If you’re bored in the Shire and looking for a Sunday drive, then take a hike over the range to Tenterfield and support the town that’s doing it tough.
Established in 1851 and with just 2800 residents, the heritage town is a classic spot to visit and drop some coin. While famous in the 70s for Peter Allen’s hit song Tenterfield Saddler, more recently Tenterfield has become well known for copping some of the state’s most devastating drought, its dire water shortage and the Mt. McKenzie bushfire.
Just last week however, the town has seen a glimmer of hope with the strike of a new water-bore. Elated, the mayor has announced that the town is open for business and is encouraging visitors to come and enjoy the shire. Last week, local Coorabell farmers Ken and Jean Wadsworth did exactly that, taking a fun road trip there to show some support over the range. They said, ‘While the town is doing it very tough, the community showed us amazing hospitality and had many smiles to share’. They added that there are many beautiful outdoor activities; hiking, biking, horse-riding, and golfing – as well as a number of museums, and great places to eat!
Coincidentally, on the same day the Mt. McKenzie fire started, 6 September 2019, a passionate couple opened up their three-year-in-the-making dream, a traditional German cafe named Rosenhof. Obscure? You could say that, but there is a strong vein of German heritage in the New England area, as well as a lot of history in the house itself; The original homestead (built in 1858) was the home of the first NSW premier and home to Australia’s first surviving quintuplets. It was also Tenterfield’s first bank and it is now heritage listed.
Christian and Kirsten, originally from Frankfurt and Föhr, run the place in accordance with German tradition and the food goes well beyond the stereotype of schnitzel and beer. They make their own rye bread, Laugen bretzels, cakes and biscuits and grow their own food, or source food from around the region. Traditional German wheat beers, pilsner, cider, homemade ice-cream, Weisswurst, and the best Dutch cream potatoes you’ll ever taste can be found at Rosenhof, not to mention the warm hospitality and stunning garden surrounds. ‘We wanted to revitalise this amazing heritage property and turn it into a place that shares the story, and serves food we love, in a way we like it’, says Christian.
And indeed they did. The property is in the centre of town and open Friday to Sunday 8am–5pm, and for dinner or events by booking. If you want to enjoy something different off the coast, a new eating experience and to support the wonderful town of Tenterfield for a few days, you can find more details at rosenhof.com.au
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