Libby Rough opened four campsites along the Kenilworth river on her dairy property in 2020 after a severe drought forced her family to sell 40 cows.
The drought was the region's driest in decades, pasture shrank and feed prices spiked; Rough had no milk cheque for three months, turning groceries and school fees into overdue bills.
To create income, Rough partnered with Youcamp, a private land‑camping platform that later merged with Hipcamp, offering low‑impact, unpowered sites along the riverbank.
Demand surged as travelers sought local escapes; by August 2020 bookings spiked, and by January 2022 the four sites had earned more than A$50,000, covering equipment, feed, and household bills.
The cash cushion let the Roughs keep the remaining cattle and maintain the farm through lean seasons, while visitors spent in nearby bakeries, fuel stations, and country pubs, injecting money into the micro‑economy.
Seeing the model succeed, the Queensland Farmers' Federation released a discussion paper on farm tourism, and Gympie Regional Council, in December 2021, voted to double the number of caravans or tents allowed without a development application. A camper who stayed in 2021 said the experience let her see how milk is produced, and she praised the Roughs for sharing their farm life after the drought.