Dunalan B&B at Wolseley: Ron Kandelaars visits the Mid North region of South Australia

During the football season, many South Australians plan a trip to Melbourne to see their favourite team battle it out on Victorian soil. And for many that means an eight to nine hour drive along the Dukes Highway.

But there is a very pleasant way to break the trip on a working farm at Wolseley near the SA/Vic border. Dunalan is a working sheep and cereal farm but there are also plenty of distractions. When we arrived, owner Jo Edward was feeding a recent addition to he open-air hospital ward - Kangaroo Jack.

“He’s an orphan we got from a fauna rescue place,” said Jo.

Visitors to Dunalan have the run of the place, which was built by a Scottish pioneer in the 1880s. Dun means castle in old Gaelic and so Dunalan is the castle built by James Alan who settled in the district near Bordertown after arriving by ship at Port Fairy about twenty years earlier.

Now fourth generation descendant, another James shows guests around the property. And if they're lucky, he’ll give a shearing demonstration after firing up an old Blackstone Engine to power the shears. It was shipped out from England when the shearers in the six stand shed moved from hand blades to something and little more powerful.

“I like giving demonstrations like this,” said James as he struggled with a sheep who obviously didn’t want to be shorn. “I’m more than happy to show people not just the history but also the commercial side of growing livestock.”

If you're heading to Melbourne why not break the trip and spend a day or two in the old shearer's quarters at Dunalan at Wolseley. The farm has warm and cosy accommodation for up to two families with pets.

Dunalan B&B
Wolseley
Dukes Highway via Bordertown
$120 per double
For bookings contact 8753 2323