 Greetings from the staff of McLeod Eco Farm.
Experience an unforgettable part of Australia's ecological and cultural history, only 65Km from Melbourne!
Your visit to McLeod Farm will allow you to:
- Travel back in time to French Island, the largest island in Westernport Bay, where you won't find any sealed roads, power poles, shopping centres, or general hustle and bustle of the city.
- Submerge yourself within one of only a few accommodation sites anywhere in the world that is located entirely within a National Park.
- See the world's largest disease-free koala population, several nationally-protected rare and endangered animals and plants, and Australia's Southern-most mangrove-filled wetlands.
- Imagine as you sit inside one of the original cells what it would have been like to be locked up in French Island's famous historical prison.
- Visit the only place on Earth (right on our farm) where a particular kind of green-hooded orchid grows in its natural habitat.
- Eat gourmet organic meals prepared by our fantastic
chefs from ingredients grown right here on our farm.
- Entertain your kids for hours as they feed our pigs and collect eggs from our chickens.
- Sleep in comfortable and affordable accommodation.
- Go Star-gazing with Astro on French(bookings essential)
- Purchase delicious organic produce from our farm and garden (subject to
season)
- Come Wwoof with us! Work four to five hours a day for your bed & board. Wwoofer guidelines are
here.
McLeod was built as a prison farm and operated as a jail between 1916 and 1975. Between 1977 and 1985 it was a Life - Be In It
children's camp operated by the Victorian Government, entertaining and educating many thousands of students. In December
1995 it was bought by Next Generation International. Since then we have steadily been growing a working organic farm as a
showcase for farmers who have the potential and desire to convert their properties to more profitable and sustainable farms.
After extensive renovation, McLeod Eco Farm opened its doors in November 1997, offering a unique organic farm-stay
experience, where no man-made Herbicides, pesticides or insecticides were used at any point during the farms' production
process. Read more about our philosophy here.
McLeod Eco Farm is 222 hectares (555 acres) and is completely
surrounded by French Island's 11,100-hectare National Park.
Our facilities can sleep up to 156 people, with two different
types of accommodation available: Our carpeted and cosy
2-person bunkrooms (31 rooms), or in our comfortable guesthouse
accommodation. The guesthouse sleeps up to 30 with three
double rooms, four twins and four 4-bed bunk rooms (some
with bay views). It contains a large lounge with open fireplace,
a veranda, dining room and full commercial kitchen (also
our self-catering kitchen). while all rooms use shared
amenities, the guesthouse is available as self-contained
private accommodation with personal toilets and showers
for small groups and couples. Winter visitors
should also note that our rooms are not heated, hot water
bottles are provided as well as extra bedding. In the middle
of the old accomodation is our Recreation Hall. It houses
a dance floor, a stage and two breakout/workshop areas
that
are very well suited to any group size.
La Tavern du Naturaliste, our newly named restaurant
in honour of French Island's 200 year anniversary. Serves
breakfast,
lunch and dinner daily, as part of your accommodation package
or to self-catered guests on Saturday and Sundays. Le
Naturaliste was one of the discovery ships sent out by
France on October
18, 1800 on Nicolas-Thomas Boudin's scientific expedition
and it seems only fitting to highlight the natural aspect
of our farm and in fact all of French Island.
Our farm is especially well suited for large groups such as schools and clubs desiring many outdoor, educational and interesting nature-based activities, as well as those couples and families just wanting to 'get away from it all'.
McLeod is ideally located for fishing, bush walking, scenic cycling, bird watching, swimming: at our secluded beach or our fresh water dam, playing a round of golf on our organic 9-hole course, football or cricket on our full size oval or just for soaking up the ambience.
Our farm is quiet and secluded, and it's the perfect place
to put up your feet and relax, let nature be your entertainment
for the day. We hire all equipment needed. Tours of French
Island and Westernport Bay can also be easily arranged (bookings
essential).
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