The Farm celebrates ten years with bush bash

THE “farmily” behind the groundbreaking agritourism venture The Farm Byron Bay came together for an old-fashioned hoedown for its 10th birthday celebration last week.

Original owner Tom Lane, the grandson of Oroton founder Boyd Lane, attended the event, along with members of the Laundy family, who now own the Ewingsdale property.

They included patriarch Arthur Laundy, his daughter Danielle Richardson and her husband Simon Richardson, who acquired the property, which they had previously owned in partnership with Fraser Short, in 2023.

Three Blue Ducks co-owner Darren Robertson, whose restaurant has been a fixture at the site since the beginning, said it was great to see so many old faces at the party.

“It was a bit like a school reunion to be honest,” he said. “There were a lot of people there who used to work with us and have been a part of it.”

Robertson made a point of thanking his wife Magdalena Roze in his speech, saying she gave up her career as a TV presenter in Sydney to make the move north for the passion project.

“She’s been so supportive,” he said. “We were only supposed to be here for a couple of years and then in the blink of an eye a decade has passed.”

The event included a screening of the short film The Legacy of The Farm, which looked at their journey over the past decade, a performance by Dan Hannaford, a mechanical bull and a sustainable food feast.

A Festival of The Farm open day will also be held for members of the public to join in the celebrations on May 3.

It will include live music, horse rides, farmyard games, market stalls, a mini flower-growing course and the chance to meet farm animals and learn about the land.