CARDIFF ALPACAS
Alpaca and llama stud Farm Cottage industry Gift shop Tea and lunch tours Llama trekking Camping
Visits
Please use this map to find us. The new road system on Harwood has not yet been mapped by Google or GPS providers.Do not follow your GPS as it will almost certainly get you lost!!
If you are coming from the north, please use the southbound exit lane from the M1 as shown on the map.
If you are coming from the south, you will need to exit the M1 at the Yamba interchange and then follow the signs for Harwood (Ballina), which will take you across the old bridge. Once you are on Harwood Island, turn right at the sign for the Sugar Refinery, as shown on the map.
We welcome groups from 2 to 48 people for tea tours and 4 to 32 for lunch tours. All tours are an integrated package which includes admission, farm and cottage industry tour and a meal.
****************** Please read this before contacting us ******************
We are caterers, not a drop-in venue. We open by appointment only. All bookings must be made in advance, as follows:
Tea tours (10.30am or 3pm)
Small groups (2 to 8 people): Three days prior. We may be able to fit you in at shorter notice, but there is no guarantee. We do, however, require a minimum 24 hours' notice.
Large groups (9 to 44 people): at least 7 days prior.
Lunch tours (12.30pm)
All groups: at least 7 days prior.
While we welcome all inquiries, we will only accept bookings for a specific number of people, so please do not request a booking until you know EXACTLY how many will be in your group. We charge according to group size (not per person).
Once a booking is confirmed, we will NOT accept alterations or make refunds. The full quoted amount will be charged, regardless of the number in attendance on the day of the visit.
Except where special arrangements have been made to have us invoice a group or organisation, ALL bookings must be pre-paid. We will not confirm a booking or reserve a timeslot until payment is received.
Our charges are amongst the lowest in the industry and we can only maintain this by strictly enforcing these booking rules.
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HOW TO BOOK1.
Contact us (preferably by email) and tell us the proposed date/time of your visit and the size of your group. You should also give us details of any children in the group and whether anyone has special dietary requirements.
2. If we have availability, we will quote you a total cost for the visit and advise you of how to pay using our secure online payment system.
3. Upon receipt of payment, we will confirm your booking.
IMPORTANT NOTES* Special dietary requirements (e.g. gluten free, vegan, lactose free) incur an additional fee of $10 per person per meal. Let us know the requirements for the group and this will be included in your quote.* We are a commercial farm with pre-planned work schedules. We are not available to greet unexpected visitors and do not accept same day bookings.* Please plan your visit so as to arrive within 10 minutes of our advertised tour starting time. We work to very tight schedules, which are seriously disrupted by very early or very late arrival.* All payment must be made as a lump sum.* During times of heavy demand (e.g. school and public holidays), it is advisable to book more than a week in advance for all tours.* In the event of extreme weather conditions, we will determine whether a tour should be cancelled, giving as much notice as possible. In such circumstances your booking fee will be refunded in full.WHAT DOES A TOUR INVOLVE?
* Talks on farm history and alpaca and llama husbandry.
* A 'meet and feed the animals' session with photo opportunities.
* A hands-on demonstration of fleece processing.
* A display of our cottage industry products (including alpaca fleece and yarn items and gourmet jams, jellies and chutneys) for inspection and purchase.
* Refreshments (as detailed below).
MORNING/AFTERNOON TEA MENU
Homemade Devonshire-style scones with jam and cream, with a selection from: homemade lamingtons, patty cakes, pecan slice or buns.
LUNCH MENU (choose one option for your group; individual choices are not available)
Option 1 (for large or small groups, 4 to 32 people):
Choice of hot soups and a bread roll, plus a selection of tasty sandwiches
Option 2 (for large or small groups, 4 to 32 people):
Cold chicken and seasoning, mini quiches and a selection of salads
Option 3 (for small groups, 4 to 8 people, only):
Hot home-made pizza with roast potato wedges and Greek salad
Option 4 (for small groups, 4 to 8 people, only):
Hot roast dinner (choose one only for the entire group: chicken or beef or lamb) with roast potato and pumpkin, gravy and seasonal vegetables
Option 5 (for small groups, 4 to 8 people, only):
Hot pie (choose one only for the entire group: chicken and asparagus or steak and mushroom) with roast potato and pumpkin, gravy and seasonal vegetables
*Trifle or home-made ice cream dessert, tea, coffee, and/or home-made squash served with all meals*
SPECIAL OCCASIONS
Looking for a peaceful, pleasant location for that special event, group outing, Christmas/birthday gettogether or family day? Let us do the catering while you picnic and party with the pacas! Call us.
CAMPING ON OUR PROPERTY
We have both powered and unpowered sites available to suit tent, motor home and caravan/trailer campers. Our regular tours are available to campers, along with evening meals, breakfasts and equipment hire. Please see our Camping page for further details.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: Why do I have to pay in advance?
A: Before we commit to the expense and time involved in catering for your tour, we expect some reciprocal commitment on your part.
Q: Will you issue a refund if some of my group do not turn up on the day?
A: Absolutely not! Our catering expenses are the same regardless of whether people turn up or not.
Q: Do you cater for all ages?
A: We welcome visitors of any age, but the full experience we offer is more suited to adults and older children (10+). We are a working farm, not a zoo or theme park. Our alpacas and llamas are friendly, but they are not pets. For safety reasons, we limit the number of young children (under 6) in any group to eight.
Q: Do you cater for people on special diets?
A: Yes. If you have special dietary requirements (e.g. vegetarian, vegan, gluten free), we will do our best to accommodate your needs, for a small extra charge. Please discuss this with us when booking.
Q: When is the best time of year to visit?
A: Although we welcome visitors all year round, we recommend autumn and winter months as the weather is more pleasant and the alpacas are more attractive in their cool weather fleece. February can be a particularly unpleasant month which we advise avoiding, if possible.
Q: Can I just turn up any time?
A: No. Visits are by appointment ONLY, and you must book at least 24 hours in advance. During busy holiday periods, in particular, we are often booked out weeks ahead.
Q: I booked my visit; why is your gate closed?
A: This is a livestock farm. If there are animals in the paddock the gate must be kept closed. A closed gate does not mean we are closed for business.
Q: What happens if it is raining on the day of my visit?
A: We have under-cover facilities for meals and most of the tour. In the event of very unfavourable conditions or heavy rain, we will contact you if it is necessary to cancel.
Q: Do you accept credit cards?
A: We can process cards via computer, but we prefer cash, cheque or bank transfer, as otherwise we have to charge you a 5% processing fee. We do not currently have an EFTPOS facility.
Q: Do you cater for people with disabilities?
A: Yes, we have a lot of disabled visitors. Our grounds and farm shop are wheelchair-friendly.
Are toilet facilities available?
Yes, at ground level. (Note: The toilet is not large enough to accommodate a wheelchair.)