Two old silos have been transformed into a relaxing farmstay just outside of Forbes

The highlight of my night at Top Paddock Silo Stay was definitely golden hour. As the sun set behind Mount Tallabung, the local wildlife put on a show just for me. The rhythmic sound of cicadas buzzing in the bushes mixed with birdsong to create a bush symphony, as two iridescent peacocks strolled through the yard on their way to explore the dusty paddocks.

Cooyong Homestead, and the newly opened Top Paddock Silo Stay, are nestled at the foot of Mount Tallabung on Wiradjuri country, 28 kilometres outside of Forbes in the central west region of New South Wales. Dominated by box gum woodlands, the property is home to an abundance of wildlife including wallabies, eastern grey kangaroos, echidnas and wedge tail eagles.

In 2012, Kylie and Adrian Matthews made the move to the Forbes Shire and eventually found their dream home in Cooyong Homestead, a 1200-acre property which was once part of the larger Cooyong Station.

“It ticked most of the boxes: close enough to my family at Condobolin; a decent size for me to manage alongside Adrian’s full time work; wide open spaces and good enough infrastructure to begin with. The house needed a lot of work to make it liveable but we had some time to achieve that before we had to move in,” says Kylie.

In March 2024, Kylie and Adrian opened Top Paddock Silo Stay, a venture that was 10 years in the making. The couple were on holidays in New Zealand about 15 years ago when they first read about people turning unused silos into boutique accommodation.

When they moved into Cooyong Homestead in 2014, they discussed the idea of converting two of the six silos on the property, but they had to park the idea while they were busy establishing the farm and raising their four kids — Heidi, 14, Tara, 13, Brooke, 11, and Brendan, 8.

Around four years ago, Adrian decided he was ready to take on a new project and the planning for Top Paddock Silo Stay began. The couple worked with a draftsman and the property underwent several inspections before their friend Grant ‘Nicho’ Nicholson came on board to help Adrian with the build. The building process took around 15 months and towards the end of the build, the couple decided to add another mezzanine floor to accommodate another queen bed, meaning the property could host seven guests at a time.

The interior boosts an authentic, rustic look with all the modern luxuries you’d expect from accommodation in 2024 — air conditioning, dishwasher, washer and dryer, WiFi and streaming capabilities.

The bathroom, kitchen and dining areas all feature the original silos as walls. An old drive shaft from an overhead shearing plant hangs from the exposed beams in the dining room, creating a stunning light feature.

“We love that we have been able to keep so much of the silos exposed,” Kylies says, “We’ve also kept all the original silo features that we could, including the ladders and access points.”

“The cornices in the bedrooms are made from 50mm anchor rope, as it’s flexible enough to fit the curve of the wall but still thick enough to do the job.”

The property also features a large patio with plenty of outdoor seating, a BBQ, a spa, and fresh turf for little ones and pets to play on. In the fridge and pantry, you’ll find a range of locally produced products including fresh sourdough bread, granola, honey and jams — even the laundry powder is locally produced!

Kylie grew up on a property near Condobolin, and after stints in Sydney and Mildura, she decided to return to the land and take a holistic approach to farming. Now, she’s sharing her passion for the land with guests from all over Australia and across the globe.

“I grew up spending my days out in the paddocks developing a deep connection to the earth and there’s still nothing I love more than working with and learning from nature,” she tells Graziher.

Cooyong Homestead’s main operation is free range beef cattle production. “After a lifetime of experience I understand the value of low stress stock handling, not only for the safety of the people working with them but for the temperament of the animals, the effect on their weight and condition, and ultimately carcass quality,” explains Kylie.

In the past year, she’s also been producing free range meat chickens, who are raised under the care of the family’s Maremma and then processed at a small private abattoir, before Kylie sells them at the local farmers markets.

Passionate about regenerative farming, Kylie is continually working to improve the soils by implementing restorative land management practices. They’ve recently received some funding from Landcare and LLS, which has enabled them to plant tree lines throughout the property that serve as wildlife corridors as well as shelter for the stock.

Although they’ve only been operating for a year, the Matthews have welcomed a variety of guests to the property.

“We have met so many interesting groups already,” says Kylie. “From the families from larger cities who want to escape the busyness for a few days, to ladies who want to relax and catch up on a girls weekend. It makes a gorgeous couple’s retreat, we even had an on farm proposal!”

“It’s easy to take simple things for granted when you live in the bush, such as the sunset and sunrise, the night sky, and the stillness and quiet. Our guests often comment they have the best sleep, they can’t believe the starscape and love to watch the sunset from the spa.”

In 2025, the family will welcome a group of Japanese astrophotographers who were searching for the perfect location to photography the night sky and found it in Top Paddock Silo Stay.

Visit the Top Paddock Silo Stay website or follow them on Instagram to find out more and book your stay! 

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