Everyone had a great time, with the exception of the two trout we caught in the resort’s lake. The event which resulted in the demise of these fish was a highlight for those of us on land, particularly because it was the first such time for my daughter. She was ecstatic. A real hunter.
Welcome to my review of Clover Cottage Manjimup.
We were staying at the charming Clover Cottage Country Retreat as part of a family holiday with my in-laws. The resort is quite gorgeous, centring around the historic homestead of Clover Cottage, 20 minutes drive from Manjimup. We took up a whole cottage, the 6 of us, but it was quite comfortable and cosy.
Arriving late in the afternoon, I was glad that my husband’s parents had arrived earlier. We knew they would get settled and figure out all the details of the accommodation. However, we needn’t have worried: guests are warmly welcomed and cottages are beautifully prepared for your arrival!
The Cottages
We stayed in Country Cottage 1, a lovely house closest to the barn. It had 2 bedrooms (one twin and one queen) and a double futon in the living area. It also had ramp access and so is wheelchair friendly. In the living area there was a dining table that could seat 6 and a tv with a couch, as well as the aforementioned futon. There was a table for 6 out on the back deck. A hammock could be hung nearby for some chill time. The cottages all had wifi.
Down off the deck is a great little grassed area, perfect for playing bocce.
The owners, Petrina and Paul, are wonderful hosts, and go above and beyond to make you feel welcome. On arrival, the woodfire had been lit making the cottage toasty warm, and the bread maker had been set to bake us a fresh loaf. The place smelt divine.
It was such a nice way to arrive.
The bread maker stayed in the cottage and you could buy extra bread making kits from reception. The kitchen had all the equipment we needed to prepare a range of dishes. The stove top is induction, which is always fun. The oven is a combined microwave and convection oven. We borrowed a table top pizza oven from reception one evening and used it to heat our store bought pizzas.
There are 3 other cottages in a line next to Cottage 1. Cottage 2 is the same style as Cottage 1. Cottages 3 and 4 are premium, meaning each has a bath and a daybed on the verandah.
Facilities at Clover Cottage
The resort is also a function centre and has a really pretty barn between the cottages and the old homestead for weddings. There are lots of fruit trees around which flower beautifully in springtime, and the grounds are well maintained.
When you arrive you can try on the many pairs of wellington boots outside reception and borrow a pair that fits for the duration of your stay.
There are 2 lakes on the property, one for catch and release (fly fishing) and one for catch and take (bait fishing). It’s $15 per trout if you catch in the latter lake. The fly fishing lake has a punt and 3 canoes which you can borrow. Life jackets are in the reception area.
The Warren River flows down the bottom of the property. It’s pretty lively in spring.
Being a farm-stay type of resort, Clover Cottage has animals including donkeys, alpacas, chickens and a very happy golden retriever. You can feed the chickens your scraps, as long as you throw them well over the fence to avoid the dog getting them. You can also buy the chicken eggs, which were $7 for a dozen in 2025 (good price!).
We only stayed 2 nights but there were several other guests who were there for longer stays. One family had even returned after a successful trip the year before. I can see why people return here. It really is a lovely comforting place to stay.
What to do while at Clover Cottage
There are a lot of great activities for you and the kids to do while you’re here. We tried to do all the things so I could include them in this review – and it was all a lot of fun.
The Animals
Petrina, a former early years educator, involves her young guests in the managing of the farm animals each morning. My children were very happy to help her feed the alpacas and walk the donkeys. Feeding time is 9am daily.
The Lakes
We had a very successful fishing excursion. One lake is for regular bait fishing (you keep the fish after landing them) and the other is for fly fishing (catch and release only). Clover Cottage has rods in the reception area, however, they’re not in the best condition as they get used a lot. We bought some cheap fishing rods in Bunbury on the way down. I recommend bringing your good stuff if you are a regular fishing family!
You can borrow the boats around the fly fishing lake. We had a go at the flat bottomed punt and the canoe. Life jackets are in the office reception area.
The Tennis Court
We had a little hit on the grass tennis court. The children performed ball kid duties with great excitement. They also enjoyed tightening the net.
The Fire Pit
One evening, Paul lit the fire pit down by the lake. The pit has been built into a small semi circular seated area cut into the earth. It was very social with several guests wondering down to chat by the fire.
What to bring with you
Do remember that Clover Cottage is both a farm stay and, being in Manjimup, is close to our southern coast. Therefore, please bring appropriate closed-in footwear and something warm for the evenings! I was glad to have a quilted jacket and some old sneakers with me. We stayed at the cottages in the October school holidays, which is in Australia’s springtime.
You’ll also want to bring groceries. We packed the regular dry pantry stuff like cereal and bread from home, and then stopped by the always-fabulous Bunbury Farmers Market for our fresh provisions. Annoyingly there is now a secondary by-pass road around the original Bunbury by-pass and so you don’t automatically drive past the market on your way south. We drove past the turn off and had to drive back. We really like the Farmers Market 🙂
You can buy groceries in Manjimup of course; there are several supermarkets there too. Once you’re at the cottages, you may not want to drive the 20min back to town though. Or maybe you will, I don’t know what your motivations are 😉
How to book Clover Cottage
You can book direct which I think is their preference, or via Booking.com.
How to get to Clover Cottage Manjimup
The retreat is deep in the countryside so you’ll need to drive there. Google Maps will navigate you there quite easily. Navigate to this location.
Each cottage has plenty of parking space.
What do I know about family accomodation?
Since my kids have hit their semi-independent era our holiday time has pivoted towards accommodations with kid activities, so we are learning very quickly! As of 2025 they are 7 and 5. Visit my About Me page to understand more about my perspective.
Check out my other posts on family accommodation
- A Great Spa and Fabulous Service: My Club Med Bali Review
- An Exciting Trip: My Portsmouth To Caen Ferry Review
- A Great Option For Families: My Review Of Lous Seurrots Resort
- Fabulous food and a great kids club: Why we loved Club Med Phuket
- The best hotel for families at Shymbulak: Shymbulak Hotel Review
- The best things to do in Almaty with little kids