We arrived at Stoney Oaks Wildlife Park & Farmstay after a long drive down the Forgotten World Highway. We were ready to lay our heads almost anywhere but as it turned out hitting the hay in The Barn at Stoney Oaks was an excellent choice – rave review ahead.
Love at first sight – Kunekune piglet
The Barn’s interior is built of macrocarpa and corrugated iron and has heaps of interesting features. Deer antler has been turned into light fittings, door handles and towel rails. Some of the fixtures are ingenius in their simplicity – two hunks of wood built into walls are bed side tables, a large flat stone mounted in the shower holds toiletries, and a rounded piece of wood on each end of the sofa can be used to rest drinks on.
Deer antler chandelier
Simple but clever – inbuilt bedside tables
The Barn is self contained and sleeps up to 5, kids get to sleep behind a stable like door. It’s likely everyone will get an early morning wake up call courtesy of a rowdy rooster but it’s impossible to be grumpy with a bird that crows so proudly.
Kids can bunk down behind the stable like door
It was lovely to open the kitchen blind and look out over green paddocks with Kunekune piglets grazing in front of us.
Look out over the paddocks from the kitchen sink
We really wanted to take one home
The good news for animal lovers is that you can visit Stoney Oaks Wildlife Park without staying in The Barn. The Wildlife Park is usually open on Sundays as well as school holidays but see Stoney Oak on Facebook or phone 06 756 7624 to confirm. Entry is $15 for those over 12, $5 for children under 12, note entry is cash only, there is no EFTPOS. We absolutely loved our time on the property with the animals and can’t recommend visiting highly enough.
Stoney Oaks Wildlife Park
Sweet little Cody
Go for a paddle and look for Boris the tame eel
Sparkles the snoozing possum
Friendly billy goat
Damara sheep – no shearing required
You really can take some animals home
The Wildlife Park also has a cleverly designed crooked tree house, the type childhood dreams are made of. The tree house was built by Stoney Oaks owner and builder Trevor Simons, he is also responsible for the fitout of The Barn. Trevor owns the property along with his wife Gail who is passionate about animals and is especially attached to her herd of Highland cattle. Gail wrote a children’s book about one of Stoney Oaks most famous former residents, McGillie the Highland bull, once the mascot for Taranaki Rugby.
Cool crooked tree house at Stoney Oaks Wildlife Park
Stoney Oaks Wildlife Park & Farmstay is at 356 Kaimata Road, RD 8, Inglewood. If you’re thinking about taking children to stay, a comment in the Visitor Book probably sums up what most families think about Stoney Oaks – “Thoroughly enjoyed our weekend here, thanks! The kids didn’t want to go anywhere else in New Plymouth and preferred to stay here with the animals all weekend! The Barn is lovely and warm and the kids loved their little room”.
The Kunekune piglets love having their bellies rubbed