If you are ready to unwind, relax and recharge in a beautiful, intimate riverside setting, St Helena Dairy awaits.
Rescued from its former days as cow bales, now offering complete comfort and luxury. Immerse yourself in the outdoor bath underneath the Moreton Bay fig tree. Get cosy on the comfy lounges in front of the log fire. BBQ on the deck, or picnic on the hillside. Wander down to the river for a dip in the crisp water, or go adventuring in the National Park. Sorry No Pets.
The space
St Helena is nestled into the foothills of Barrington Tops with the National Park with all its wonders only a few kilometres down the road. The farm covers 150 acres of hillside paddocks and some native bushland. We are bordered on one side by the beautiful Allyn River with pockets of grassy, sunny riverbanks, shady rocky outcrops and lush rainforest.
St Helena River Retreat was born out of a labour of love of both Kerry and Paul (previous owners) to save two old farm buildings and a hope to be able to share this gorgeous part of the world with others. The Dairy and the Grain Shed have come back to life in a new way.
St Helena Dairy has everything you will need to enjoy either an intimate stay for two or a relaxing stay for four, with friends or family. The main bedroom hosts a queen bed, whilst the second bedroom, being one of the old milking bays, is quite small and cosily squeezes in a double bed. Our storage solution for the second bedroom is drawers in the end of the bed for your belongings, and a gas lift base to access under the bed to store bags etc. during your stay.
The kitchen is fully equipped with dishwasher, oven, hotplates, microwave and full size refrigerator. There is also a pod coffee machine, a nutribullet and all the kitchen basics for preparing your meals. The eating nook adjoins the kitchen and provides a great space for dining or playing games when you are not relaxing on the cosy leather lounges in the living room, in front of the television or the wood burning fire. Although we have no TV reception we do have a selection of DVD's, and satellite internet so you can stream you favourite shows through your own app.
The bathroom hosts a double vanity and large shower and opens onto the deck with access to the outdoor claw foot bath which sits beneath our magnificent Moreton Bay Fig and overlooks the old timber cattle yards. The deck also hosts your own private BBQ and outdoor dining area.
In the cooler months you may wish to enjoy your morning cuppa in the sunshine on the north facing patio.
Birdlife and wallabies are abundant here on the farm, so you can expect to see wallabies grazing outside your door, and perhaps see our local Wedgetail eagles. You may even be lucky enough to meet up with an echidna or platypus down by the river.
Due to this wildlife and our livestock we regrettably have a NOT PETS policy.
Guest access
Guests are welcome to explore the entire property, on foot, with the exception of the Farmhouse and the Sheds. We have well over a kilometre of river frontage to explore with access to a number of lovely spots to cool off in the water and also a couple of deeper swimming holes.
You may wish to take a walk up the hill to the dam and try your luck at catching some perch, or perhaps attempt some yabbying in the spring dam in the back valley. There are plenty of lovely picnic spots - high on the hill with views to the Barringtons, or you may prefer retreating to a quiet spot by the river.
When our citrus trees are in season, guests are also welcome to pick some fruit to enjoy whilst staying with us. Some fresh herbs from the garden can also be enjoyed by Guests.
Other things to note
We are aware that many families travel with their pets as they form part of their family, however due to the abundant wildlife and the livestock on our property we regrettably have a NO PETS policy.
Guests should bring all food and drinks with them as the nearest towns are approximately 40 minutes away. There are local grocery stores in both East Gresford and Dungog however they have shorter opening hours than their city counterparts, with East Gresford Foodworks closing at 6pm and 2pm on Sundays, and Loveys Grocers Dungog closing at 7pm each night.
We do provide some limited basic pantry items inlcuding some tea, coffee & coffee pods, however don't forget to bring your favourite nespresso compatible pods or your coffee beans for your plunger coffee when you are putting together your supplies.
We have fresh filtered and treated rainwater inside the cottages, Washhouse and BBQ area (perfect for drinking), however outside taps draw directly from the river and although the water is generally clear and fresh, we do not recommend it for drinking.
The Dairy and Grainery are in close proximity to each other so you may bump into other guests from time to time. However, you can be assured that there is plenty of space on the farm to have a wonderfully intimate experience if you desire. You can enjoy a private swim or picnic, explore along the riverbank, or enjoy a walk over the hills to the old orchard and spring dam. Perhaps you may prefer to stargaze by an outdoor fire beside the river instead.
For those who love shared experiences or those choose to come as a group, we also have a communal BBQ area, outdoor picnic table and a fire pit, all within the vicinity of the accommodation facilities. A fully equipped laundry and an additonal shower room and toilet are also available for shared guest use in "The Washhouse".
For small groups that book both St Helena Grainery and St Helena Dairy we are happy to make provision for additional guests, within the party, who may wish to bring their own caravan. We have provision for power for 2 vans at an additional cost and by private arrangement.
There is no mobile phone reception at Upper Allyn, however we have a booster antenna which provides Telstra service when you are in the vicinity of the Farmhouse. Occasionally you may receive some mobile reception from your accommodation driveway. Telstra 4G service can also be accessed if you wish to stroll up the hill past the shed. If you have any provider other than Telstra there is no mobile service in the area.
Both The Grainery and The Dairy do however offer satellite Wi-Fi. If you wish to make and receive calls whilst you are here, you can turn on Wi-Fi calling on your smartphone for use inside your accommodation.
Additionally, there is no Television reception, however we do have a selection of DVD's for you to choose from or you can sign in to your own Netflix or similar, or download your choice of movies before you come to enjoy whilst you are here.
Our riverside property is wonderful, however as we are situated between two causeways, there are times, in periods of heavy rain, that the crossings may be flooded, making them impassable. Unfortunately, although this is not common, it is a little bit unpredictable so there is a possiblity that you may not be able to access your accommodation here at St Helena River Retreat on your selected dates. Of course, if this was to happen, we would gladly reschedule you stay.
Registration details
Exempt
