Springing to life at the beginning of 2020 in a burst of light tones and refined seaside accents is Meelup Farmhouse, a sprawling jewel on the southwest coast of Western Australia. Marketing Manager Anneliese Hvalgaard explains the vision of the Farmhouse restaurant and its surrounding grounds as “harnessing what is glorious about the outdoor-living aspect of the southwest and creating an oasis within the Meelup Regional Park”.
Meelup Farmhouse is the next project from Elizabeth and Mark Ahearn, who in 2018, opened the popular and acclaimed Perth venue, The Little Bay. The Farmhouse shares with The Little Bay furnishings that celebrate nature against a white backdrop, as well as a renowned menu and coffee offering from Locale Coffee Roasters.
Anneliese says the relationship The Little Bay and Meelup Farmhouse have with Locale and Locale’s WA state manager Paul Solway is a close and “longstanding” one, “so it made sense to incorporate Locale coffee here at Meelup”.
Meelup Farmhouse serves Locale’s Ultimate Wingman blend, chosen as a “reliable all-rounder” for its full-bodied, caramel, dark chocolate, and hazelnut notes.
Anneliese says the roaster’s sustainable ethos was another strong drawcard that connected with Meelup Farmhouse’s environmental values. “Locale is a carbon-neutral coffee roaster; the roastery is operated off solar power,” Anneliese adds.
Now, there’s a new venture for the property, Meelup Dairy. It provides another opportunity for guests at the Farmhouse to enjoy Locale’s delicious roast, as well as other experiences, like visiting the hobby farm’s Highland cows. “Meelup Dairy is a takeaway outlet offering great coffee, house-made real fruit ice-cream, and milkshakes,” Anneliese says.
For those with more time to enjoy the property, guests might choose to snack on an artisanal picnic pack, or indulge in fine brunch and lunch feasts, which are offered for restaurant diners.
“The menu tries to stay as seasonal and local as possible,” Anneliese says. She notes favourite items include Meelup Farmhouse’s famous house-made pâté, and a baked Margaret River Brie over which fresh local truffle is shaved – while the truffle season lasts.
“Summer will come around before we know it, and we are looking forward to maximising what we’ve built here now,” Anneliese says. Whether it’s restaurant diners or children playing on the lawns, “there really is something for everyone here”.
Meelup Farmhouse
54 Sheens Road, Naturaliste, Western Australia, 6281
Open Friday to Tuesday 9am – 4pm (08) 9756 8848
This article appears in the August 2022 edition of BeanScene. Subscribe HERE.