Bushwalk Australia

After our walk into Lees Paddocks , my walking buddy and i called into Weindorfers Cafe , which for those that don't know, is located at Gowrie Park within the grounds of the old hydro township. A family from Sydney has taken it over and have done some extensive renovations , but have kept the rustic ambience . You feel like your in a hut. We had rung prior to the walk to see if it was still operational as we hadn't seen it advertised recently. They are accepting phone bookings only at this stage .Anyways as is our practise of trying out any local eateries near our walk destination , we partook of of a small dinner. All excellent and reasonably priced so well worth a call if anyones in the area. I'm not into the habit of spruiking private enterprise , and i'm not related to the owners.

How long ago did the family take it over?

We have eaten there once and stayed a few times in the adjacent camping ground that they were running.
They were very friendly, but it may have changed hands since then?

I knew it had been for sale for a while, and we stopped in on the way home from Cradle Mtn last Monday, and it all looked very closed up. But there was a sign saying something about taking bookings by phone, so it's good to hear that it is still operating.

Weindorfers has always been a fantastic place and has a particularly special significance for us as that's where I proposed to my wife, when we stopped there for lunch in the middle of a motor bike ride (it's right on our favourite motor bike circuit). We've been there a few times over the years, and always stopped there when doing the motor bike run. I had arranged with the owner to have a red rose on every table, and had a 'special' red rose carefully packaged and hidden under the seat of my bike. While the fiancée was powdering her nose, the rose on our table was switched out with the one I'd brought with me. Before leaving, the owner suggested that we could take the flower with us, and after I explained that wouldn't work on a motorbike, she 'persuaded' my fiancée to play "he loves me, he loves me not" with the rose. When she'd pulled off most of the petals, ta-da, a ring fell out of it!

I first went there when it was called "The Black Stump", during my grade 6 school camp, where they demonstrated sheep shearing with old hand shears, as well as snaring techniques (we also climbed Mt Roland on that camp). They changed the name to Weindorfers due to a name conflict with another business, I think.

Son of a Beach wrote:Weindorfers has always been a fantastic place and has a particularly special significance for us.

Great to know it's operating again, and maybe even up to the previous high standard. We have many happy memories of eating there, were always made incredibly welcome and the food was terrific in quality and quantity. We also camped there a few times as it was a dog-friendly place. Our dogs were even invited into the restaurant with us for dinner one night (no other guests there), and Eccles the resident galah was banished to the mens' loo when one of our dogs took a bit too much interest in him.
Charlotte's golden syrup ice-cream was to die for. It was also available at their IC shop in Sheffield, which was later taken over by a Chinese family, now being a Chinese restaurant + IC shop. Sadly the proprieter's son decided to "improve" the recipe; no longer up to the original standard IMO, but still worth calling in on the way home from Cradle.
Great to hear the tale of your romantic proposal there Nik. The attached photo which my husband took on Australia Day 2005, just before the business first changed hands, may bring back pleasant memories for you and your wife.