FAQs

I Hear You’re Doing Summer Lunches in 2023/24. Didn’t you close Fat Pig Farm?

Well, kind of. In mid-January 2023 we made the grand decision to slow down a bit and, from mid-May 2023, ceased hosting Farm Feasts. It was time to reassess, and to farm more.

But now it’s time to celebrate the bounty. The pigs have been fecund, our friends make brilliant wine, and so we’re launching a Summer of Pork & Pinot! The clue is in the name. Dates will go up shortly, but from December 2023 we’ll be hosting most Saturdays as Pork & Pinot lunches, long lunches with a farm tour. Feast-like, but more focused.

We give an enormous and heartfelt thanks to everyone who has shared the journey with us so far including our brilliant team of gardeners, cooks, front of house staff, administrators, farm-hands and others over the years. As always, we applaud the local producers and thank them for their expertise and wisdom. We thank our neighbours for being part of this busy but beautiful ride and, we have constantly delighted in our interested and intriguing guests.

We feel immensely lucky to belong to such a community.

If you’d like to keep up with the news from Fat Pig Farm and be first to hear about the new lunches, sign-up to our newsletter.

Matthew, Sadie and everyone at Fat Pig Farm

What do I get when I book a Pork & Pinot Feast?

What nature gifts us! But more seriously:

Our Feasts are an inclusive long lunch with a farm tour. Think of a long farmhouse table, multiple seasonal dishes from produce sourced on our farm and nearby, along with four tailored, matched alcoholic drinks to celebrate the meal. (We have a carefully selected list of other Tassie drinks, and additional alcoholic drinks will be available for an extra charge.) If you’re not drinking alcohol, or only some of the drinks, we will provide bespoke non-alcoholic drinks in their place. The meal is indeed a feast; it’s intended to be substantial, and most people don’t need dinner afterwards.

What happens if I need to cancel my booking?

Please contact us if you need to cancel and we will do our best to fill your spot from the waiting list. If we are able to fill your spot, we will happily refund you. We would also encourage you to offer your place to a friend.

Do you ever have family open days?

The wonderful Keeley Bytheway is hosting farm tours every Friday over the Summer school holidays (December 2023 and January 2024). Click here to find dates.

Where are you?

We’re about an hour south of Hobart in the Huon Valley, not far from Cygnet and Huonville. We will send you a full description of our location when you book

How do I get there?

Once you’ve made a booking, we will send you directions. If you’re staying in the Huon (see the next question for some lovely places to stay) many of the B&Bs can give you a lift to and from the restaurant. Check when you book.

There is also a taxi service from Huonville 0408 125 130 and, depending on reception, Uber, in Cygnet. But, although you might be able to book an Uber or taxi to us, you might not be able to book one back!

If you’re staying in Hobart your options are to rent a car, or rent a car and driver:

John from Chauffered Cars and Coaches 0418 122 512
Michael from Corporate Cars Tasmania 0419 661 554
Joe from Tassie Road Trips 0455 227 536
Hans from Daytripperz  0418 121 896
Kyle from Heart of Tasmania Tours
Redline can do groups of ten people and up.

Where can I stay?

Please note that some of these links appear to be crossed out. They still work. Something to do with a stoush between WordPress (the software behind our website) and AirBnB.

There are heaps of lovely B&Bs throughout the Huon. Glen’s Cottage is closest. A bit of a walk away are Jane and Phil’s lovely place, Bramley Hollow, Grace’s View, Huon Hideaway and The Roundhouses – Do check with your hosts when you book just how long (and sometimes steep) the walk is.

Ambience on the Huon is a five minute drive away. Let Cyndie know you’re coming to Fat Pig Farm when you book as she will be able to help organise transport for you. Other close places that are often happy to give you a lift (check when you book) are: Cloud River Farm in Petchey’s Bay (you can also contact them here), Silver Creek Farm in Cygnet, Hillside Bed & Breakfast or River Front Estate, both in Huonville. Beaupre Farm is on a beautiful peninsula a little further around the coast. They have a brilliant page on their website with lots of recommendations for a longer stay in the valley.

If you’d like to stay in Cygnet (and check out the fab cafes and art galleries – we highly recommend the community run Lovett Gallery and the twice a month Sunday market) then the folk at  The Cygnet Old Bank (right in the middle of the village) and the 2Cs will either give you a lift or help organise transport. A little further afield, Moon River is lovely and Mon is usually happy to give you a lift as is Cindy at the charming Yellow Door.  Check when you book.

If you’re looking for a luxurious weekend away,  The Coast House, on the water, is magnificent.  They are happy to help with transport. If you have 4 guests or less and are after an entire luxurious house, including a lift to the farm, try Villa Talia.

What else can I do in Tassie?

If you would like more information about the plethora of things to do in Tasmania, have a look at the fabulous Discover Tasmania website. It can help you plan your trip!

Do you cater for food allergies and dietary requirements?

While Bessie our Jersey cow doesn’t produce soy milk, we will try to cater for dietary requirements using what’s on hand. It’s most helpful if you let us know those requirements when you book, as we only have access to what our farm grows, or what we’ve garnered nearby, and late notice will limit our ability to cook a variety of food to suit your needs. Coeliacs and vegetarians can be readily catered for, but because of the nature of our farm and its temperate climate, vegans might be more of a struggle. If you have any queries at all, please contact [email protected].

Can you offer equal access for people with mobility or other special needs?

Physical or other special needs are looked after on an individual basis by Sadie at the time of enquiry or booking (please let us know in the comments section), then by our Front of House Manager on-site. We have a special access drop-off point that is five metres from the entrance, and we have accessible parking adjacent to the restaurant. The restaurant is fully accessible. The farm is a bit more challenging in terms of terrain but we can arrange a tour by car on our bumpy roads so you don’t miss anything you’d like to see!

In addition, if helpful, we are able to provide touch tours of the farm for vision impaired guests and orientation visits (in person or via video) for others who have particular concerns prior to their visit.

Will Matthew Evans (the Gourmet Farmer), be there when I visit?

Matthew and Sadie run the farm as a family concern, but they can’t do everything. That’s why there’s a wonderful team of Fat Pigs that help to put together all the experiences, both on and off site. Matthew splits his time between farming, the kitchen, writing, media commitments and occasional days off with the family. A booking doesn’t guarantee that Matthew will be on site, but he does control the menus for the feasts, plans the workshops, and is very much a hands-on part of the farm. If it’s essential for your visit that Matthew and/or Sadie be there, let us know before you book.

Do you cater for private events?

We sure do. Individualised on and off farm events can be organised by Fat Pig. Contact us on [email protected]

Can I book Matthew Evans for speaking engagements or corporate gigs interstate?

Yes, you sure can. Matthew can be booked through Speaking Out (www.speakingout.com.au) for speaking and cooking engagements.

Terms and conditions

(aka the small print):

Shipping: Perishables are shipped on Mondays and Tuesdays and all other products are shipped within three business days of receiving your order. Postage using Australia Post Express Post will be calculated when you checkout and added to your total cost. If you live within an overnight area, you’ll get your package within 24 hours of us posting it. Exact terms and conditions and what constitutes an overnight delivery area can be found here

GST: Where GST is applicable, all prices include GST.  Oh, and they are all in Australian dollars.

Returns, exchanges and warranties:

Shop: If you’re not happy with a product from our online shop, please contact us. Our official policy is that unopened non-perishable items can be returned for a complete refund while perishable items are a bit trickier. But drop us a line. We want you to be happy.

Restaurant: Our lunches and events are small so we are unable to offer refunds unless we get 14 days notice. Please contact us if you need to cancel and we will do our best to fill your spot from the waiting list. If we are able to fill your spot, we will happily re-book you for a later date. We would also encourage you to offer your place to a friend. We will do whatever we can to make things work for you, though more notice is better than less.

Warranties: One of the conditions of our checkout system is that we have a warranty policy. Warranties don’t really apply to any of our products, but please contact us if you’re unhappy with anything.

Security: Our checkout system is run by the Bendigo Bank. We don’t keep a copy of any of your credit card details. We actually don’t even see your credit card details as they go straight onto the bank’s web page not ours.