After
one hour and thirty minutes drive from the city, if you didn't get
lost or your gps has been perfectly giving you directions, you
can reach Watkins Family Farm. Located at Laughtondale, the place
cannot be reach using public transport and some roads could be steep
or narrow, a bit challenging honestly. However, if you want to escape
the city buildings and loves experiencing new things, this could be a
must in your adventure list.
On
your way there, you could enjoy the beautiful scenery that the
Hawkesburry River could offer. Aside from that, there are heaps of
farm lands and beautiful houses that you thought could only be seen
on television. One particular farm house that I could vividly
remember was the one which was elevated from the ground and was
made of wood and glass. It looks very sophisticated and classy but
with warm touch of nature. It was located very close to the
river too. It must be lovely to spend a night there, too bad I was
not able to take a photo.
The
farm has over 2000 fruit trees, which means there is plenty of fresh
mandarins for everyone! There is no entrance fee but an adult visitor
must have an empty bucket upon entering in which will be used for
fruit picking. It cost us $7.50 per bucket at the time when we
went there.
There
are plenty of tables and chairs near entrance where people can have
their lunch or afternoon tea. I would recommend that you should
bring food of your own as the farm does not sell any. Another
downside would be the toilets. If you want to open you bladder, you
have to queue in a very long line as the number of toilets could
not suffice the number of visitors.
In
conclusion, I would still recommend this activity. A countryside
activity such as fruit picking, which is far different from the
hustle and bustle life in the city, is always a great family
and friends bonding.
