Glenlyon Dam Holiday Cottage was the workman’s cottage at “Barelli Station” and was moved to Tilba Tilba in the late 1970’s. The cottage has been recently renovated using recycled or sustainable materials. It has a full kitchen/diner, 2 comfortable Bedrooms, both with sliding doors onto the Northern Verandah, a small cosy lounge room off a sheltered Southern Verandah and a bathroom/toilet. The Northern Verandah looks out onto a productive vegetable garden and further out to the lambing paddock. The cottage has everything you might need – just bring yourselves and some food. Basic items including tea, coffee, sugar, milk, jam, flour, eggs etc are in the pantry for your use. Please bring sensible shoes for walking / interacting with farm animals. We have plenty of books in the cottage and games for rainy days.
Fishing: A permit is required to fish out of the dam – https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/rsa/sips-dams-and-weirs/profile?dam=glenlyon-dam
The cottage is situated adjacent to the Main Homestead which overlooks the upper reaches of the Glenlyon Dam.
Due to the amount of wildlife on the road between Stanthorpe and Glenlyon it is advised to arrive before sunset. This will help you avoid damage to the wildlife and damage to your vehicle!
Judy Barnet – A Kiwi by birth my passion is farming and helping preserve Australia’s Rare Breeds of Domestic Livestock. I also love gardening and volunteering at the Highfields Pioneer Village.
Richie Gibbings – Born in Millmerran Richie is a Diesel Fitter/Motor Mechanic with a passion for vintage motorbikes and making model engines.
The Tilba Tilba home was also carved off the Glenlyon Homestead and moved to this site in early 1965 and converted into the present day homestead by Doug Walker and his English wife Sherry. They lived there until the little school [by the front gate] closed in 1979. Scotchie Walker with his wife, Pepie then lived in the homestead until early1989. On the loss of his wife, Scott Walker Senior swapped houses with Scotchie and his family. In 2000 Scott senior moved to Condamine, to live with his daughter Vicky and son-in-law Gordon Mundell. On the sale of his property next door, McLeod Lodge, Douglas and his wife Sandra moved from McLeod Lodge to Tilba Tilba, where In late 2000, they lived in retirement until September 2014, when they sold to Judy Barnet.
The original Glenlyon property was first selected by Archibald Garden[-Campbell] [Born 1820 in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.] and registered on the 7th July 1840 at Armidale. He had seven assigned convicts, and at the time this was the most northerly settled property in the New England District of New South Wales. The northern property boundary of Glenlyon in 1843 became the southern boundary of the Darling Downs District. Archibald named the station after his father’s ancestral home in Scotland, Glenlyon.
He established his hut and yards adjacent to the Glenlyon caves, about the middle of the property at that time.
Read more on the history of Glenlyon Station - Click Here
Dick had had a long association with Glenlyon having come to work as the horse tailer about 1902 as a lad. He enlisted when World War 1 broke out and was wounded in France and on discharge came back to Glenlyon, met and in May 1919 married Margaret Elizabeth Shepherd and drew a soldier settlement block at Amiens, and became an Orchardist. When WW2 broke out he again enlisted and spent the war at Townsville on garrison duty. His wife sold the farm and moved the family to Southport. After the war, unable to get work at Southport he returned to Glenlyon as a Station Hand. Over the years many of the Walker family spent many happy days and nights camping out with Dickie, being taught many bush skills. He enjoyed his retirement with his horses and dogs, helping with the stock when needed, shooting roo’s and trapping rabbits and growing Tomato seedlings for the Stanthorpe farmers.
Another hut set a little way back from the house was once the kitchen on the Barelli Cottage. It was the first workers hut built at Barelli. It was later extended and the Farm Cottage was built in front of it in the 1930’s. It was situated where the Cattle yards are on the right side of the Glenlyon Dam road about 2km past the Glenlyon bridge. Both were moved to their present positions by Scotchie Walker early 1970’s
The country is open woodland on undulating traprock country and there are some wonderful views and sunsets to be seen from the hill up above the homestead or a drive up Brockhampton Road and in through the double gates on the corner of our property. This is a great spot for a picnic too.
The farm is home to several breeds of rare sheep including English Leicester, Shropshire, Dorset Horn and Dorset Down. We also breed heritage Southdown Sheep. We have 4 lovely Alpacas to guard the sheep. Originally home to Black Beauty Large Black Pig Stud, these days we only rear a few pigs for our own consumption but you may see some very rare Tamworth’s, Wessex Saddleback and Large Black Pigs from time to time. We also run a few head of Shorthorn Cattle. We have a small herd of goats, an Anglo Nubian and Saneen for milking plus some cross breeds. Poultry include Araucana’s (they lay blue eggs) Australorp Bantams, Modern Game and Guinea Fowl.
Springtime is an absolutely amazing time to visit the farm you can watch the baby lambs from the cottage Verandah, gambolling in the lambing paddock, you may even see some ewes giving birth.
Over 150 species of birds have been recorded in the area over the years by the Walker family at Glenlyon and by the Sundown Park Rangers. From Emus, White Breasted Sea Eagles, Pelicans and all the water birds, to Blue Fairy Wrens, Rosellas, Choughs, Happy Families, and many others which come and go depending on the season. How many can you spot? There are two different species of Crows living at Tilba Tilba. Spot the difference!
Author and Artist, Kathleen McArthur painted some of the Glenlyon wildflowers in her book Looking at Australian Wildflowers. ISBN 0-86417-050-5-
With favourable seasonable weather conditions, there are usually a display of wildflowers to be found by the naturalist. They are Early Nancies, Billy Buttons, Harebells, Goodenias, Darling Pea, Bulbine Lilies, Wahlenbergia glabra, and the Golden Everlasting Daisy. This Daisy was introduced from Australia to the United Kingdom in 1799 where it became very popular and was given the more glamorous name of Immortelle and was used in making funeral wreaths. Native Orchids can be found in the trees and they flower in the spring. Butterflies can be seen at different times of the year.
When the Wisteria (by back gate) is flowering in the Spring, many of the Native Bee species can be seen harvesting away.
The trees on the hill are Silver leaf Iron bark, there are some Apple trees, Yellow Box and Wattle scattered about.
There is frontage to the Glenlyon Dam, and when the dam is over 50% full we have a boat ramp where you can launch your boat, go fishing (permit required), and explore Glenlyon Dam. At Low tide go exploring the creek bed – you may find some deer antlers and snagged fishing lures. Bush walking, bird spotting, looking for Deer, Echidna and Emus. Goannas and Cunningham Skink Lizards can be found living on the farm.
At night sit around the Camp fire/ Fire pit down near the creek and watch the stars and roast your marshmallows. Or Spotlight and photograph the wildlife, Opossums, Brushtail Wallabies, Wallaroos and Owls and the other nocturnal animals.
There is a seam of Conglomerate rock containing ancient fossils. In the paddock closest to the Glenlyon woolshed. Red jasper can be found in the creekbed at low tide. Picnics at the creek/dam or on the hill watching a glorious sunset. Finding Horse Shoes (check out our amazing Horse Shoe sculpture (by Lottie & Tom) made entirely from horse shoes found on the property). On weekends you may be able to learn to milk the goat – depending on the time of year. Feeding the sheep and sometimes feeding orphan lambs. Collecting Eggs for your own breakfast!
22km from the Tilba Tilba – turn right onto the Glenlyon Dam Road. The dam has boats for hire, picnic areas and a small café. There are a couple of lookouts and if you follow the road, over the dam wall, all the way, you will end up in Texas and can complete the loop home. Please note some of this road is dirt but is suitable for all cars. The loop will take you approximately 1.5 – 2 hours.
Turn left off the Glenlyon Dam road, on the way to the Dam.
35km from Tilba Tilba – turn left onto Glenlyon Dam Road then left onto the Texas Stanthorpe Road. Texas has 2 Supermarkets, a few cafes, a pub, service stations (Fords Service Station on the road towards Inglewood just out of Texas. It has Ford Memorabilia and has a great café). There is also a Rabbit Museum at Texas.
67km from Tilba Tilba – turn left onto Glenlyon Dam Road and then right onto the Stanthorpe Texas Road. Stanthorpe is a town with many Tourist Facilities including Wineries , Orchards, National Parks, Jam and Cheese factories.
83 Km from Tilba Tilba. Home of the Tenterfield Saddler. Travel to Tenterfield not permissible at present due to COVID19 Border Closures.
