Highland cows encounters bring 'positive impact', agritourism operators say

The sight of a large, shaggy cow approaching through a paddock may not sound like a relaxing experience, but Fleurieu Peninsula farmers Alice Cearns and Reece Merritt swear by its potential to turn frowns upside down.

After two years of hosting highland cow experiences on their regenerative Adelaide Hills flower farm, the couple has overseen countless encounters of the bovine cuddling kind.

Mia approaches first, her long black fringe covering her big, plaintive eyes. She is one of the farm's nine highland beasts, including fluffy rust-coloured calves Betty and Tucker.

Matilda, Menzie, and Millie aren't far behind.

"The boys [Max and Banks] come running from afar. It's hilarious because they get the 'zoomies' and kick around before stopping to say 'hello'," Ms Cearns said.

She never tires of watching trepidation turn into delight as newcomers to their Willunga Hills property brush, cuddle and feed a cow for the first time.

"We love talking about the positive impact our animals have on people," Ms Cearns said.

"They're majestic and when you enter their paddock, they're very calm and stand there waiting for you to engage with them. People are instantly amazed and happy."

Some people visit for more than just the warm fuzz factor.

"Social workers sometimes come to escape the stresses of work," Ms Cearns said.

"We've also had a few carers and their clients, and carers come together."

In nearby McLaren Vale, viticulturist and winemaker Jodie Armstrong has noticed similar effects.

Ms Armstrong runs donkey-walking tours past McLaren Flat's rolling vineyards.

"I wanted people to be able to do something different with wine that wasn't just sitting around in a restaurant drinking," Ms Armstrong said, stroking Agatha and Winsome as they graze at her feet.

"I also wanted them to learn about the environment and to experience the donkeys because they're such sweet souls.

"We start off with a cup of tea and a chat, then we go off on our walk, and you can visibly see people calming down. People who didn't ever want to touch a donkey are suddenly the ones leading them."

'Not just patting a horse'

Agritourism is, it seems, getting cuter but can time with large animals positively impact a person's mental health?

According to Indigenous healing practitioner Bianca Stawiarski — a Badimia (Yamatji) and Ukrainian woman and the founder of a wholistic wellness business — equine assisted therapy has the potential to help with emotional regulation, and assist in navigating trauma and anxiety.

"In a First Nations approach, recognising that Country has a part to play [is important] in that as well," Ms Stawiarski said.

Ms Stawiarski believes it is important, though, to distinguish between feel-good tourism experiences and therapeutic treatments.

"It's not just patting a horse or just having a horse," she said.

"When I work in the equine assisted therapy space, the entire session is at liberty. This means the horses are free in the paddock to choose [whether] to engage or not, and sometimes that is the learning."

Further afield, at the Adelaide Hills town of Verdun, restaurant owner Deb Kingsbury has added guided highland calf interactions to the farm surrounds.

"I believe, certainly since COVID, that people are needing that real connection to the land, the place, the ground, with each other, with themselves, and with what they eat," Ms Kingsbury said.

Her approach balances business with wellbeing.

"We're big believers in agritourism and that's what we really want to move towards," Ms Kingsbury said.

"It's a way people can heal, focus on wellbeing, or just spend time out in nature."

Age is no boundary to the potential benefits, Ms Cearns and Mr Merritt believe.

"A lot of 70-to-80-year-olds visit and that's amazing because they lived such a long life already and always have a story to tell," Ms Cearns said.

"Some reminisce about their old farm days and it really brings them back to their roots."