Guest Reviews

Want an amazing Australian experience? I highly recomment going to Yarrabin! I can't stop going back. The owners and staff are amazing and make you feel like you are coming home, scrumptious food and plenty of it, just relax by the fireplace or in the spa, go for a ride on one of the amazing Yarrabin horses on trails winding through the beautiful Australian bush lots of native animals to see on the way. Help with the ranch work or just totally chill out all up to you. – Lynne Mitchell, from Bateman’s Bay, Australia via TripAdvisor

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Yarrabin is an enjoyable weekend alternative. It is a 3-4 hr drive from Sydney or Canberra. The attraction is horse-riding in a rural environment. The property has sheep & cattle not to mention countless kangaroos. Accommodation is cabin style with en-suite, most have a balcony. Wholesome (plentiful) meals are provided. BYO drinks. There's a pub at nearby O'Connell about 6km by road for those who need to stock up.

But it's horse-riding that most come for. At the A.O. (Adults Only) weekends there are 2 rides per day of approximately 1-1/2 to 2-1/2hr duration. Each ride is different - thru' the forest, out to old mines, open paddocks, lookouts, even a bit of sheep/cattle mustering.

There are around 24 horses in the Yarrabin mob of different breeds. All rides are accompanied by several experienced wranglers who assist & advise on the riders techniques etc. All riding abilities are catered for. An enjoyable weekend alternative for people who need their horsey fix or others wanting to try. Will come back again

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"Incredible location with beautiful scenery! The horses are always amazing, very comfortable and lovely to handle! I have been visiting Yarrabin for over 17 years, and it brings so much joy and relaxation as a wonderful country escape! 100% reliable, trustworthy staff and horses followed by delicious meals - fantastic value for money!" – Rach Horsley, from Sydney, Australia via TripAdvisor

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Yarrabin is my go-to horse riding destination. I have been coming for 20 years. I started going when I was very little, went through Kids Camps as a young teenager and now as an adult, I continue to come back! My family and I love this place, the facilities are great, the food amazing and the horse riding even better! – Harriet Allan, from Sydney Australia via TripAdvisor

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Gorgeous, Fun and Relazing! It’s a lovely drive into the mountains. If you are heading that way, stop in Leura, even if just to stretch your legs. It’s a quaint little town with a main street dotted with shops, cafes and restaurants. We popped into Leura Gourmet for lunch. They have a beautiful view of the mountains from the dining room and it’s casual with kid and adult friendly food. Before we got back into the car we were sure to procure the most important item, a couple bottles of wine. Can’t leave that to chance.

Our destination was Yarrabin, a 2,500 acre wonder in the Australian bush. Trail riding, gold panning, feeding lambs, horses and chickens, hanging in the game room playing ping pong, air hockey or board games. In the summer tennis and swimming are options. The place is rustic and simple. The food is hearty, plentiful and tasty. The horses are well cared for and stately, beautiful animals. You’ll see Lorikeets and the Crimson Rosellas feeding.

After nearly ten years of living on different continents, there I was, catching up with my friend in the evening with a glass of wine in front of the wood burning fire while the kids were off doing….whatever 9, 10, 11 and 12 year-olds do.

We had the place to ourselves. It was magical.

And she was right. There were wild kangaroos and wallaby jumping around out there!

TIP: Go for the horseback riding, if that's what you want to do, whether novice or experienced rider. You can walkabout in the woods, but the riding is the main attraction here.

TIP: You really need a GPS to find this place. We had a bit of trouble and ended up using Google Maps to get us out of our jam!

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All you could wish for! Yarrabin is a wonderful place, I am going back as soon as I can. Welcoming people, great accommodation (including very popular pool). Horses all in very good condition, a wide range and obvious effort to match horse and rider. Rides were also interesting, well organised and great fun. Thanks to all at Yarrabin for a fantastic weekend!

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A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of staying at Yarrabin for one of their Adults Only (aka “Kid Free”) weekends, with a couple of extra days added on. I was quite nervous as this was my first visit and I’d had some unpleasant experiences with other horse riding holidays/establishments over the years, resulting in some bad falls and resulting injuries. I need not have worried - the owner Annie does a fantastic job running Yarrabin and together with her daughter Jess, ensures the rides are run in a safe and enjoyable manner with horses to suit all levels of riders. I was teamed up with the gentle, calm and steady Blaze - a wonderful confidence-giver and the perfect horse for me. We rode morning and afternoon along bush trails and though beautiful rolling countryside - experienced riders were able to have regular canters and those less experienced (or nervous, like me!) were advised and encouraged along the way so everyone was able to go at a pace they were comfortable with. 

As well as the main guest lounge area, there’s also a TV room and huge games room, and access to these is available 24/7. The weather was a little cold to use the swimming pool but the heated spa came in very handy after a day’s riding for soothing those aching muscles! In the mornings, you can help bring the horses in, or just have a lazy lie-in until breakfast time. In the afternoon, heading off in the ute to help feed the horses in their huge night paddock was great fun as well. 

The accommodation is clean and comfortable, all rooms have ensuites, electric blankets and airconditioning (heating and cooling), as well as plenty of drawer and hanging space so you can unpack and really feel at home! The food was great, and very filling, and there’s always biscuits and cakes available for those who need a snack! You are able to make yourself a cup of tea, coffee or hot chocolate at any time of the day or night in the guest lounge, and there are also tea/coffee making facilities in the rooms.

Annie, Jess and their wonderful staff made me very welcome and I haven’t been so relaxed on a holiday in years - but who wouldn’t be relaxed in this beautiful and peaceful setting? I was very envious of the other weekend guests (all from Sydney) who could jump in their car and be at Yarrabin in just a few hours. So was it worth the long trip from Perth? Absolutely, and I will definitely be back for a return visit.

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Yarrabin is a wonderful location for kids horse camps close to Bathurst, NSW. It was the 3rd visit for our daughter on the school holiday horse camps. There always seems to be a good mixture of kids who love horse riding or want to learn how to ride. Food is good home cooking and plentiful.
Trails are scenic and the gymkhana is a highlight. My daughter would highly recommend the kids camps

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Wow, a safe place for the kids to free range wild, surrounded by open forest, dogs, horses, sheep, koalas, cats, chickens etc etc etc, the staff are brilliant the owner is very hands on with all clients and a variety of horses for different skill levels, very warm and friendly and a relaxing welcome kid free break with the kids around, highly recommended and financially is brilliant value for money

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Well I'm not used to much less than 5/4.5 star accommodation (call me a princess), but I must admit I was extremely impressed with this farm stay!

What stood out for me was the hospitality (Annie and her family) and home cooked meals plus the amount of things the kids could do (if we had them with us). Including collecting the eggs, grooming the horses, playing chess on the big outdoor chess board, snooker, table tennis or just good old fashioned TV. I also loved the smell of the dinning area, it was like hickory from the open fire place.

Oh and I forgot to mention the horse riding…it was well organised and very safety focused. They coordinated the riders so there were different groups of experienced and less experienced, that way the more experienced riders didn't miss out. I was impressed how they stopped half way through the ride to check all the rigging and make adjustments as needed, plus the three leaders on our ride all had walkie talkies to ensure they knew what each group was doing. A lot of care and attention went into the ride. The ride itself was amazing, we saw wallabies, kangaroos and some great landscapes. My partner…who is not the best of riders…even experienced a canter, which I really wanted him to. I'm sure he will pay for it tomorrow.

I would absolutely recommend this farm stay, it's an experience you need to have. Just be sure to check your car before you leave, as we nearly left with the addition of one of the friendly farm cat :)