Watervale Hotel

Our Promise

Our Promise

The team at Watervale Hotel are passionate about fresh local food and Clare Valley produce.

Our Promise – To follow Permaculture Principles

Our total business follows Permaculture ethical principles, not just the Farm. The ethics at the core of Permaculture practice are equally applicable at the Watervale Hotel; that is everything we do:

  • Must be healthy for the planet,
  • take care of people,
  • and lead to an equitable distribution of wealth and well-being.

Permaculture businesses are a sustainable, self-sufficient eco-system – economic and ecological.

The following chart are a framework that list the 12 principles of permaculture design.

The principles are a useful check-list to assess and re-assess your own farming practices, but not a roadmap for execution of permaculture farming. That is because every farm is different – soils, climate, commercial or personal objectives.

Watervale Hotel and Penobscot Farm permaculture practices

-1- Creativity and Responsiveness.

-1- Creativity and Responsiveness.

The Watervale Hotel Chefs spend time at Penobscot Farm to understand what is being grown and find ways to enhance flavors on the plate. We need to lead the market and create trends by showing customers what is possible. Creativity extends into the spaces and experiences we create, and the service we provide.

-2- We actively listen to feedback

-2- We actively listen to feedback

We actively listen to feedback from our customers and indirectly by way of Trip Advisor or other feedback mechanisms. Every constructive criticism is an opportunity to improve, and self-regulate

-3- Be energy efficient and sustainable

-3- Be energy efficient and sustainable

We are now catching and storing water, and the Solar panels on the roof of the hotel catch the sun’s rays. Most importantly we are restoring health to Penobscot soil that provides nutrition for plants as well as vastly improving water absorption.

-4- Take a commercial approach to farming and food processing

-4- Take a commercial approach to farming and food processing

It is impossible to be ecologically sustainable if you are not economically sustainable. Fortunately Penobscot Farm does not rely on a ‘farming yield’, that is the cost of growing versus the cost of buying a similar item at the supermarket. The Watervale Hotel creates total epicurean experiences.

-5- We use recycled and renewable resources

-5- We use recycled and renewable resources

We use recycled and renewable resources at the Watervale Hotel. All stationary and papers are recycled, we use real straw from rye, and we re-use cooking oil to make soap for example and all compostable restaurant waste returns to the farm.

-6- We use almost all of our waste

-6- We use almost all of our waste

We use almost all of our waste, organics to compost, meat and bones to dog food, cardboard used as weed mat, other waste we can is recycled. 

-7- The farm and hotel have designed themselves

-7- The farm and hotel have designed themselves

The farm is dictated by the soil types, spaces, contours, shade, and efficiency. We see our home and garden as part of the Farm. We grow flowers for cutting and display in the restaurant which also provide value with respect to the cross pollination of bees and birds. The design of the Hotel is also rather organic with a range of spaces and places to suit different guest needs.

-8- We consider ourselves as part of the community

-8- We consider ourselves as part of the community

The Watervale Hotel is the hub of this small town’s community. Being situated in the middle of the Clare Valley Wine region and South Australia’s Mid North pastoral district, the Watervale Hotel is centrally-located in a diverse farming community. An Australian country pub provides a venue for family and friends to share their time over meals and drinks, employment opportunities, and a place where local produce can be show-cased to tourists. 

-9- We have taken a slow organic approach to development

-9- We have taken a slow organic approach to development

Our approach has been to develop the hotel spaces, menu and wine list organically so as to learn as we go. This has not led to the fastest development, but it has seen us wiser for the experience. 

-10- Leverage Diversity

-10- Leverage Diversity

We use companion planting and diversity principles in the farm, and these same principles apply to the Hotel where we aim to have a rolling diversity of skills and experiences in the kitchen and on the floor. Our menu, wine list and other beverage are designed with diversity and flexibility in mind.. 

-11- Embrace trial and error

-11- Embrace trial and error

This is not just about what grows well at the farm, but what works on the plate. Every year we aim to create new dishes for everything that grows on the farm. Not everything will be a gourmet sensation, but every trial provides greater wisdom.

-12- Everything we do relies on integration

-12- Everything we do relies on integration

Everything we do relies on integration of farm and kitchen, restaurant and store. People are the key to this integration. All of our Chef’s and most front of house staff are involved in planting, cultivating and picking. The magic occurs where the farm meets the hotel, the Chefs meet the produce, and creativity meets the customer.

-1- Creativity and Responsiveness.

-1- Creativity and Responsiveness.

The Watervale Hotel Chefs spend time at Penobscot Farm to understand what is being grown and find ways to enhance flavors on the plate. We need to lead the market and create trends by showing customers what is possible. Creativity extends into the spaces and experiences we create, and the service we provide.

-2- We actively listen to feedback

-2- We actively listen to feedback

We actively listen to feedback from our customers and indirectly by way of Trip Advisor or other feedback mechanisms. Every constructive criticism is an opportunity to improve, and self-regulate

-3- Be energy efficient and sustainable

-3- Be energy efficient and sustainable

We are now catching and storing water, and the Solar panels on the roof of the hotel catch the sun’s rays. Most importantly we are restoring health to Penobscot soil that provides nutrition for plants as well as vastly improving water absorption.

-4- Take a commercial approach to farming and food processing

-4- Take a commercial approach to farming and food processing

It is impossible to be ecologically sustainable if you are not economically sustainable. Fortunately Penobscot Farm does not rely on a ‘farming yield’, that is the cost of growing versus the cost of buying a similar item at the supermarket. The Watervale Hotel creates total epicurean experiences.

-5- We use recycled and renewable resources

-5- We use recycled and renewable resources

We use recycled and renewable resources at the Watervale Hotel. All stationary and papers are recycled, we use real straw from rye, and we re-use cooking oil to make soap for example and all compostable restaurant waste returns to the farm.

-6- We use almost all of our waste

-6- We use almost all of our waste

We use almost all of our waste, organics to compost, meat and bones to dog food, cardboard used as weed mat, other waste we can is recycled. 

-7- The farm and hotel have designed themselves

-7- The farm and hotel have designed themselves

The farm is dictated by the soil types, spaces, contours, shade, and efficiency. We see our home and garden as part of the Farm. We grow flowers for cutting and display in the restaurant which also provide value with respect to the cross pollination of bees and birds. The design of the Hotel is also rather organic with a range of spaces and places to suit different guest needs.

-8- We consider ourselves as part of the community

-8- We consider ourselves as part of the community

The Watervale Hotel is the hub of this small town’s community. Being situated in the middle of the Clare Valley Wine region and South Australia’s Mid North pastoral district, the Watervale Hotel is centrally-located in a diverse farming community. An Australian country pub provides a venue for family and friends to share their time over meals and drinks, employment opportunities, and a place where local produce can be show-cased to tourists. 

-9- We have taken a slow organic approach to development

-9- We have taken a slow organic approach to development

Our approach has been to develop the hotel spaces, menu and wine list organically so as to learn as we go. This has not led to the fastest development, but it has seen us wiser for the experience. 

-10- Leverage Diversity

-10- Leverage Diversity

We use companion planting and diversity principles in the farm, and these same principles apply to the Hotel where we aim to have a rolling diversity of skills and experiences in the kitchen and on the floor. Our menu, wine list and other beverage are designed with diversity and flexibility in mind.. 

-11- Embrace trial and error

-11- Embrace trial and error

This is not just about what grows well at the farm, but what works on the plate. Every year we aim to create new dishes for everything that grows on the farm. Not everything will be a gourmet sensation, but every trial provides greater wisdom.

-12- Everything we do relies on integration

-12- Everything we do relies on integration

Everything we do relies on integration of farm and kitchen, restaurant and store. People are the key to this integration. All of our Chef’s and most front of house staff are involved in planting, cultivating and picking. The magic occurs where the farm meets the hotel, the Chefs meet the produce, and creativity meets the customer.
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Our Farm

Taste Nature

Our menu is seasonal, driven by produce from our own organic, bio dynamic Penobscot Farm.