Escape to the country at Trevena Glen

Published 5:00am 4 June 2023

Words by Ashleigh Howarth

If you’re looking for an authentic farm experience where you can soak up the fresh country air, as well as cuddle and handfeed lots of adorable farmyard animals, Trevena Glen Farm at Mount Samson is the perfect destination.

Farmer Lindsay Rooke and his family welcome thousands of visitors each year who are keen to escape the concrete jungle and head to the countryside to experience farm life.

His 16-acre farm is home to 12 different kinds of animals including horses, sheep, goats, alpacas, llamas, donkeys, pigs, guinea fowl, chickens, turkeys, rabbits and guinea pigs.

“Families can come and spend time with the animals, see them in their natural environment and ask as many questions as they like so they can learn more about them,” Lindsay says.

“We try and keep it as authentic as possible to create a fun country experience for everyone.”

With so much to see and explore on the farm, it’s easy to get swept up and lose track of time.

Some of the unique experiences on offer include a guided tour of the farm, a tractor trailer ride, and the multi-level treehouse.

“It’s always fun to see the kids go ‘oh wow’ when they see the treehouse for the first time,” Lindsay says.

“Our staff always get lots of questions from excited kids about the treehouse because from that angle you can’t see the entrance.

“When we tell them to go around the back of the tree, they always make a beeline there.”

Other farm activities include horsemanship lessons and riding lessons, which are suitable for beginners or intermediate level riders.

“We start with horsemanship lessons which is where you get to learn all the basics such as grooming your horse, saddling your horse, catching and leading the horse and safe feeding practices for different types of food,” Lindsay explains.

“You will also learn basic riding skills whilst on a trail, so learning to steer, stop and start at a walk.

“The horse riding lessons are for those who want to physically develop their core strength and want to make horses a part of their lifelong pursuit."

Couples who are looking for new ideas to enjoy the outdoors will also be able to book a two or three-hour tour which includes refreshments and a scenic ride on one of the farm's horses.

In addition, the farm can also cater for birthday parties with a few furry guests.

“If you have ever wanted to have an alpaca at your birthday party, you can do that here,” Lindsay says.

Trevena Glen Farm is NDIS-certified and welcomes people of all abilities, with the farm wheelchair friendly.

“Each two-hour NDIS session is catered to the learning needs of the participant,” Lindsay says.

“We have been doing this for three years and we started it because my wife is a support worker and her mum was a special disability teacher, so it’s at the core of what we do.”