Testimonials

Letter to the Editor, Port Macquarie News & Wauchope Gazette: October 2011
Dear Sirs,
Earlier this year I was lucky enough to win one of the promotions that you had organized for readers to enter. I would like to thank you for organizing the promotion as my wife and I have just enjoyed its benefits. Our prize consisted of an evening meal and an overnight stay at the Blue Poles Bed and Breakfast, Byabarra. We would also like to thank Ian Farlow who provided the prize. We enjoyed a wonderful meal in picturesque surroundings and the accommodation available at Blue Poles is superb. Our hosts went out of their way to make us feel welcome. Oh…thank you also to the unknown person who drew our names out of the hat.
Yours sincerely,
Greg and Dot Raffin

Ten top Aussie destinations you've never heard of
*Sydney Morning Herald: March 2011
Just when you thought you'd seen it all, Lee Atkinson shares her discovery of 10 places, from Tasmania to the Torres Strait and well beyond Bourke, that are worth getting back on the road for.

Byabarra, NSW mid-north coast: Beyond the handful of locals who live there, hardly anyone has ever heard of Byabarra. And I can't say I blame them. Even driving through, it's easy to miss, given it's really just a clutch of houses perched on a ridgeline overlooking the Thone River Valley in the NSW mid-north coast hinterland.

There's not much to the ''village'' - just a two-room primary school, a weatherboard church, community hall and a fabulous cafe and art gallery where the valley views from the back deck stretch forever. The thing that makes Byabarra special is the location. Wind your way up the hill and you'll burst out of the rainforest atop a plateau of lush dairy farms. Turn right and you'll find yourself at Boorgana Nature Reserve, one of the oldest reserves in NSW, full of old-growth cedar and pristine waterfalls. Turn left and you're at Ellenborough Falls, the largest single drop of water in the southern hemisphere. Drive just 15 minutes down the hill from Byabarra and you're at Wauchope, where on the fourth Saturday of every month the locals from Byabarra and surrounding villages gather to swap gossip and sell whatever's growing at the farmers' market. Another 10 minutes and you can take your pick of any of Port Macquarie's 15 beaches.

Blue Poles Café Visitors Book: an extract - 2011

• Beautiful views - lovely staff - fantastic food - P&V Winmill
• The best bouillabaisse ever! great cakes & desserts too. What a treasure - J&J Watts; Melbourne
• Absolutely delicious! - Jen & Alyssa from Scotland
• The BEST food. My fiance is a fine dine chef and it's the first time ever he enjoyed his meal 100% - JB
• Wonderful food and memory to take back to UK - A&B Meades
• Amazing views! great staff. Excellent presentation on food - Lee family
• My favourite Café besides one in France! - Ivy Moore
• Everything was fantastic!! meals, service, staff - Judy Munro
• Great food, good service, art good as well, enjoyed by all - H Dasezyk
• Just gorgeous! weekend stay for the future - Julie Robinson
• Beautiful art work, just a beautiful place altogether - Jarad Alexander
• Very good meals, and beautiful Café. I love! take care - Carole from Paris
• Awesome food, excellent staff - Shane Hanlon
• I love the Blue Poles at the front. Food... don't get me started; it was exceptional. Love the modern rustic feel of the joint - Seamus Finnigan
• A divine setting & Great food! - Debby Coe
• Marvellous. A hidden treasure. Superb! 10/10 - Smiths, Victoria
• What a fabulous setting for a wedding. 200% service & food. We thank you soooo much. Fantastic. Wilson wedding
• Thank you and your staff. Your warm hospitality and delightful setting make it almost impossible to leave - Gearie family
• A lovely day out from the hustle and bustle of life. Thank you. Catherine & Robert Howe
• Excellent find!! see you again in 2012 - the Harvest family
• Beautiful even in the rain. Wow! - Peter & Mary McBrayhen
• The perfect holiday lunch! great people looking after us - Paul Horvath & Donna Bailey
• Beautiful folk - great food - thank you for making our day so pleasurable - Margarete & Peter Bowers
• What a fabulous place with fabulous hosts - Chrissie Rabinowitz
• We came because a friend recommended Blue Poles - you easily lived up to that recommendation - Denise & Matt Harger, NZ

If you'd like to add your review on Blue Poles, log on to   52things2do.com.au,   locate our site under Food & Wine, and leave your comments.

Blue Poles B&B Guest Book: an extract - 2010

• A great place to spend our 10th Anniversay and connect without the distractions of everyday life. We will be back!  - Mark & Rebecca: October 2010
• A perfect place to unwind and a great birthday gift. - Jane & Colin, Crescent Head: October 2010
• Great accommodation, sensational meals! - Graham & Anne: October 2010
• We came here to do our art, and we ended up enjoying your artistic and creative place. Beautiful food and great night. One thing ... I couldn't find the switch that turned off the frogs and birds! - E.L. & Vicki W: October 2010
• Thank you for making us feel so spoilt and providing us with such delicious food! The accommodation, the birdsong, the setting ... it was all heavenly. Oct 2010
• One word - "sublime". We loved it. - Ben & Michelle: September 2010
• Wonderful place, thanks. - Roger W, Coleraine, Northern Ireland: August 2010
• It was lovely to spend some quality time in such beautiful surroundings. We absolutely loved the food ... everything about the place actually! - Sally: August 2010
• Thank you for allowing us to share your little piece of paradise. "If music be the food of life, play on!" We hope to return for more music, food and love. - Gary & Viv, Sydney: July 2010
• What a lovely hideaway! Great hosts, beautiful dinner, quality time. Excellent spot to celebrate an Anniversary. Thanks! - Dom & Karen: June 2010
• Beautiful accommodationin such a peaceful setting. Great dinner and hospitality. Feelilng relaxed ... back to Yamba now! - Sue & Michael, Yamba: May 2010
• Had an absolutely fantastic stay. Very comfortable, great food, beautiful scenery, the pool a great bonus and the hospitality, helpfulness and friendliness of the owners incomparable. Feel very relaxed and refreshed for our drive back to Sydney. Thank you so much ... we will be  back! - Jamie & Cat, Sydney: April 2010
• Thank you very much for the lovely stay. This place is gorgeous! It feels like a 10 star home away from home and the food is just wonderful. Will have to tell all our friends to come here and enjoy this wonderful place! - Rejelle S, Germany: April 2010
• Only being married for a couple of months and geting straight back into work, this was like our honeymoon weekend away and everything was perfedt!! The room was great, the view was great and the food was great!! As for the hot tub and service from Ian, that was worth 10 stars!! Thank you so much for a wonderful weekend. - Kylie & Todd, Wauchope: March 2010
• Absolutely delightful, taking in the trees, birds, all the sounds of nature. The memory shall remain with us as we travel forward, beginning a new life as husband and wife. Cheers! - Sally & John, Bonny Hills: March 2010

Letter to the Editor, Port Macquarie News: 31.1.2010
  We would like to thank Blue Poles Byabarra and Port News, for running the recent competition for accommodation and meals at Blue Poles.
   My wife and I went on a Saturday night and we had our dinner on the verandah, taking in the view and the sunset up the valley. The hospitality from the owner, Ian, and staff was very friendly, and the meals we chose were delicious... The accommodation lived up to the 4.5 star rating from the NRMA, and a dip in the pool on Saturday afternoon went down a treat.
   Blue Poles is an easy drive, about 20 minutes from Wauchope, and an ideal place to recharge.
   Thank you Blue Poles and Port News.
Lee & Ron Sloan (Port Macquarie)

Blue Poles B&B Guest Book: an extract

Just Perfect! The best getaway we have ever had! The peace and tranquility here is wonderful. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Greg & Michelle B; Port Macquarie
We came because a friend recommended Blue Poles - you easily lived up to the recommendation.
Denise & Matt Harger, New Zealand
Every now and then you experience one of those magical moments. Today was one of those occasions we'll never forget! Thank you for your loving hospitality.
Peter and Elizabeth J, Port Macquarie
Thanks for a lovely stay - the views are incredible, the accommodation beautiful and the food divine!"
Michaela & Dave; Melbourne
This is certainly a beautiful place in NSW - such a special location. We appreciated your kind hospitality and graciousness.
Tony & Jane D; Wollongong
World Class. Great art; superb food; fantastic pool! Mucho gracias!
SD; Sydney
Great lunch, beautiful atmosphere.
Donna & Ian, Sydney
Just stunning!
Deb Snyder, North Carolina, USA
A perfect meal, fabulous service and a beautiful spot. Thanks!
Chellen Family
Wonderful setting. Compliments to the Chef!
Chris, Glynis & Jimmy
… Beautiful!
Mike & Geraldine Lynch, Alberta, Canada
Just wonderful to wake up here on Valentine's Day. Food last night was best we've had on this trip. We've been in Australia for two weeks driving down the coast and this is by far the most charming place we have stayed. Thanks for being such gracious hosts and preparing such wonderful food!
Marie & Teifion W - Hong Kong