041Online is proud to kick off Tourism Tuesdays—a brand-new weekly feature in collaboration with Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism. Every Tuesday, we’ll spotlight one of the Bay’s most exhilarating, beautiful, or downright quirky attractions. Expect insider tips, real reviews, and a chance to win exclusive giveaways that’ll help you experience the Bay like never before.
We’re launching the series with a place close to the heart of many Gqeberha locals—Holmeleigh Farmyard.
By Odette Parfitt | 041Baby Writer
On its website, Holmeleigh Farmyard proclaims itself a “little farm with a big heart” – but let’s be honest: there’s nothing small about this beloved Gqeberha family spot.
Established in 1991, Holmeleigh Farmyard is a blend of an animal touch farm and an enormous playground, with a side of nostalgia for locals who grew up visiting. I hadn’t been back since childhood, which is probably why I jumped at the chance to review it—this time with hubby and toddler in tow.
Here are a few of our highlights from the visit:
1. The Feeding Frenzy
Arguably the biggest part of Holmeleigh’s business is the animal touch farm, featuring a variety of farm animals – from sheep and goats to horses, donkeys and pigs, but also a scattering of ostrich, peacock and tortoise in the mix. This alone can keep you, and more importantly, your little ones, busy for a good long while. The bucket of feed you receive at the entrance is also quite generous.
2. The luxury of open space
Between the animal enclosures is a ton of open space; this is great for kids who want to run, but also for adults with personal space bubbles. Though we went on a good-weather day and it was quite busy, we never felt like we were in a crowd or being rushed along by anyone behind us.
3. Hygiene first!
A thoughtful touch is the multiple-sink handwashing station near the entry/exit of the animal touch farm portion of the property. Right when I was wondering if I had brought hand sanitiser along so I could wipe the goat’s gob off my palms, I spotted this station.
(It feels like someone with kids of their own thought of this, and I cannot be the only visitor to feel grateful about it.)
4. A world of play
Moving on from the animal touch farm, Holmeleigh also boasts an enormous playground, with everything from swings to jungle gyms to a jumping castle.
Again, they manage to mitigate the often-crowded feeling of playgrounds and public parks, because there are multiples of everything:
multiple swing sets, multiple jungle gyms, multiple slides, all spread out over a large section of the lot.
The play equipment also offers entertainment for a range of ages, including my two-year-old (which is not often the case in “child-friendly” establishments that ultimately cater for school-going children).
Another bonus: tables and benches are dotted throughout the play areas, so parents have somewhere to sit and have coffee.
Which brings me to…
5. A menu that suits kids and adults
Holmeleigh has its own tea garden and tuck shop.
The fairly-priced tea garden serves coffee, tea and hot chocolate, along with sweet treats and all-day breakfast options, while the tuck shop stocks snacks for all ages (including the toddler staple of Flings, I am happy to report).
Final thoughts
All in all, this was an excellent day out for the Parfitts, and I was pleasantly surprised that the experience was as good as I remembered from my childhood.
I would, however, advise that visitors travel with wet wipes – it is an outdoor venue, so an occasional dusty surface is inevitable, and with kids, the wipes are always a solid idea anyway.
You can find out more about Holmeleigh Farmyard via their website: Kids party venue Gqeberha | Children’s activities at Holmeleigh
Stay tuned for next week’s Tourism Tuesday as we take you on another adventure—whether it’s ziplining, hiking, or something equally unexpected. Until then, why not plan your own visit to Holmeleigh Farmyard? You might just fall in love with it all over again.
Leave a Reply