Wellness, But Make It Real: How Kenzell Farm Brings Balance Back

Wellness. It’s one of those words that gets tossed around a lot—usually alongside yoga mats, green smoothies, and a slightly smug glow. But real wellness isn’t about ticking off a to-do list of “shoulds.” It’s about balance, connection, and finding joy in the little things. At Kenzell Farm, wellness is woven into everyday life—muddy boots, animal cuddles, creekside stillness, and all.

What Does Wellness Really Mean?

Wellness goes beyond exercise or diet—it’s a full circle of physical, mental, emotional, and social wellbeing. It’s:

• Breathing deeper in wide-open spaces

• Sharing laughter with family or friends

• Eating food that feels good for the body and soul

• Letting nature slow you down

It doesn’t have to be complicated, expensive, or picture-perfect. Sometimes, wellness looks like feeding a goat with your kids, walking through a cool forest, or sitting by a campfire under a star-packed sky.

How Kenzell Farm Does Wellness Differently

🌿 Nature Connection

Set on the western edge of the Blue Mountains, Kenzell Farm is a place where the world slows down. Our forest walks, creekside picnics, and star-lit skies offer a natural reset button you won’t find in the city.

🐐 Animal Therapy (The Kenzell Way)

Science says animals lower stress. We say: watch a miniature donkey lean in for a scratch, and you’ll believe it. From brushing alpacas to bottle-feeding lambs, our menagerie is wellness with four legs and a sense of humour.

🥕 Farm-to-Body Nourishment

Our veggie garden, paddock-to-plate meals, and cheeky high teas with the crew are all about slowing down, tasting the seasons, and reconnecting with food at its source.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Shared Experiences

Wellness isn’t just solo meditation—it’s belly laughs around a campfire, family adventures on the farm, and friends reconnecting away from screens.

🧘 Wellness Experiences & Retreats

Whether it’s forest bathing, farm-based yoga, or pairing your stay with a dip in the Japanese baths nearby, we’ve built wellness into experiences that refresh and restore in a truly hands-on way.

Why It Matters

In a world that’s always on, Kenzell Farm reminds you to switch off. Wellness here is real, messy, joyful, and shared—with animals, with nature, and with the people you love most.

Ready to Reset?

Swap the daily grind for gumboots, fresh mountain air, and a dose of farm-style wellbeing.

👉 Book your Kenzell Farm experience today and discover wellness—done the real way.

🚗 Travelling Safely to Oberon in the Snow

Snow forecast? Here’s how to get to Kenzell Farm without drama (or frostbite).

There’s nothing quite like seeing Oberon blanketed in snow—trees dusted white, paddocks sparkling, and families squealing as they build their first snowman. But before you race off with your toboggan in tow, here are some essential tips for getting to Kenzell Farm safely and smoothly when the weather turns frosty.

❄️ Check the Forecast First (and Often)

Oberon sits over 1100m above sea level, and Kenzell Farm is even higher—so yes, snow really does fall here, sometimes fast and unexpectedly.

Before you travel:

• Visit bom.gov.au for up-to-date Oberon forecasts

• Use Live Traffic NSW to check for road closures or warnings

• Follow Visit Oberon or the Oberon Council page for local snow updates and detours

❗️Cold snaps can make roads icy even without snowfall. If it’s below zero overnight, assume it’s slippery out there.

🛣️ Best Routes to Take

Coming from Sydney, you’ve got a few options. Here’s how they stack up in snow:

✅ Via Bathurst (A32 > O'Connell Road)

• Sealed, lower-altitude, and rarely closes.

• Slightly longer, but the safest bet in snowy conditions.

⚠️ Duckmaloi Road from Hampton or Jenolan

• Scenic and direct—but higher and often closed during snow or ice events.

• Only take this if the weather’s clear and roads have been checked.

🚫 Jenolan Caves Road is frequently closed or icy in winter—best avoided when snow is expected.

🧳 What to Pack in the Car

This isn’t just a Sunday drive. If snow’s forecast, be extra prepared:

• ✅ Full tank of fuel

• ✅ Warm blankets

• ✅ Torch, phone charger, first aid kit

• ✅ Water & snacks (you’d be surprised how grumpy people get when delayed and hungry)

• ✅ Snow chains (if heading toward Kanangra or Shooters Hill)

• ✅ Shovel or scraper if snow is already falling

🚙 Drive Like a Tortoise, Not a hare.

We love a road trip as much as anyone, but take it slow when the temperature drops:

• Leave extra space between cars

• Brake gently

• Avoid sudden turns or hills unless you're sure it’s clear

• If in doubt—stop, wait it out, or message us for local advice

☕ Final Tips from the Paddock

• Travel early in the day (before it gets too cold or dark)

• Avoid night driving if the temp is dropping

• Don’t rely solely on GPS—some shortcuts are not snow-safe!

The snow is beautiful, but safety is everything. We want your holiday to start with marshmallows, not mishaps.

Safe travels, warm car seats, and see you at the farm—hot chocolate’s on standby!
– Jacqui & the Kenzell crew ❄️🐾

🧳 Packing for a Farmstay with Kids in winter (Without Bringing the Kitchen Sink)

Tips for tackling the great outdoors – and the great indoors – at Kenzell Farm this winter

So, you’ve booked your winter farmstay in beautiful Oberon (excellent choice!) and now you’re standing in front of an open suitcase wondering: How many gumboots is too many? Spoiler alert: there’s no such thing.

Let us help. We’re not just here for the goats and the giggles—we’re here to make sure your stay at Kenzell Farm is cosy, muddy, memorable, and not filled with mid-trip meltdowns over cold fingers or wet socks.

Here’s your real-deal packing guide, written by someone who’s seen a lot of families turn up in thongs... in June. (Bless.)

Families rugged up and smiling as they enjoy snow play and hands-on animal encounters at Kenzell Farm in Oberon, NSW. Kids patting alpacas and meeting camels in the snow—an unforgettable winter farmstay experience in the Central Tablelands.

🧣 1. Layers. Then More Layers.

Oberon is alpine country. That means it’s often colder here than Jindabyne. True story: our farm sits higher than the Snowy Mountains township. So yes, it gets cold—but that’s part of the magic!

Even though the farmhouse is heated, it’s not tank-top weather indoors, and definitely not out in the paddocks. Think thermals, fleece, jumpers, waterproof outer layers, and beanies that stay on even when the kids are mid-sprint after a goat.

🧤 Kenzell tip: Gloves aren’t optional. And no, fingerless gloves don’t count. We said what we said.

👢 2. The Right Shoes (Your Slippers Will Not Survive)

You’ll need two types of footwear:BOOK NOW

• Waterproof gumboots for animal feeding, puddle jumping, and general farmyard fun.

• Warm shoes or boots for walking into town, around Mayfield Garden, or to the local bakery when someone’s hangry.

👟 We’ve seen more than one city sneaker give up in our muddy fields. Don’t be that parent.

🧼 4. Farm-Ready Clothes (aka Stuff That Can Get Grubby)

This is not a fashion show. It’s a mud-and-memories playground. Pack:

• At least two changes of play clothes per day

• Waterproof pants or overalls for small adventurers

• Clothes that can handle hay, goat nibbles, and accidental puddle sitting

🐐 Goats don’t care if your hoodie’s designer. Neither do we.

⛺️ 5. Expectation Management (for Parents & Kids)

Here’s the secret to a great winter farmstay: come prepared, and come curious.

Yes, it might rain. Yes, the wind might howl while you’re milking a cow. Yes, your kid might fall in a puddle five minutes after you told them not to. That’s not a disaster—that’s a story.

🎉 The mud will wash off. The memories? They’ll stick.

🛏 Bonus: What You Don’t Need

❌ You don’t need to bring toys, screens or tablets. Nature’s got that sorted.
❌ No need for fancy coats – functionality wins over fashion out here.
❌ And leave the perfume – the goats already smell better than city traffic.

👣 Ready to Rug Up and Roam?

Come as you are. Just be prepared—with boots, layers, and a flexible spirit. Winter at Kenzell Farm is a chance to slow down, get messy, and reconnect—no powerpoints needed (unless it’s for the heated blanket).

📍Book your stay, pack smart, and we’ll see you—with gumboots on and arms open.

❄️ Winter Wonders: Cosy Family Fun in Oberon & Beyond ❄️

Because cold toes, rosy cheeks and muddy boots make the best memories.

Looking for the kind of winter that feels like winter? You’ve just found it. Oberon delivers the goods in all its crisp, misty glory—and it’s got “unplugged family adventure” written all over it. Think roaring fires, muddy puddles, surprise snowfalls and outdoor exploring that actually feels epic.

Whether you’re wrangling a crew of mini explorers or escaping the city with your thermals and sense of humour, here’s our pick of the best things to do in Oberon and surrounds this winter.

The school winter holidays might be over and Oberon has already enjoyed a couple of magical snow dustings, but winter is far from done – there’s lots of fun to be had in our frosty patch of the Central Tablelands.

Snowy Adventures & Natural Wonders

Snow covers the landscape at Black Springs and Kenzell Farm, both high points (obver 1300m) near Oberon often graced with winter magic. Winter transforms the Oberon high country into a playground for snow lovers. Parts of inland NSW have already seen their first snowfalls of the season, including in the Oberon district. Locals fondly dub the town “Snowberon” when a heavy snowfall turns the streets white. It’s not unusual to get 3–4 decent snowfalls each winter around Oberon, sometimes with snow lingering for days on the high plateaus. Families from all over (including eager Sydneysiders) flock to the area for a chance to build a snowman or toss a snowball.

To make the most of a snow day, keep these tips in mind:

• Watch the Weather: Check the Bureau of Meteorology’s forecasts for Oberon. visitoberon.com – it will show if snow is likely, even down to ~800m elevation on the Central Tablelands in cold outbreaks.

• Live Snow Cams: Peek at live webcams in Oberon and nearby Black Springs to see conditions in real time visitoberon.com. If you spot the Main Street or the Black Springs reserve coated in white, it’s time to grab the kids and go!

• Road Safety: Always check road conditions via Oberon Council updates if it’s a declared “snow day”visitoberon.com. Some roads can close in heavy snow, and it’s best to drive cautiously (or delay travel) if ice is about.

  🧤 Snow Safety 101: Cold Is... Cold

  We know the idea of snow sounds magical (and it is!), but here’s your official friendly reminder: snow is wet, snow is cold, and standing in it in sneakers is a quick ticket to grumpy kids and soggy socks.

  ✔️ Dress in layers
  ✔️ Waterproof boots are your new best friends
  ✔️ Don’t forget beanies, gloves, and warm jackets
  ✔️ Bring a change of clothes (or three) for little adventurers who dive face-first into snowbanks

❄️ The goal isn’t to look good—it’s to feel your fingers by the time the snowman is done.

So, I’ve Decided to Start a Blog...

Here goes another adventure (or at least another paddock full of stories).

Welcome to the very first blog from Kenzell Farm, our little slice of rural heaven perched on the western edge of the Blue Mountains near Oberon, NSW.

If you’ve landed here, chances are you’re dreaming of a country escape—think farm stays, camping under the stars, and up-close animal encounters. Or maybe you're just here for the alpacas (we don’t blame you).

This blog is where I’ll share what we’re up to on the farm, seasonal tips, behind-the-scenes antics, and everything that makes Kenzell Farm a unique getaway for families, groups, and curious adventurers. It’s a way to connect, share some knowledge, and hopefully help you plan your next unforgettable visit.

Whether you're booking a stay in the homestead, bringing the caravan for a weekend of bushy bliss, or popping by for one of our hands-on farm tours, you're part of the Kenzell story now—and I’m so glad you’re here.Let’s make some memories (and maybe get a little muddy while we’re at it).

Little girl in bright raincoat and gumboots joyfully splashing in farm mud, fully prepared for a winter visit to Kenzell Farm in Oberon, NSW. Family-friendly, hands-on, nature-based fun in the high country.

— Jacqui 🐐