Ratho Farm Bothwell Tasmania sits in the heart of the Central Highlands, just outside the quiet village of Bothwell. Stone cottages, barns, and paddocks tell stories that stretch back nearly 200 years, while the Clyde River winds through the property, threading past paddocks and farm buildings. This is a place where history feels alive. The old buildings have been restored with care, the golf course carries decades of tradition, and the setting has a calm, unhurried feel. It’s authentic, welcoming, and quietly captivating and it’s the kind of farm stay and golf experience you don’t forget.
Golf and Trout Fishing at Ratho Farm Bothwell Tasmania
Mention Ratho Farm to a golfer and their eyes usually light up. This is Australia’s oldest golf course, an 18‑hole inland links‑style layout shaped by the natural landscape of the Highlands. The course weaves around paddocks, farm buildings, and the river, offering a mix of fairways, gentle undulations, and river hazards that reward strategy and patience. The course has earned its fair share of praise, including a World Golf Award in 2022, and for good reason. It’s a nostalgic reminder of playing on a course steeped in history and tradition, with wide fairways, natural terrain, and a pace that lets you enjoy the surroundings as much as the game itself.
Add in trout fishing on the Clyde, long walks, and the chance to simply sit by the river with a glass of local pinot, and suddenly Ratho Farm becomes more than a golf stop, it’s a genuinely restorative base for exploring the Central Highlands.
Stories Carried through Generations at Ratho Farm Bothwell Tasmania
Ratho Farm was bought by the Ramsay Family back in 1936, and is now under Greg Ramsay’s stewardship and fourth generation Ramsay. With his vision and family, he has spent decades carefully restoring the heritage cottages, barns, and historic golf course. You’ll sense their pride the moment you’re there, and if you’re lucky, Greg, the custodian of countless stories too, might share a yarn or two about the farm’s history, its characters, or the odd golfing legend who’s wandered through.
Corporate retreats also find a home here as it’s easily accessible with modern amenities and recreational options Google, Qantas, and Innovation Bay have all slipped away to Ratho Farm for strategy days and quiet thinking time. It’s the kind of place that lets you disconnect just enough to reconnect with a bigger purpose. Ratho Farm shows their great support of corporate retreats with complimentary facilitators and motivational speakers free of charge.
Heritage and Comfort in Bothwell, Tasmania
Ratho Farms beginnings read like a slice of Tasmanian folklore. Founded in 1822 by Alexander and Mary Reid of Scotland’s Ratho Bank Estate, the family helped shape the village of Bothwell while farming beside the Upper Clyde River. Their original buildings such as the cottages, stables and bakehouses still stand.
The accommodation today, ranges from premium convict cottages to riverside suites, fishing shacks, studios and family-friendly apartments. You’ll notice the stone thresholds, the lovely timber beams, deep baths and the heritage character has been thoughtfully highlighted. At the same time, you’ll enjoy modern comforts like underfloor heating in the ensuites and convenient kitchenettes which are handy, even with the onsite seasonal restaurant in the communal atrium. Long shared tables make dining feel relaxed and social, and the whole experience stays closely tied to the property’s history and natural surrounds, with the river never far away.
Exploring Bothwell and the Central Highlands
While Ratho Farm is the main drawcard, the surrounding Central Highlands are full of little gems. The tiny town of Bothwell has a super cute historic post office, a landmark slicked in grey and white paint, while the functioning Australia Post Office has a coffee station and a great assortment of lollies. There’s also Sealy’s Store, built in 1850, a little dream pit stop with delicious date scones (piled high with jam and cream or lashings of butter), gourmet pies (including curried rabbit), bowls of beautiful chicken soup with warm crusty rolls, and more. The store also stocks lovely handmade local crafts, which are well worth a browse.
Golfers can follow the Midlands Golf Trail, while scenic drives link Hobart, Oatlands, Ross, and the Central Plateau, each turn revealing quiet landscapes and open skies. There’s good fishing in the Highlands lakes, or you can simply pull up a chair at Clyde Mill Distillery or Greg and Frannie Ramsay’s Bothwell Hotel of the Highlands and take it all in.
More Than a Golf Retreat
Ratho Farm Bothwell Tasmania may draw people in for the golf, but it’s everything around it that makes the visit truly memorable: river walks, restored cottages, and that naturally unhurried Highland rhythm all play their part.
It’s a place that suits golfers chasing a course with depth and history, couples looking for a peaceful countryside escape or fly-fishers, road trippers, corporate groups, friends, families for holidays, weddings and specials events. Every stay lets you play, explore, and unwind, with the river, paddocks, and wide fairways just steps away. With a wide range of cottages, shacks, and suites, there’s plenty of space for everyone to enjoy the Central Highlands at their own pace.
Pack your clubs, your curiosity, and a sense of adventure because Ratho Farm invites you to play, explore, and unwind in the heart of Tasmania Highlands.
Getting to Ratho Farm, Bothwell, Tasmania
From Hobart, it’s a 1.5 to 2 hr drive to Ratho Farm.
For those seeking a touch of luxury, Rotorlift offers helicopter transfers from Hobart Airport. Step straight off your flight and into a turbine helicopter, taking in stunning views before arriving at Ratho Farm in just 30 minutes. Return in style after your stay, or explore the Ratho Farm Fly-Drive Package.
