High on the mountain
Relax, unwind and get close to nature in this idyllic location
MINUTES after arriving, almost on cue, the peacock opens its feathers, putting on a stunning display in the setting sun. Welcome to Tweeters Country Getaway, a short drive from the Bunya Mountains, where our boys are roughing in a tent for the night.
We wanted to be close to them, just in case, but wanted a little luxury and some shelter from the cold nights. We stumbled upon Tweeters Country Getaway on Airbnb and decided to give it a go.
Our hosts Peter and Thuy could not have been more welcoming as we took a look at their magnificent nearly 30ha natural bushland property on the New England Hwy between Crows Nest and Cooyar.
The land is home to more than 120 bird species and a picturesque 85m deep gorge.
Peter worked tirelessly, first clearing a homesite, and overseeing the construction of a farm stay which allows large families, wedding and function guests to stay in the same place.
The property’s “neighbours” include the Ravensbourne, Crows Nest, The Palms and Bunya Mountains national parks as well as
We had no power and water to start off with so we did it pretty tough until we renovated the old house, which gave us a base to live in...
Cressbrook, Perserverance and Cooby lakes.
There’s also horse riding on offer at Cowboy Up, two wineries, arts and crafts shops and an historical village.
It was almost like an outback experience but just two hours from Brisbane.
The story of the property’s development is fascinating, especially as Peter and Thuy relayed it over our home-cooked evening meal.
When they bought the block it was completely overgrown with pest weeds such as lantana, while termites had badly eaten the old house that had not been lived in for decades.
“Thuy, being from Vietnam, was very apprehensive at the start with the isolation and quietness of the Aussie bush which she found a bit terrifying to begin with,” Peter said.
But the peacefulness and interaction with nature slowly
overcame any reservations she had with her move to the country.
“We had no power and water to start off with so we did it pretty tough until we renovated the old house, which gave us a base to live in while we organised the buildings, had the power connected and lastly, very fortunately for us, we had a bore drilled and hit good water at our first try,” Peter said.
“Water is everything in the country and due to our location, no town water services are available so it was essential for us to find underground water otherwise we would not have been able to operate our retreat.
“Our philosophy was to provide a unique farmstay experience with resort-style accommodation.”
The homestay opened for guests in September, last year. The huge common loungeroom included comfortable recliners which were well-located near the bar.
Peter and Thuy have also catered for senior members of the family with wide concrete walkways for those in wheelchairs.
You can even bring the family dog with a secure kennel facility available. Tweeters would make a beautiful location for weddings and functions, with a signing table established overlooking the valley and mountain ranges to the north.