mrs Hay said the farm was profitable despite Covid restrictions having devastating impact on the business and effectively stalling its “momentum”.

“We were on a roll — when you’re on a roll and you get stopped, it’s hard to take off again,” Mrs Hay said.

“We absolutely adore living and working here — we love sharing our backyard with visitors.

“Covid has just made us tired.

“We’re just putting it out there to see if someone else wants to pick up the baton and take over from us.”

The pair will be sad to leave the farm, having formed a strong bond to both the property and the animals.

“We’ve adopted most of the animals —we’d like to take them with us, but they won’t fit in a backyard,” Mrs Hay said.

Linda Hay feeding Red the cow at Echo Farm. Picture: Arj Ganesan

Mrs Hay said it was similar to having young kids again, with Red the cow running up to the fence whenever they came home.

“It’s a bit like when you have two or three-year-olds — only they’re a bit bigger,” she said.

Ray White Mount Gambier is handling the sale, describing the property as a “dream come true for the right couple or family wanting to invest in their future”.

The property has sparked interest both locally and interstate with expressions of interest open until May.

Mr and Mrs Hay will remain in Mount Gambier after the sale, with plans for impromptu visits to Adelaide and Western Australia to see their sons.

Echo Farm still operating normally will be operating as normal and will be open most days over the Easter school holiday.