Inside Bangalow’s new luxury farm retreat with private pool, chef access
This hinterland retreat offers absolute seclusion and architectural glamour – and even the chickens are treated like royalty.
The last time I visited a farm, the “entertainment” was a cow being slaughtered, followed by the farmer’s wife preparing the tongue for a meal I knew I would never eat. With rain a relative stranger to Calliope in central Queensland, bath time involved a queue outside the bathroom door, with the cleanest getting first dibs on the bathwater while the filthiest went last. It gave me a lifelong appreciation for the resourcefulness and resilience of country people, and ensured a complete disassociation between the words “farm” and “holiday”.
How times have changed. Driving to Amaroo luxury retreat on a working farm at Bangalow, west of Byron Bay, it’s quickly apparent that rain is not in short supply, and anything as confronting as butchering takes place far from public view. Turning into the delightfully named Possum Creek Road, the only sign of hardship is the heavily potholed surface. A short distance along Cedarvale Road, we are met with an imposing steel gate requiring a code for entry. As the gate slides back it’s a bit like opening a portal to another much more glamorous world – one with exquisitely landscaped gardens, all manner of birds, perfectly maintained pathways and a breathtaking, hilltop Shaun Lockyer-designed mansion. It turns out the home belongs to owners Mike and Cathy Tomkins, who transformed a camphor laurel-riddled acreage into the wonderland it is today.
Amaroo is another 50m or so along the concrete driveway and about as far from that Calliope farmhouse as Jupiter. Mike directs us to one of three parking bays, and welcomes us into the property, explaining the gate needs to remain shut to keep out toads and wild dogs. We’re led inside the largest of five buildings; it comprises a living area, dining room and the sort of kitchen that could potentially transform me into Nigella Lawson. With slick grey benchtops, a glossy brick splashback and every appliance known to man, no recipe would be safe. The dark cabinetry and leather furniture has a western chic feel, and Mike explains how he and his dad made the central light feature out of a wooden beam and lightbulbs attached to ropes. It might sound rustic but the effect is striking. Cowhide rugs cover the timber floors, a large television adorns one wall, fresh eggs and a sourdough await on the bench, and a fireplace sits alongside a circular metal stand filled to the brim with chopped wood.
Screen doors open to a spacious verandah with an outdoor dining setting, handy to the barbecue and pizza oven. There’s a heated plunge pool in a glass-enclosed section of the deck, which overlooks the garden and firepit surrounded by log seats. There’s not a scrap of gyprock or any other synthetic material to be found, a fact of which Mike is very proud – it’s all timber, stone, glass and steel.
To the right of the main pavilion is a two-storey loft, styled in a similar high-end cowboy fashion with kitchen, bathroom and lounge on the first floor, and a bedroom on the second. The other three cabins are a short walk along the stone path, with each housing a cosy double bed, black-tiled bathroom and sitting area, plus a fireplace and bar fridge. The set-up seems perfect for those extended family gatherings where the ability to escape to your own space is as important as coming together.
Pets are welcome too, with the securely fenced estate providing plenty of room to run around, and beyond the gates guests (and pets) can wander along the paths or across the manicured lawns. Two bespoke “love swings” are the ideal perch to gently rock away an afternoon overlooking the rolling hills and grazing beef cattle while listening to the symphony of birdsong. And be sure to pay a visit to the free-range hens scratching and pecking their way around a palatial chicken coop where, according to Mike, they lay between 25 and 30 eggs a day.
Needless to say, there’s more than a few eggs consumed during our stay. Perhaps not quite up to Nigella standards, but scrambled with a pinch of salt on a slab of sourdough, they’re mighty fine. Mike has also provided some Byron Bay Co pizzas so we can try out the pizza oven, and for other supplies, it’s a three-minute drive to Bangalow town centre.
With a population of about 7000, we’re not expecting much, so are pleasantly surprised by the quirky collection of cafes, coffee shops, bakeries, hotels and gift stores. There’s even a Country Women’s Association shop with assorted items of crochet, needlepoint and knitwear, and a traders’ village made up of shipping containers converted into art galleries, jewellery shops and fashion outlets.
A FoodWorks supermarket has a range that could put the bigger chains to shame, with locally produced gourmet items, fresh fruit and vegetables, pre-made meals and salads, and baked goods – at reasonable prices. Not that grocery shopping is an activity guests of Amaroo usually indulge in; many send a “shopping list” prior to arrival in order to have the kitchen stocked and ready. Private chefs are also in high demand.
It’s all a very long way from Calliope, both in distance and experience, with extraordinary attention to detail. Robes and slippers are supplied in each cabin, there are flax linen sheets on the bed, and Mukti organic products in the bathrooms. With Byron Bay less than 20 minutes away, Mike has thoughtfully added an outdoor shower to rinse off and refresh upon return from the beach.
Perhaps the best bit is each booking is considered exclusive, regardless of whether a single cabin is reserved or the entire property. There is no risk of bumping into strangers in the main pavilion or poolside because each couple, family or group gets the whole pet-friendly estate to themselves. And there’s certainly no sharing of bathwater.
In the know
Amaroo Bangalow is at 47A Cedarvale Road, a two-hour drive from Brisbane, 20 minutes from Ballina-Byron Bay airport or 12 minutes from Byron Bay. From $850 a night for a one-bedroom cabin or $1700 for two cabins, rising to $2400 a night for access to all three cabins plus the loft. There is complimentary wi-fi, and wood for the fireplaces is provided.
amaroobangalow.com
Robyn Ironside was a guest of Amaroo Bangalow.
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