The Macadamia Castle has been around for over 40 years. If you’ve ever done a trip up the east coast past Byron Bay and Ballina on the way to the Gold Coast you would most likely have spotted the HUGE Knight out the front. More than just a pitt stop, The Macadamia Castle has long been famed for the awesome children’s treehouse and, of course, the animal farm and the delicious pancakes.
However with the new highway just completed it’s no longer a direct route past the castle, so to stop in you’ll have to take a little detour. I loaded up with my three youngest and a good friend of mine to hit the Macadamia Castle for some lunch and was not disappointed. That detour is definitely worth your while, and The Macadamia Castle is the perfect place to hit up for a visit for families.
Food
| Value for money | 4 |
| Variety of kids menu | 5 |
| Portion sizes | 5 |
| Food quality | 5 |
| Special dietary options | 5 |
| How likely are you to recommend venue? | 5 |
On a scale of 5-Excellent to 1-Poor
So much to choose from. We opted to split the fish – which was barramundi with a macadamia crust. HEAVEN! So delicious, the kids got burgers – veggie and beef, and a ham sandwich … and of course PANCAKES! What I liked most about eating at The Macadamia Castle was that, initially, I assumed that the few tables in the restaurant part next to the cafe were the only ones. I have a rambunctious two year old, and was worried about him disturbing other diners. Not a problem, the friendly staff informed me that through another door was a HUGE dining room, with large glass windows that looked out onto the park. There was plenty of room for the kids to move around, and we ate our lunch watching the wobbly new baby calf and giggling at the procession of ducks waddling past.
Service
| Staff Friendliness | 5 |
| Willingness to accommodate kids | 5 |
| Prompt delivery of meals | 5 |
| Additional services like child care | N/A |
On a scale of 5-Excellent to 1-Poor
Perfect. We dealt with wait staff for the restaurant, and also park staff throughout the visit to the animals after lunch, and everyone was super-helpful and friendly. Particularly the staff at the cafe who told us about the other dining room.
Facilities
| High chairs and change tables | 5 |
| Room for prams and strollers | 5 |
| Dedicated play area | 5 |
| Can parents see into play space | 5 |
| Caters to all age groups | 5 |
| Is safely fenced and away from bar | N/A |
| Is there adequate parking? | 5 |
On a scale of 5-Excellent to 1-Poor
Plenty of parking and well sign-posted from the highway. My sat-nav also knew about the new route to get there.
What a day out. With full bellies from the delicious lunch, we hit the animal park section where the kids got hands on experience with baby animals in the animal farm, as well as some scaley encounters with the reptiles including a crocodile! By far it was the doe-eyed wallabies that captured their attention the most. The treehouse, trainride and conservation chats were also a winner on the day.
Atmosphere
Cafe: It could easily have the non-engaged vibe of a truck stop BUT it doesn’t. The staff were warm and friendly, and that extra dining room is the perfect place for a family meal. the kids weren’t stuck at the table, and there was plenty going on outside to hold their attention while we finished our meal.
The animal park: Tonnes of shade, and a lovely breeze. It was a really nice way to spend the day. Much less hectic than hitting the big theme parks.
Highlights
The pancakes. THE PANCAKES! So delicious.
Issues
Zilch. Zip. Nada.
You can check out everything going on at The Macadamia Castle on their website.
