From The Oaks Ranch

After a fond farewell to Karen & Andrew, the Ranch has just welcomed in it's new managers Mark & Kay! Kay has been working at the Ranch since last December and with Mark's twenty years of chef experience this leaves the Ranch in very capable hands.  Karen & Andrew are taking some time to travel with family from the UK and as always would really like to thank all our guests, many of them returning guests, who make being here such fun.

Tom Carroll, one of our regular visitors popped in recently as he has been at a secret location on the South Coast filming a new 3D surf film. He also brought a little gift for us which is now hanging in the bat - thanks Tom!

On the golf course our regular golfers are a joy to have coming through each week and we have had some great feedback on the improvements we have made on the golf course. We really enjoy exploring the Ranch on horseback with our trail riders too and it's been great seeing the smiles on the faces of some beginners riding for the first time as well as a range of experienced riders.

Look out for our company vehicle out and about on the South Coast and don't forget we are happy to offer courtesy airport pick-ups for any guests choosing to fly to Moruya from Sydney or Melbourne with Rex. Having done the flight to Sydney ourselves, it's just so easy and you get great views over the Ranch too. However you get here everyone seems to agree that this is a great  place to relax, unwind and escape; going home just doesn't seem as easy.

The Oaks Ranch and Country Club is passionate about reducing our impact on the environment and so we have recently become part of the Sustaining Our Towns Program. Click here for more information. assets/file/sustainingourtowns.pdf

Our Games room with the addition of Wii sports has been proving popular and so we can now offer indoor (as well as the outdoor) tennis, 10 pin bowling, baseball and a whole lot of other fun! If you don't fly here then perhaps take in the views with a scenic flight or skydive, based at Moruya airport just 10 mins away you will find www.moruyaaeroclub.com.au . If you would like to Kayak up the river or even out to sea, RegionX Kayaks do some great tours www.seakayakingnsw.com.au

Finally we've helped a number of people celebrate special events over the past few months by hosting a range of group bookings, weddings and birthdays at The Oaks Ranch and Country Club. We've had 40ths, 50ths, 21sts, weddings and anniversaries to mention a few, so if you have a family celebration on the horizon, consider coming here and having the opportunity for everyone to stay and celebrate in style.

Don't forget once more that you can also catch up on all the Ranch news on our Facebook page and thank you to all the guests who have contributed their photos and memories.  Please use this as a way to keep in touch.

We look forward to welcoming you to the Oaks Ranch soon

Mark & Kay

From the Green Keeper

The Oaks gets its name from the many 'She Oaks', lining each fairway.

The greens are small and with undulating surrounds, provide a real test of your shot-making abilities and water hazards affect at least three holes, snapping up the errant shot!

The 9th hole from the back tees, requires a long carry over the water just to reach the fairway. Once you are over the water you also need to avoid the huge fairway bunker that hugs the entire left side of the fairway. It is definitely the toughest hole on the course, especially when there is an easterly blowing! There are also plenty of very well placed bunkers around the course to catch you out.

The course has undergone numerous improvements recently including new tees and bunker additions. This, along with major greens renovations, has the course in excellent condition!

The scenery around the course, with its many species of wildlife and the resort facilities available within our Country Club provide for a great day out, even for the non-golfers in your group.

We welcome you to come and inspect our unique and 'challenging' facility – one of the best-kept secrets on the South Coast that is fast making a place for itself on the 'golfing' map!

From the Stables

At the stables we've had two new recent arrivals. Morris is a young horse who belongs to our Jillaroo and will be doing a lot of training with her before joining the team on the trail rides over the coming years. Destiny is our latest arrival to the Ranch herd and is another mare, so that Possum now has another girlfirend to help her with all the other boys! Destiny is a very pretty chestnut colour and is very excitied by all the new friends she is going to make. She will do some training first to learn her new job but has a lovely walk and trot which will be great for our riders. The horses are really enjoying the fresh green grass and all looking fit and healthy and are really enjoying taking people on trail rides.  The riders are enjoying the opportunity to see lots of wildlife and getting wet hoofs riding along the banks of the river.  The horses are responsive and have lots of energy, but are still very well behaved.

In the front paddock you will still find our two retirees, Keating the donkey and Mary the beautiful Cyldesdale who is expecting a foal next October. She loves to be patted, if you can reach!

The kangaroos and their joeys are all around, the Lama needs to be entered into the next Olympics for her high jumping skills. She hops over any fence we put her behind and doesn't even need a run up! She has been spotted on the golf course and in with the horses but she comes back in very easily which is good for everyone!

We had 4 lambs this year who are all growing up big and strong and are being protected from any foxes by the lama and alpaca who do a great job of protecting sheep. The pigs do the same job for the chickens too, so everyone has their role to play. The pigs also eat up any of our food scraps and the chickens are providing a healthy suppy of eggs for breakfast. All happy on the Ranch!