Gerringong, NSW: where the coast meets the country
This luxurious beach retreat occupies a special slice of rural paradise.
Diversification may be a buzzword in agriculture but Adam and Fiona Walmsley seem to have turned it into an extreme sport. Buena Vista Farm, their compact organic operation outside Gerringong on the NSW south coast, is home to chickens, pigs, cattle, goats, ducks, bees and guineafowl. There’s a grove of coffee bushes laden with beans, and an avocado orchard in the works where the market garden once was. The goats are milked once a day to produce fetta, an alpine cheese called tomme and whipped herbed chevre, plus the couple makes a whole-egg custard that is to die for, sourdough, kimchi and fermented drink kefir, to sell at farmers’ markets.
Before COVID struck, they were conducting cooking and barista classes on site. Having performed a pandemic pivot, they are now offering tours of the 7ha farm, which has been in Fiona’s family since her great-great-grandfather snapped up a land parcel from pioneer settler Alexander Berry in 1859. Oh, and somewhere in among all that the Walmsleys are raising three children.
Yet they seem completely relaxed about their busy lives, which, during my tour in August, are about to get a whole lot busier. The swollen bellies of the goats — Fiona’s “spirit animal” — can only mean one thing. Soon, the lush green paddocks will be the playground of dozens of gambolling kids, so Adam is rushing to install fences to contain them. The mums-to-be nibble on my boots and bump me gently as Adam and I chat, taking in the spectacular views down to the coast.
It’s been a dramatic couple of weeks for the region, which has been swamped by more than 470mm of rain in the two weeks prior to my visit. On the drive down from Sydney, my companion and I stop just after the Sea Cliff Bridge to watch the wild swell roll in. As we turn off the highway to our accommodation at luxury holiday home Ocean Farm, just north of Gerringong, the clouds are clearing and the late afternoon light paints a golden glow over broad fields dotted with Friesian cows. It seems somewhat incongruous for the heifers to be grazing within earshot of the waves; they reside in a special kind of bovine paradise.
The sprawling raw-timber house stands in splendid isolation on the 130ha working farm above a bay that on this day is a roiling mass of foam whipped up by the weather. A brilliant blue-tiled infinity pool is positioned to soak up coastal panoramas. It’s far too cold to consider a dip, but in the open-plan living area, wide window seats and comfy couches afford the same views, safely out of the elements. First order of business is the fireplace, a huge cast-iron beast by French brand Cheminees Philippe. It is neatly stacked, Jenga-style, with kindling, a basket of hardwood beside it, and is soon radiating an astonishing amount of heat.
Designed in 1983 by renowned architect Espie Dodds, Ocean Farm is owned by Drew and Amy Burrell, who inherited it from Drew’s parents. It’s clear the place was built with easy living the priority. It invites you to gather the extended family or a group of friends and make yourself languorously at home. The secluded master suite is at the opposite end from three king bedrooms, one of which can be turned into a twin. In a loft above the secondary accommodation pavilion is a teenager’s dream retreat, decked out with couches, a large flat-screen TV, foosball and ping pong tables, and bean bags the size of small planets. The kitchen is fully equipped with quality appliances, including an elaborate ECM espresso machine from Heidelberg that wouldn’t look out of place among the inner workings of a submarine. It comes with a warning (“Be careful — the ECM means business”) and guests are advised to search for operating instructions on YouTube. For the unqualified, there’s a less intimidating Nespresso option.
We browse the bookshelves, which are stacked with the usual Le Carre and Colleen McCullough interspersed with antique Bernard Shaw and Joseph Conrad, plus a couple of special-interest rural tomes on Australian grasses and woolsheds. Every now and then, the Gerringong-Kiama train pops out of the tunnel down below, skirts the bay and disappears again into the hillside. It’s as though we are giants surveying a model train set at work. We play tunes on the Bose sound system and sip bubbles by the fire but we can’t stay indoors forever. There’s the trail to the headland to explore, and two resident horses to tempt with a carrot. Plus, we have a date with local resident Caroline Bloomfield, whose designer barn is where a special kind of alchemy takes place.
The former Sydneysider was staying at Ocean Farm one weekend when she and her husband found a block of land just outside Gerringong. They began building a holiday house, which morphed into their permanent home, and Bloomfield now runs workshops at the adjacent Willowvale Road Candles, a chic monochrome space strung with pretty lights and hanging plants. We swoon over scents such as plum pudding, cinnamon buns, and suede and musky vetiver, measuring and mixing to create candles, tea lights and a reed diffuser. There’s pink fizz to fuel the creative juices and sweet treats from nearby Willow Hill Cakes. It’s a thoroughly enjoyable experience and we are discovering that at Gerringong’s heart is a close-knit community where everyone seems to know, and support, one another.
We are welcomed back to Ocean Farm by the two equine gatekeepers, who poke their velvety noses into our car, perhaps sniffing out our wax creations. The cows are lowing in the twilight as we light the fire and settle in to stare out to sea. Farm and ocean — it’s an idyllic combination.
In the know
Ocean Farm is 1 ½ hours’ drive from Sydney or five minutes from Gerringong. It sleeps up to 12; from $1100 a night.
Buena Vista Farm’s two-hour tours run between 10am to 2pm, bookings essential; $35 an adult.
Willowvale Road Candles has three-hour candle and diffuser making workshops; $150 an adult, including refreshments. Most 2020 events are sold out.
More to the story
Casual dining on the south coast
Diggies Kiama, which opened just before Christmas last year, is a short stroll from the holiday town’s famous blowhole. It has a bright and breezy interior and is a top pick for breakfast and coffee. Try the croquettes with smoked salmon, poached eggs and hollandaise sauce.
Earth Walker & Co in Coledale has a lovely natural aesthetic, decorated with bouquets of dried palms, cotton sprigs, wicker lampshades and hay bales. It’s a good coffee stop on the drive from Sydney and sells an array of goods ranging from locally made granola to handwoven baskets.
With its polished concrete floors, the Hill Bar & Kitchen in Gerringong has an industrial vibe and offers stunning views of Werri Beach. Burgers and pizza are staples but the Clyde River oysters are a burst of ocean freshness, and diners with a sweet tooth will love the Oreo Dome dessert.
thehillbarandkitchengerringong.com
Located in the heart of town, Gerringong Cafe and Deli is open for breakfast and lunch. Locals in the know recommend the Mexican brekky burrito with chorizo and pico de gallo; the Vietnamese crispy pork bowl is a
sweet-sour hit, too.
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Penny Hunter was a guest of Ocean Farm and Destination NSW.
