Fiona Lydiard has worked hard to achieve her dream of building up her weekend accommodation offering in Lue to a full time business.
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Together with her husband John Lydiard, they have just launched their third accommodation option at Odd Frog Lodges.
The Lodge, which is located at the heart of the 750-acre Odd Frog farm, is an impressive open plan entertainment space that sleeps up to 14 guests.
There are five bedrooms, three bathrooms, and with multiple living and entertaining areas, it's perfect for both adults and children.
"It's got a rustic charm, I've used furniture from op shops and antique shops that I've collected over the years and it just all works."
The Lodge has been built from the ground up, mostly by Fiona and John Lydiard who converted their house to the Lodge after they extended their property.
There are homely touches to the space which have been locally sourced, including the outdoor fire pit which used brown earth from the farm's quarry.
"I had an Argentinian family farmsit for us in January, and Diego was an amazing stonemason who built that for me."
It's a space which has already given guests cherished memories, particularly for children, according to Ms Lydiard.
"Families coming to have a farm stay experience love it, children in the city have no idea that eggs actually come from chickens, so here they can feed the chickens and collect the eggs, and toast marshmallows," she said.
The property has plenty of experiences to offer, there's even caves that families can safely explore.
"I've got a treasure hunt map that I've created so children can follow arrows up to the caves on our property, and parents can sit on top of the caves and watch the sunset across the valley towards Rylstone.
"I've always been a hands on person and there's so much fulfilment to create a sensory experience and see guests love it. They say they arrive at the tree-lined driveway, and they can just take a deep breath and relax," she said.
Fiona is deeply passionate about giving visitors cherished memories of the property and the wider region, which she has been a highly involved community member in for decades.
She was the owner of iconic Mudgee label Frog Rock Wines, which closed its doors in 2012.
"My father bought a block of land and planted some grapes in the late 60s, we grew up in Sydney, and family would come up on weekends and help plant grapes. So my family was very involved in the wine industry," she said.
The entire farm can be booked for a stay with 3 separate accommodation options.
More information on Odd Frog Lodge can be found at https://oddfroglodges.com.au/hotel-room/thelodge/
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