TNQ Writer
Hiding in the hills of Myola, a short six-minute drive from the rainforest village of Kuranda, you’ll find a farm-experience you didn’t know existed, Kur Cow Barnwell Farm.
This working farm turned visitor experience, is the vision of owner, Ken Lee, who transformed this 626 hectare farm into a hinterland farm experience you won’t want to miss.
At any time of the year, you’ll find some 150 head of cattle grazing Kur Cow’s spectacular scenery, along with a menagerie of other farm animals who you’re encouraged to pat during your day trip to the property.
Start planning your day, with this guide to the onsite activities at Kur Cow Barnwell Farm.
Decide how you're going to get there
If you don't feel like a self-drive adventure, catch the KUR Cow shuttle
If you don't feel like a self-drive adventure, catch the KUR Cow shuttle
Leave the car at home and take the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway
Leave the car at home and take the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway
Return to Cairns onboard the historical Kuranda Scenic Railway
Return to Cairns onboard the historical Kuranda Scenic Railway
If you’ve got your own wheels you can take the 35-minute drive from Cairns CBD to Myola, hidden in Cairns’ hinterland hills.
That said, most visitors to this neck–of–the-tropical-rainforest prefer to leave their car at home and take the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway to the top, before returning onboard the historical Kuranda Scenic Railway back to Cairns.
If you fall into the carless contingent, jump on board Kur Cow’s free shuttle which runs five times daily from the Kuranda centre to their farm, dropping you back in time for your preferred return route home.
See the working farm from the saddle
Explore KUR Cow on horseback for the real farm experience
What’s the best way to discover the rolling green hills of Kur Cow? On horseback of course. Whether it’s your first time in the saddle or if you’ve been trotting since you were knee-high, anyone (provided you’re over the age of six) can join a 30 minute or one-hour (for the more advanced) guided trail ride adventure through the rolling hills and rainforest dotted across the property.
To ensure the team have a steed ready for your adventure, be sure to book ahead – via social media or phoning direct.
Put some dirt on your wheels
Trade quarter horse for quad bikes on an ATV tour
If a quarter horse wasn’t the kind of horsepower you had in mind to discover this working farm, swap to four wheels, and take an ATV tour of the property. From the back of a four-wheeler, your hosts will lead you around the property to see where the some-150 head of Angus, Wagyu and Brahman cattle keep the grass well-mown. If you’re 10 years old, you’ll be able to tour the farm from four ATV wheels.
Take it from the people who have missed out before, this true farm experience, which resembles a mini-muster, needs to be booked in advance.
Chew with a view
Share a KUR Cow specialty - Korean BBQ Style Wagyu Platter
he description, paddock-to-plate is bandied around a lot in culinary circles, but Kur Cow takes it literally with its onsite restaurant (open breakfast, lunch and dinner), overlooking the very paddocks its steaks were raised and grazed. Given Kur Cow’s hilly-aspect and three outdoor dining areas, you’d be remiss to move on before catching sunset from the wide–set verandas of the restaurant.
There’s no shortage of steak on the menu, but the speciality is undoubtably a shared Korean BBQ Style Wagyu Platter with four different thinly sliced steaks you can cook for yourself on the coals brought to your table. Or for a bigger party, you can enjoy the BBQ experience on the handmade wine barrels converted into a BBQ which seat eight comfortably.
Although marinades come with the steaks, the serving suggestion from the owner is to leave the Wagyu au natural.
Feed the smallest furry friends
There's no shortage of cute farmyard animals at KUR Cow
There's no shortage of cute farmyard animals at KUR Cow
They've got more than just horses & cows
They've got more than just horses & cows
Bring the little ones along to see & learn about farm animals
Bring the little ones along to see & learn about farm animals
There’s no shortage of animals to feed at this property – from cattle down to the chickens who roam freely across the property. Bring the little ones along to learn how to milk a cow, check chickens have laid eggs and hand feed the mini ponies.
Be warned, untold nagging to get your own horse may be caused by patting the four Shetland ponies who welcome visitor’s attention.
Pick your own organic fruit and vegetables
Pick your own fruit & veg at the organic farm
Say goodbye to chemicals on your fruits and veggies and take a wander through the organic farm which backs onto one of the tributaries of Haren Creek on the property.
Although this farm is still in the ‘conversion’ phase to earn its organic official certification, you can consider this garden free of pesticides and chemicals that make the fruit and vegetables grown here taste all the more better.
Whatever you pick, you can keep – so your snacks are sorted on this day out.
Feed the cows
Feed the cows at KUR Cow
Feed the cows at KUR Cow
You might even get a visitor at the onsite beer garden
You might even get a visitor at the onsite beer garden
Get a taste for farm life on a tractor tour
Get a taste for farm life on a tractor tour
There’s few chances in life to go behind the scenes on a working farm, but this is one of them, joining a Tractor and Trailer Hay Ride through the property. From the back of the trailer, you’ll be taken on a guided tour to see the cattle, learn about their breeding and feeding program, let them out into their next paddock, before serving their hay for the day.
After feeding the cattle, you can quench your thirst at the onsite beer garden. After all, you are a real farmer now.
