Top End charm with wallabies, ponies & a bull called Nigel
Photo credits - Brooke Meredith (except the Bull photo)
At Mount Bundy there's heaps to keep kids occupied! Most kids love a farm, right? And here you'll find cute free ranging miniature ponies, wandering peacocks, guinea fowl and more. In the mornings and early evenings wallabies graze, and being a working property there are cows, horses and a much loved friendly bull called Nigel.
This relaxed and friendly spot is just over an hour down the track from Darwin, and owners Sue and Scott and their lovely staff are really accommodating and always happy to help. There's a range of accommodation options to suit everyone from camping to the old station managers house, and the refreshing pool is a hit with kids. The Cheeky Bull Bar has a great vibe and they serve up homemade pizzas. There's also a campfire next to the bar which is perfect for marshmallow toasting.Â
Jacinta, a local Darwin mum and her gorgeous family stayed here recently with friends. Here's what she had to say.
Thanks heaps Jacinta!Â
A chat with Jacinta
Can you tell us about Mt Bundy?
We visited Mount Bundy Station in May 2017. We spent three nights. The first night it was just our family. The following nights our friends came out - in total there were 6 adults, 5 kids (aged between 1 and 9 years). We stayed in our camper trailer, though they do offer a few different style cabins. The caravan sites were lovely and green.
Photo credit: left - Hotels.com, right - Brooke Meredith
Why do you think it rocks for families?
There's plenty of room for the kids to (safely) run, lots of animals for them to see, pat and feed as well as a pool. Mount Bundy really ticks all the boxes. I never new a "relaxing" family holiday existed until we visited. There is so much to do but it just has such a chilled out vibe.Â
What made it really special & unique?Â
An hour from our home in Darwin made it a quick trip - which is always a win with littles. The caretakers, Anne Marie and Shelly really made our stay. They were so helpful and friendly, they made us feel right at home. The area was green and lush with a wonderful relaxing atmosphere. It's a short drive to Robin Falls, which is a nice day trip.
Photo credit: left - Bedroom Villas, right - Mount Bundy
Style notes
We loved the rustic bar area. The history about the station displayed on the walls was worth the read.
Who would it suit?
Although Mount Bundy is far from luxury, it would suit almost all families. Large, small, young or old would all enjoy their time out there.
What else do we need to know?Â
The pool is not fenced, we never found this to be a problem as we stayed a short walk away from the pool but if you have toddlers that run away frequently you might want to keep it in mind. There is also a billabong which kids could access so be aware of that. The showers and toilets were fine during the day, but the toads congregating were quite bad of a night.
Photo credit: left - Colleen Cameron, right - Pat Allen
Can you tell us a little bit about you?
We have two daughters, 3 and 1. We moved from Queensland to the Northern Territory a little over a year ago. Since we have been here we have travelled to Litchfield, Kakadu, Pine Creek and Katherine. We love getting out and exploring as much as we can, it really is such a beautiful country we live in.
Here is a special little movie of Jacinta's stay at  Mount Bundy -  I love it!Â
Thanks so much Jacinta!
The LowdownÂ
Stay
Camping
There are powered and non-powered camping sites. It can get really busy in the Dry Season and on long weekends - so arrive early for the pick of the camping spots.Â
Cabins
If you don't want to camp there's Cooks Cottage, the Stockman's Quarters (basic shared accommodation) or the larger Billabong House - but you need to book well in advance. The Billabong house is great for a group of families as there's heaps of rooms with all different configurations.
Make sure you check out the Mount Bundy website for all the details about camping and other accommodation and the Trip Advisor reviews so you know what to expect.Â
Photo credit: left - Hotel R Net, right - Mount Bundy
Stuff to doÂ
It's a good idea to bring the kids' bikes as well.Â
Adelaide River is really close if you need extra supplies or want have dinner at the pub. Robin Falls, a favourite swimming spot of many locals is a hop, ski and jump away. Litchfield National Park and Douglas Daly Hot Springs are close - by Territory standards! ​
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Credit: Finn Propper Flickr CC
Make sure you check out the Mount Bundy website for all the details about tours, pizza nights, live music and other services and facilities operating during the Wet and Dry Season
Thanks Sue and Scott for giving me some feedback on the draft and also to Brooke Meredith for letting me use some of her beautiful photos and her insightful information about Mount Bundy, and to friends Alex, Amy, Lisa and Lian for letting me pick their brains on their stay at Mount Bundy.
Libby Larsen - Growing up Troppo
Growing up Troppo provides honest travel advice tips and inspiration from parents about special and unique places to stay, play and eat with kids that parents love too! Travel is and has always been, Libby's passion and she believes this shouldn't stop when you have kids. Libby writes a monthly column for Off The Leash - the Darwin Entertainment Guide and is the Northern Territory "Experience Expert" for Experience Oz + NZ.Â
