The Historic Rivermill

Bad food, bad service and a very stale feel to the cafe. They do have many many turtles in the lake though but they all rush over to you like they're starving so it doesnt make you feel that good either.

This is a potentially great spot for a family event - or just for the many tourists driving through. The lake full of turtles and ducks is a real magnet for kids. Grounds are OK, but the animal cage area with Llamas, pig and goats is a bit basic. The museum are is potentially interesting, but has suffered with lack of maintenance over recent years.The toilets are old and grubby. Menu is OK, and coffee is OK too. We were disappointed that there weren't enough high chairs for all the customers early on a sunday morning. A kid next to us fell off his full size chair as a result. Not all the staff are Chinese, but I can't help feel this place is just set up to cater for bus loads of Chinese tourists, who won't be back again. Pity.

Food is basically cafeteria style and can be a bit greasy .... the battered calamari and the chicken quesadilla were dripping with oil, but tasty. It's a casual cafe style and there can be big groups of tour buses -- there for the "authentic" Aussie bush experience and aboriginal dance show. This is the perfect place for families -- especially if you choose a table on the veranda. The kids can run around the lovely grounds, watch the turtles and eels in the pond, and wander around the petting zoo.

Visited with my husband and son, the place was filthy, tables not wiped down, rusty disgusting salt shaker, dirty floor, no clean water glasses & dirty cutlery. They had no coffee available as they had no water supply - how were the chefs washing their hands I wonder? The female staff member who was there (i presume she was a manager/owner by her demeanour) was storming around with a "don't mess with me" face on. When only my husbands food arrived and I asked whether mine would be long, she didn't even say a word and just turned her back on me to go to the kitchen. No apology, not even a smile. I can honestly say that I haven't had service this terrible in years. The food was mediocre at best. It's such a shame because I am a local and the surrounds are so beautiful. My tip would be just go for coffee, not food and don't expect service with a smile!

We went to the rivermill to meet up with some family. It's great spot for the kids - there are lots of turtles in the river, and there's a great little animal enclosure with chickens, ducks, alpacas, deer & a pig. You can go into the enclosure with the animals and buy feed for them at the cafe. The kids (4yrs, 1.5yrs & 11 months) had a blast :) As I have an 11 month old - I wanted to let him crawl around for a bit. They do not allow picnics on the grounds (which is fair enough as its private property), but I asked the cafe staff if I could sit on a blanket with my 11 month old while he crawled around. They said it was ok. I also phoned a few days earlier & was told it would be OK.However when my son was on the ground sitting on the blanket the owner came up to my family & I and rudely told us we could not sit there as they "do not allow picnics". We had already purchased food from the cafe & eaten at their tables so we were not even having a "picnic", we were just sitting. When I told the owner that I had already asked the staff if it was ok for my baby to sit on a blanket, he was very rude & acted as though he didn't believe me asking for the staff members name. I was very embarrassed.We will probably go back to have a coffee & feed the animals as the kids loved it, but I won't be going back for lunch!