26 | Valley Views gone from strength to strength Karen Phelps AGRI-TOURISM » Valley Views Glamping Since Valley Views Glamping opened on a North Otago farm in 2017 it’s gone from strength to strength with the six accommodation geodesic domes experiencing around 80% occupancy year-round. Now owners Amber and Patrick Tyrrell are eyeing up expansion, with plans to add a larger dome to host bigger retreats and weddings. The pair both hails from rural backgrounds. Amber grew up on a farm nearby while Patrick, a trained civil engineer, came from a farm on South Africa’s Eastern Cape, which grew citrus, tobacco and vegetables. The pair met on a co-operative agricultural community in the Israeli desert in 1992. The couple purchased their 40ha farm in the Waitaki Valley in 2007 and were farming beef cattle in conjunction with Amber’s mother who lives next door on a 226ha farm. But the Tyrrell’s small farm simply wasn’t big enough to earn an income from so it was just supplementing their day jobs off farm. They had experienced glamping in a safari tent on a game farm in South Africa. With a vision to utilise their land to start their own business and create something they could live off they took a leap of faith and haven’t looked back. After attending an agri tourism course with Marijke Dunselman from Agritourism NZ this further helped them streamline and improve their business. Located in the foothills below Mount Domett, the glamping domes offer spectacular valley views. One of the Tyrrell’s main drivers is to help people get back to nature. There is no Wi-Fi but rather the Milky Way to gaze at, outdoors baths nestled in the forest (one of the domes also has its own private baths) and a seven hectare forest to explore. There is a shared lodge with cooking facilities for those that want to self-cater or the couple also offer a home-cooked dinner. “We were nervous when we started but it’s been a huge success.We’re really passionate Another perfect sunset at Valley View. Inset: Patrick and Amber Tyrrell, with dogs Tinky and Hank (below).
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