We brought our two little ones to the Blue Mountains in 2014 to soak ourselves up in the beautiful sceneries. The trip was so memorable that #1, who was just four years old then, still pleasantly recalls some of the trip’s details. That includes the Duckmaloi Farm in which we stayed in for four nights and our little trekking adventures down the mountain which I am going to share with you here.
If you are looking for some fresh air in the countryside, you may like this place.
The Blue Mountains
The Blue Mountain is one of the top destinations that you should visit if you are going to the New South Wales region in Australia, especially if you are a nature loving person.
It is about two hours drive west of the city of Sydney and is best reached and explored by car. You can also get there by train and on a coach tour. While the most famous sight in the Blue Mountain is the Three Sisters, there are also sceneries that are worth your time driving and trekking.
For us, with two little ones who were only 3 and 4½ years old then, we choose short adventures which are safe and manageable for them.
The Duckmaloi Farm
The Duckmaloi Farm is located in the Blue Mountains. It is approximately another 30 minutes after Katoomba if you are driving in from Sydney.
We wanted to spend some time immersing ourselves in nature and be away from the crowds for a couple of days. Katoomba is a great and convenient location, but it is crowded. We wanted something else to create unforgettable memories for ourselves and the little ones, so we found ourselves an accommodation that was not only child-friendly but also interesting to them.
There are only two self-contained cottages in the Duckmaloi farm. Each cottage is equipped with a wood burning slow combustion stove which is a necessity as Blue Mountain experiences snow in the winter. One bedroom contains a queen bed while the other has a bunk bed that sleeps up to 3 people.
Other features include a fully equipped kitchen, TV/DVD, electric blankets and heater in each room, and linen/ towels/blankets.
This was the cottage we stayed in. In front of us was nothing, but stunning mountain views.
Our Review of the Establishment
It was a cosy place. As at four years ago, the facilities were clean and tidy when we arrived. The bedsheets and bathrooms were clean, and the well-kept kitchen was equipped with necessary supplies such as coffee, sugar, salt and oil. Do get an updated review from someone else as a lot may have changed during the last four years.
Although the Duckmaloi Farm was a 30 minutes drive away from Katoomba, it did not cause us too much inconvenience as we only planned to go there once. Instead, we explored other places nearby including Oberon where we got most of our grocery supplies for preparing dinner every night. By the way, Australia’s farm produces are fresh and delicious, meat cuts are enormous and juicy, value for money.
We observed several kangaroos roaming along the hill in the early mornings and evening while seated on the sofa.
Our highlights in the farm were the interactions we had with the animals and pets. We spent two cold mornings feeding the horses, donkeys, cattle, pig, rabbits, chickens and ducks. The children were so excited about the feeding that they pleaded us to buy a few bags of carrots at the local supermarket so that they had an unlimited supply of food for their new-found friends which ate non-stop. There was also a small playground with a trampoline where we bounced and somersaulted.
A word of caution. Anything more than a 2-day stay in the Blue Mountains is not for anyone who does not like stillness. There is nothing there except nature. The nearby townships in Oberon and Katoomba do not have a great selection of shops for shopping other than for daily necessity, bakeries and coffee places. We returned to our accommodation at about 5 pm every night and kept ourselves inside the cottage. The owners advised us of animals such as snakes and foxes lurking outside the lodge after the sun set. Thus we chose to stay warm and cosy inside our lodge.
The temperature in the mountains dropped significantly at night to roughly 10°C in the night even though we were there in November, and went up to about 30°C in the noon.
Contact
Contact the farm here to know more. I have no affiliation with the farm; we just like the place.
Recollections of Our Mini Adventures in the Blue Mountains
Kanangra-Boyd Plateau
It was a more or less a 1-hour drive from Oberon, including a 30-minute drive we endured on a 25km rocky dirt road which was very much achievable if we had rented a 4WD instead. The views at the Kanangra Walls were spectacular. As we took a 15-minute walked towards the edge of the unguarded cliffs, we saw the escarpment that went deep down into the valley.
We had the option to walk down a series of very steep stairs to reach the Kalang Waterfall. However, considering the two little ones we brought along with us, we did not take the risk to venture downwards.
The Three Sisters from the Echo Point
The Three Sisters is one of the Blue Mountains’ most spectacular landmarks which attracts millions of people each year. It is essentially an unusual rock formation representing three sisters who according to Aboriginal legend were turned to stone.
Standing above 3,000 feet above sea level, the sunlight and passing seasons bring out different characters of the Three Sisters.
The Echo Point lookout where most visitors and coaches gather. We saw the Three Sisters and headed towards the Giant Staircase.
The Giant Stairway
Although #2 was only three years old then, I was impressed by her ability to manoeuvre down the entire flight of staircases. She didn’t need for me to carry her down at all! Slow and steady, we managed to complete the descent and headed to the Scenic World. This is where we bought our souvenirs and tickets for the Scenic Railway and the cable cars to bring us back to the Echo Point.
The Scenic Railway
The Scenic Railway has a 52-degree incline and is the steepest passenger railway in the world. The 310-metre descending riding through a cliff-side tunnel brought us to the rainforest at the Jamison Valley floor.
Skyway Cable Car across the valley
The following links may be helpful for your research if you are considering to explore the Blue Mountains:-
My favourite Rough Guide on the Blue Mountains Region;
Things to do in the Blue Mountains*;
Destinations from New South Wales
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