If you’re chasing the real farm stay experience, with a dose of sugar cane charm and a whole lot of heart, Oh Deere Farm Stay in Calen is worth every kilometre of the road trip.
Tucked away on a working sugar cane farm just north of Mackay, this family-run haven is all about reconnecting, with nature, with people, and with where our food comes from. It’s peaceful, it’s hands-on, and it’s proudly rooted in the rhythms of country life.
The stay itself? Relaxed, roomy campsites welcome everything from swags and tents to caravans and big rigs. Powered sites are available, along with all the comforts you’d expect – hot showers, flushing toilets, a laundry, and a communal kitchen and BBQ area. Sunday mornings mean pancake breakfasts with local charm, and there are plenty of laughs to be had around the nightly campfire under the stars.
While you’re here, explore all that surrounds you. Ride your bike through the paddocks, fish or canoe at the on-site dam, or explore Australia’s only sugarcane maze. But what makes Oh Deere truly special is the deep dive into farm life.
Take a behind-the-scenes tour of the sugar cane operation, taste fresh-pressed cane juice straight from the source, and explore the delightfully quirky “Love Shack” museum, brimming with John Deere memorabilia. Depending on the season, you might catch a sunset tour through the cane fields, an outdoor paint & sip, or an educational tour for curious minds, kids and grown-ups alike.
For school groups, grey nomads, families, and Brisbane adventurers craving a meaningful escape, this place isn’t just a stay, it’s a story. A rare chance to see, touch and taste life on the land.
So, pack the esky, queue your best country playlist, and hit the road to Calen. You’ll leave with dust on your boots, cane juice on your hands, and memories that smell like campfire smoke and crushed cane underfoot.
Oh Deere Farm Stay
71 Zamparuttis Rd, Calen QLD 4798
0419 873 909
ohdeerefarmstay.com.au
