Kidding around
with Lisa and Brad Palmer

Romantic farm stay, regenerative agriculture and... mischievous miniature goats?

In the hills above Penguin, Lisa and Brad Palmer have brought these elements together at Hideaway Farmlet for an Off Season experience that’s not just novelty; it’s farm life shared generously, from paddock to picnic rug.

We’re talking a cosy cottage stay during the winter full moon, fireside picnic of local produce, a meet-cute with the mini goats and lazy late checkout.

“They’re all members of the family,” says Brad of Hideaway’s herd, an adorable mix of Australian miniatures and pygmy goats.

Each of these charismatic creatures has their own name and personality, from fence-jumping escape artist Ella and delightful Douglas with his Tassie-shaped white patch, to Bridget (“a bit of a bully”, we’re told) and cheeky boy Atlas.

“Atlas actually opens fences. He's picked a lock,” Lisa says with a chuckle. “But he’s a favourite.”

He’s our first goat... we started with two and now we’ve got 24.

Big moves and small farms

Lisa and Brad’s journey from the ‘burbs to breeding mini goats began nearly a decade ago when the couple and their three daughters swapped Perth for the wide-open spaces of Penguin, on Tasmania’s north-west coast.

"We came over in August for a holiday… and moved here the following December,” Brad says. “We thought, ‘Tassie’s home – this is where we want to be’.”

Having dabbled in permaculture – growing an edible food forest in their Perth yard – they craved more space (and a cooler climate),. The Tassie move upped them from 700m² to four acres, giving their curiosity about soil health and self-sufficiency room to grow.

Nestled between a patchwork of paddocks and sparkling sea, the farm is an idyllic mix of 1940s stone buildings and charming English gardens set amongst the rolling fields and giant blue gums.

There’s also an ivy-covered cottage fit for a fairytale offering romantic accommodation overlooking the orchard and paddocks.

“It has a real old English vibe to it and we've kind of built on that,” Lisa says. Think vintage décor, shelves stacked with eclectic books, homely treats and games to rekindle the spark with your partner.

Meet the small goats doing big things for the farm

During your Hideaway stay you can join Brad on breakfast duty doling out feed to the farm’s giddy goats, lucky ducks and happy hens.

“They'll know when Brad's coming out in the morning and it’s feed time – they all come running,” grins Lisa. “It's such a sight to see.”

More than just pets, Atlas, Ella and the herd are at the heart of Hideaway Farmlet’s regenerative farming ethos. The duo run agritourism tours for guests keen to mingle with the miniature goats while learning how these multi-tasking weed munchers, soil aerators and fertilisers renew the ground.

What makes winter the G.O.A.T season?

While the farm changes with every season, Lisa and Brad agree winter is an especially enchanting time.

“We are more winter people than summer people,” Lisa confesses.

Come autumn, the colours that you see here are spectacular. Then winter we particularly love.

“We can light a fire, have some whisky or wine and really enjoy being outdoors on a clear night and being able to look up and see the stars.”

It’s something they love to share with guests. In 2025, they even offered a G.O.A.T (Greatest of All Time) doof into the whimsical winter mix, where guests could meet the mini goats in the paddock before Brad, a DJ with a passion for vinyl, spun a sunset session from your favourite genre.

This year, they're swapping the doof for something a little more intimate. Their full moonrise lover's escape pairs two nights in the 1948 cottage with a fireside picnic of local produce, a miniature goat encounter at feeding time and a front-row seat to winter's full moon. Available across four full moon cycles only.

It’s agritourism, Hideaway-style. Part paddock tour, part moonlit escape, all rooted in the rhythms of a working farm.

As for the goats, while they prefer to bunker down in stormy weather, in their winter coats they become “fluffy puffballs” and are cuddlier than ever. They also change colour.

“You’ll get a red goat or brown goat completely white. They’ll grow this cashmere angora fur all over them and look like big snowballs,” Brad says.

Even better, late winter brings the opportunity to meet the kids, with the first newborn doelings and bucklings born from August.

“We thought this would be something really fun,” laughs Brad.

Goats in winter coats, a fireside picnic and romantic full moon cottage stay? They’re not kidding.