Kestrel Nest EcoHut

26/06/2026

We won! We do not know who nominated us, who ever did, thank you!

Kestrel Nest EcoHut has won the Excellence in Innovation Award at the Gundagai Business Awards tonight, and we are delighted.

Our innovation was to seek DarkSky Approved Lodging certification for our stay - an Australian first.

DarkSky International certified reserves, parks, communities and lodgings are growing. There are now 9 certified places across Australia, all working to minimise light pollution and protect the dark for our wildlife.

We are so delighted to add this award to our collection.

Thank you to Cootamundra Gundagai Regional Council for organising the awards, thank you to our category sponsor and congratulations to the other finalists.

08/06/2026

Thank goodness.It is about time.This EU legislation WILL have an impact here in Australia, limiting the overuse and under verified eco claims that endless stays make.

Ever wondered at the veracity of those stays that claim an eco status? Well, you've been right to question.

And finally, this EU legislation will start to sort the pretenders from those certified and verified.

There are tens of stays that call themselves 'eco' something with no certification at all.

We are not one of them.

I cannot wait for this legislation to have an impact here.

It will mean that our claims are finally elevated above the wannabees and pretenders.

Let's go!

A guide to the Empowering Consumers Directive for Australian tourism operators, influencers, and destinations marketing to EU consumers.

31/05/2026

Here we are again. Thank you Australian Traveller!

Cosy nights, star-filled skies and the Milky Way overhead this winter 🌌

Hidden in NSW’s Riverina region, Kestrel Nest EcoHut has officially become Australia’s first-ever DarkSky-approved stay – and one of only nine certified lodgings in the world. It boasts outdoor baths beneath the stars, meteor showers viewed from bed and some of the clearest night skies you’ll ever see 🌠🛁

07/04/2026

Celebrating our nocturnal environment and International DarkSky Week!

Set beneath clear, unspoilt night skies at Highfield Farm and
Woodland, this special event celebrates the magic of the
nocturnal environment.

Join us for an evening of connection and discovery as
woodland comes alive after dark. Enjoy a relaxed picnic dinner,
hear how Highfield Farm carefully balances ecotourism,
biodiversity, and sustainable farming, and learn why dark sky
preservation matters - including the impacts of light pollution
on wildlife.

Thursday 16 April
6:30 pm – 10:00 pm
Highfield Farm and Woodland,
Mount Adrah

Cherie White, on 0427 407 126
or email
[email protected]

20/02/2026

Staying with us in March? You might be interested in this two day event in Wagga Wagga!

04/02/2026

We are a 'reality' TV free zone.

We've been asked twice. And each time, we have proudly refused to be featured on MAFS or Farmer Wants a Wife. Furthermore, we've asked them to put us on their 'no contact' list.

04/02/2026

Your stay did this!

Your stay contributes to our environmental projects on farm and here is an example! 🌳

This is Jimmy's Creek. It used to be accessed by livestock but best practice for waterway health is to exclude them. 💦

Jimmy's has been fenced off and planted, and after several years, you can see the effect! 🌳

Your rest and revival here at Kestrel Nest helps us restore the land you stay on. 🏡

We set aside 20% of your stay fee for projects like this. 🌳 🌼

Join us on our Farming With Habitat Tour when you stay with us. We'll show you the ways your stay is helping us in our work. 🐄 🐑 🌳 🌼 🌸 🌟

* Certified by because we back our eco claims up 🌳

* Certified by because everyone is welcome here 🌈

* Certified by as Australia's first and so far only DarkSky Approved Lodging. Protecting our dark skies for your enjoyment and our wildlife. 🌟

03/02/2026

We are very excited to announce that we have been accepted as a research site to track the movements of the Bogong Moth! We are on the migration route of this endangered moth, and we are excited to help science learn more about them.

One of the reasons we sought DarkSky Approved Lodging status for Kestrel Nest was to ensure we were doing our best to minimise light pollution from our stay, helping the moths get to where they want to go. DarkSky certification is about much, much more than stargazing and human amusement! 🌟

If you are staying with us between March and May, and if you are interested in the project, you can help us with our task. Let us know if you are interested.

If you live near Jindabyne, Yass, Canberra, Murrumbateman, Tumut, Khancoban, Gundagai, Talbingo, Tumbarumba, WaggaWagga, Albury, Wodonga, Corryong, Beechworth, Myrtleford, Omeo, Bairnsdale, Mansfield, Corryong, Bungarby, Ingabriah, Bungendore, Braidwood, Cooma, Bombala and Crookwell, you too might be eligible to take part.

www.bogong.org

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31/01/2026

When you need a head shot for two speaking engagements that are coming up and you get two! After all, two heads are better than one!

No, the photographer didn't miss the brief, this is an out take from the session!

Darling Luca kept me company for the shoot and our wonderful photographer grabbed this snap.

Our three Livestock Guardian Dogs - Luca, Bella and Nico are our only farm hands. They do the valuable job of protecting our sheep and chickens from harm.

Thank you Ros for your work, kindness, humour and smarts.

31/01/2026

It's time. It's time to develop a Heatwave Policy, and we'd like your input. 🥵

Today, we are enduring the last day of a seven day stretch of daily temperatures, the coolest nudging 40c and some days well over. We are exhausted, like everyone else around here. 🥞

Over the last week, we gave our guests the option of not staying with us, instead rescheduling their stay for later in the year. This worked well. Our guests were relieved. We were relieved. We gave them options, and they took them up.

That meant a whole week at peak holiday time with no income! When we were booked wall to wall and when we had a waitlist. But we thought it best. After all, hospitality is about our guests being comfortable, enjoying their stay and everything we offer.

We've never had to think about a Heatwave Policy before - we've had hot weather - sure - but nothing like the extremes in temperatures and duration of this one.

And even though our hut is extremely well insulated, protected from the sun by a wide verandah, positioned on a little ridge that catches a breeze, has double glazing, ceiling fans and air-conditioning, this weather has been extreme. 🏡

We already have a policy for catastrophic fire warning days - we just close and offer guests a re-schedile. If guests are already in and we have a catastrophic fire day we will end their stay because it's too dangerous and we might need to be called out on RFS duty. 🔥

If we had extreme rain, we would inform guests, tell them of the road conditions and give them options. ⛈️

But now it's time to have a Heatwave Policy.

If you are a fellow host, do you have a Heatwave Policy? Let me know!

Guests? What do you think should be im a Heatwave Policy? How would you like to be informed of severe weather? How would you like us to handle such situations? How have other places you've stayed at dealt with extreme weather? What have they done great at? What's been rubbish?

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