Dido's Place

Dido's Place Dido's Place, an exclusive private holiday house in East Kurrajong, NSW

๐–๐ก๐š๐ญ ๐š๐œ๐ญ๐ฎ๐š๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐š๐ค๐ž๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐ž๐ฐ๐ก๐ž๐ซ๐ž ๐Ÿ๐š๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐Ÿ๐ซ๐ข๐ž๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ฒ? I don't think simply providing a cot and saying โ€œkids welcomeโ€ is enough....
22/09/2026

๐–๐ก๐š๐ญ ๐š๐œ๐ญ๐ฎ๐š๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐š๐ค๐ž๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐ž๐ฐ๐ก๐ž๐ซ๐ž ๐Ÿ๐š๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐Ÿ๐ซ๐ข๐ž๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ฒ?
I don't think simply providing a cot and saying โ€œkids welcomeโ€ is enough...

As a parent, I think about the whole experience.
How long will the kids be in the car? How much stuff will you have to pack? Is the floor clean enough for a crawling baby? Will there actually be things for the kids to do? Can you cook when everyone is hungry rather than working around restaurant bookings? Is there enough space for teenagers?

And perhaps the question we parents don't ask ourselves often enoughโ€ฆ
Will I get a holiday too?

After our own recent family travels, and years of welcoming families to Didoโ€™s Place, I've put together a new blog sharing what I believe parents should really look for when choosing family-friendly holiday accommodation near Sydney.

It's not a generic checklist. It's based on what we've experienced ourselves as a family, what I've learnt as a Host and what our Guests tell us matters to them.

So grab a cuppa and have a read. โ˜• I'm sharing this one from one parent to another.
๐Ÿ‘‰ Read the blog: https://www.didosplace.com.au/blog/family-friendly-holiday-accommodation-near-sydney

๐Ÿ“ Dido's Place | East Kurrajong, Hawkesbury NSW
๐Ÿš— Around 90 minutes from Sydney CBD

Because Mum and Dad deserve a holiday too. ๐Ÿ’›

๐ŸŒธ ๐‹๐จ๐จ๐ค๐ข๐ง๐  ๐Ÿ๐จ๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐จ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐ค๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž๐ฌ๐ž ๐’๐ฉ๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐’๐œ๐ก๐จ๐จ๐ฅ ๐‡๐จ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐š๐ฒ๐ฌ?Parentsโ€ฆ I think this might be our biggest School ...
18/09/2026

๐ŸŒธ ๐‹๐จ๐จ๐ค๐ข๐ง๐  ๐Ÿ๐จ๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐จ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐ค๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž๐ฌ๐ž ๐’๐ฉ๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐’๐œ๐ก๐จ๐จ๐ฅ ๐‡๐จ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐š๐ฒ๐ฌ?

Parentsโ€ฆ I think this might be our biggest School Holiday Guide yet!

Iโ€™ve been busy pulling together some of the best family-friendly events, activities and adventures happening across the Hawkesbury and surrounds this September and October and there is SO much happening!

๐Ÿช„ A live magic show with JD's World of Magic at The Regent Theatre - Richmond
๐ŸŽˆ 280 metres of inflatable fun at Monster Jump
๐Ÿฆ– Dinosaur Valley at Scenic World Blue Mountains
๐Ÿ• Kids pizza-making classes at Hillbilly Cider & Bligh Park Hotel
๐ŸŽฃ Fishing adventures with
๐Ÿ Farmer for a Day & farm experiences at Permaculture Hawkesbury Valley Inc.
โ›ณ Mini golf & Putt with the Police at Lynwood Golf & Country Club
๐Ÿ’Ž Crystals, gemstones & fossils at the State Gem & Mineral Show
๐ŸŒฟ Wildlife exploring & dip-netting at The Blue Mountains Botanic Garden, Mount Tomah
๐Ÿงšโ€โ™€๏ธ Fairies & Pirates at the Australiana Pioneer Village
๐ŸŽจ Art, craft & creative workshops with Artfulness au and Makers, Painters & Mayhem
๐ŸŽญ Beauty & The Beast JR. by Fantasia Showstoppers
๐Ÿด Horses, kayaking & outdoor adventures with Adonai Equine & Disability Services
๐Ÿงฑ LEGO Build & Bash North Richmond Panthers
๐ŸŽ Pony rides, a petting zoo, reptiles and MORE! The Vineyard Sydney

Spring is such a beautiful time to explore the Hawkesbury, with warmer days, gardens in bloom and plenty of opportunities to get the kids outdoors.

A number of these activities have limited places and some are already booking quickly, so Iโ€™d definitely start planning now.

๐Ÿ“– Read our full Spring School Holiday Guide here:

https://www.didosplace.com.au/blog/spring-school-holidays-hawkesbury-2026

And if you know of another great family-friendly activity happening in the Hawkesbury these school holidays, pop it in the comments so other families can discover it too.

Tag a Mum or Dad who needs some school holiday inspiration! ๐Ÿ‘‡

๐Ÿ† ๐–๐„๐‹๐‹โ€ฆ ๐“๐‡๐ˆ๐’ ๐–๐€๐’ ๐€ ๐‹๐Ž๐•๐„๐‹๐˜ ๐๐ˆ๐„๐‚๐„ ๐Ž๐… ๐๐„๐–๐’! ๐Ÿ†Didoโ€™s Place is officially a Finalist in the 2026 Hawkesbury Local Business Aw...
15/09/2026

๐Ÿ† ๐–๐„๐‹๐‹โ€ฆ ๐“๐‡๐ˆ๐’ ๐–๐€๐’ ๐€ ๐‹๐Ž๐•๐„๐‹๐˜ ๐๐ˆ๐„๐‚๐„ ๐Ž๐… ๐๐„๐–๐’! ๐Ÿ†

Didoโ€™s Place is officially a Finalist in the 2026 Hawkesbury Local Business Awards! ๐ŸŽ‰

And this one comes with a very BIG thank you to YOU!

These awards begin with nominations and votes from the community, so knowing that people took the time to put Didoโ€™s Place forward and vote for our little family business makes being a finalist even more special.

Behind Didoโ€™s Place is our family, along with some pretty wonderful local cleaners, suppliers and businesses who help us do what we do. Thereโ€™s a lot that happens behind the scenes to create the stays our guests experience, so itโ€™s incredibly exciting to see all of that recognised.

Weโ€™re also very proud to be part of the Hawkesbury tourism industry and to have the opportunity to introduce more families to this beautiful part of NSW, whether theyโ€™re here to slow down for a weekend, explore the region, attend a wedding or simply spend some much-needed time together.

So, to everyone who nominated us, voted for us, stayed with us, recommended us or supported us along the way, THANK YOU! ๐Ÿฅฐ

Next stopโ€ฆ Awards Night! ๐Ÿ†

Keep those fingers crossed for us! ๐Ÿคž

11/09/2026

๐–๐ก๐ž๐ซ๐ž ๐œ๐š๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐ค๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐ ๐ž๐ญ ๐ฎ๐ฉ ๐œ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฌ๐ž ๐š๐ง๐ ๐Ÿ๐ž๐ž๐ ๐Ÿ๐š๐ซ๐ฆ ๐š๐ง๐ข๐ฆ๐š๐ฅ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐‡๐š๐ฐ๐ค๐ž๐ฌ๐›๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฒ?๐Ÿ

Itโ€™s a question our guests ask us all the time at Dido's Place, so come for a little walk with me through the The Secret Garden Community Hub in Richmond.

This is such a beautiful AND affordable family day out. Thereโ€™s free entry, $3 bags of feed for the goats, chickens and guinea fowl wandering around, guinea pigs and horses to say hello to.

There are also in-ground trampolines and a huge gated sandpit/play area with the cafรฉ right beside it. So while the kids play, Mum, Dad or the grandparents can enjoy a coffee and one of their very generous $5 scones with jam and cream!

Then wander through the gorgeous gardens and nursery, discover colourful art around every corner and pick up fresh eggs, local honey or perhaps a few plants to take home.

But what makes this place even more special is its purpose. The Secret Garden is run by North West Disability Services, with participants, support workers, horticulturalists and volunteers behind so much of what you see here.

So your coffee, scone or new plant is also helping support something pretty wonderful in our local community.

Coming up on Saturday 19th September 9am - 2pm, they will be hosting their annual Spring Fair. There will be train rides, live music & entertainment, market stalls, farm animals and hundreds of plants at bargain prices, along with Devonshire tea and coffee. Entry for special events is just $3.

It may be called The Secret Garden, but this secret is simply too good to keep, so much so, that I've even written a blog all about it on our website. https://www.didosplace.com.au/blog/secret-garden-richmond-nsw

๐Ÿ“ Western Sydney University Hawkesbury Campus, Richmond NSW
๐Ÿš— Around 1 hour from Sydney

05/09/2026

โœจ WHAT A NIGHT! โœจ

While we didnโ€™t take home the award at the Western Sydney Awards for Business Excellence, we walked away feeling incredibly proud not only to have Dido's Place named a finalist in the Visitor Economy category, but to see the Hawkesbury so strongly represented.

Incredibly, 4 of the 9 finalists in our category were from the Hawkesbury! ๐Ÿ’›

For a region that is still finding its place on the tourism map, that was such a wonderful moment. The Hawkesbury is starting to make some noise, and with so many passionate tourism businesses working hard to showcase what our beautiful region has to offer, I really think we are a destination to watch.

A huge thank you to everyone involved in the Western Sydney Awards for Business Excellence for recognising and celebrating businesses across Western Sydney, and congratulations to all the finalists and winners.

And of course, Didoโ€™s Place wouldn't be what it is without our wonderful guests, our local suppliers, cleaners, trades and everyone who lends a hand behind the scenes.

And a special mention to my husband, the often unseen other half of Didoโ€™s Place. โค๏ธ The man who builds, fixes, maintains and somehow brings to life most of the crazy ideas I come up with! I genuinely couldnโ€™t do this without you.

What a wonderful night to celebrate how far weโ€™ve come, the people who help us along the way, and a very exciting future for tourism in the Hawkesbury.

Discover the Hawkesbury - Visitor Information Centre Visit NSW Hawkesbury Tourism Collaborative Hawkesbury Women in Business Steve Kamper

๐ŸŒธ ๐–๐ก๐š๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐Ž๐ง ๐ˆ๐ง ๐’๐ž๐ฉ๐ญ๐ž๐ฆ๐›๐ž๐ซ ๐ŸŒฟSpring has arrived in the Hawkesbury! The gardens are coming alive, the days are getting longe...
01/09/2026

๐ŸŒธ ๐–๐ก๐š๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐Ž๐ง ๐ˆ๐ง ๐’๐ž๐ฉ๐ญ๐ž๐ฆ๐›๐ž๐ซ ๐ŸŒฟ

Spring has arrived in the Hawkesbury! The gardens are coming alive, the days are getting longer, warmer and there is SO much happening across the region.

This month:
๐ŸŒฟ Wander through the beautiful Wildwood Garden in Bilpin as it comes alive for Spring (Fri - Mon)
๐Ÿ‚ Hold onto your hats! The PBR Australia Monster Energy Tour comes to the Hawkesbury Showground (4-5 September)
๐Ÿฝ๏ธ Expect chaos, comedy and dinner with the hilarious Faulty Towers Dining Experience at Crowne Plaza Hawkesbury Valley (4 September)
๐ŸŒฟNothing planned yet for Father's Day? Take a scenic country drive up to the St Albans Village Market and Events (6 September)
๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐Ÿ‘งโ€๐Ÿ‘ฆ Looking for something different this Father's Day? Step back in time at the Australiana Pioneer Village (6 September)
๐Ÿ˜‚ Get ready for a night of laughs with the Sydney Comedy Festival Showcase Tour at The Regent Theatre - Richmond (11 September)
๐Ÿซ–Head to Hawkesbury Showground for the All British Day, with an incredible display of British cars and motoring history (13 September)
๐Ÿšค The Upper Hawkesbury Power Boat Club presents the Windsor Spectacular โ€“ two action-packed days on the Hawkesbury River (18-19 September)
๐ŸŒธ Celebrate this incredible season at the Spring Fair The Secret Garden Community Hub (19 September)
๐Ÿšœ You'll find a fantastic day out for the family at the Clarendon Classic Machinery, Truck & Hobby Show (19-20 September)
๐ŸŽ Polo season is back! Head along to the Windsor Polo Club Open Day and experience a day of polo (20 September)

And speaking of Springโ€ฆ our NEW outdoor kids' play zone at Dido's Place has been a HUGE hit! ๐Ÿ’›๐ŸŒฟ

The new mud kitchen, magic potion stand, potting bench, sensory garden, fairy garden and nature play spaces have been so well received that we've already had guests rebook another stay soon after returning home! We absolutely love seeing how much the kids are enjoying it.

Get in quick, only a few weekends remain for the entire season!
https://didosplace.rentalwise.net/property/family-group-friendly-accommodation

๐ŸŒฟ ๐ˆ๐“โ€™๐’ ๐๐„๐„๐ ๐€ ๐–๐‡๐ˆ๐‹๐„โ€ฆ ๐’๐Ž ๐ˆ ๐“๐‡๐Ž๐”๐†๐‡๐“ ๐ˆโ€™๐ƒ ๐‘๐„๐ˆ๐๐“๐‘๐Ž๐ƒ๐”๐‚๐„ ๐Œ๐˜๐’๐„๐‹๐…! ๐ŸŒฟHi, Iโ€™m Nila ๐Ÿ‘‹ Mum of two and your host at Dido's Place.We re...
25/08/2026

๐ŸŒฟ ๐ˆ๐“โ€™๐’ ๐๐„๐„๐ ๐€ ๐–๐‡๐ˆ๐‹๐„โ€ฆ ๐’๐Ž ๐ˆ ๐“๐‡๐Ž๐”๐†๐‡๐“ ๐ˆโ€™๐ƒ ๐‘๐„๐ˆ๐๐“๐‘๐Ž๐ƒ๐”๐‚๐„ ๐Œ๐˜๐’๐„๐‹๐…! ๐ŸŒฟ

Hi, Iโ€™m Nila ๐Ÿ‘‹ Mum of two and your host at Dido's Place.

We really are a family-run business! Iโ€™m a bit of a jack-of-all-trades, covering bookings, accounts, social media, guest communication, property checks, gardening and everything in between.

My husband and father-in-law are our handymen, our daughter earns pocket money helping mow our nine acres (and is VERY keen to get her driverโ€™s licence! ๐Ÿ˜‚), while our youngest is chief stick collector and campfire assistant, helping get the firepit ready for each stay. โค๏ธ

I created Dido's Place because I wanted somewhere families could escape the city, reconnect and make memories together, without travelling for hours to get there.

Having experienced firsthand how difficult travelling with young children and children with additional needs can sometimes be, I wanted to make getting away that little bit easier.

Weโ€™re around 90 minutes from Sydney CBD and have tried to think of those little things parents need, like a cot, highchairs, baby equipment and a kidsโ€™ room full of toys and games.

We also proudly support the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower initiative, with sensory toys, weighted blankets, a sensory garden and social story available. If thereโ€™s something I can do to make your stay easier, please ask. ๐Ÿ’›

Our latest addition is our totally AWESOME outdoor kidsโ€™ play zone! ๐ŸŒฟ From mud kitchens and magic potions to nature play, gardening and fairies, the feedback has already made all the hard work worthwhile.

One of my favourite things to hear is โ€œthe kids didnโ€™t want to leave.โ€ Weโ€™ve even had several families recently book their next visit soon after returning home. There really is no bigger compliment!

When Iโ€™m not working at Didoโ€™s Place, I spend a lot of time promoting our beautiful Hawkesbury.

So thatโ€™s me โ€“ Mum, host, gardener, bookkeeper, tourism advocate and occasional fairy-garden builder. ๐Ÿ˜‚

Thank you to everyone who stays, follows, recommends us and returns. Seeing families enjoying Didoโ€™s Place makes all the hard work worthwhile. ๐Ÿ’›

Hawkesbury Women in Business Hawkesbury Tourism Collaborative

Photo credit: Janelle Keys Photography

21/08/2026

We are so excited to unveil our most recent project at Dido's Place ๐ŸŒฟ

Over the past couple of weeks, weโ€™ve been busy transforming this little corner of Didoโ€™s Place into a brand new outdoor play space for kids.

We stripped back the grass, prepared the area with w**d mat, brought in a whole truckload of wood chip, built, painted, planted and slowly watched our vision come to life.

And, as with most projects at Didoโ€™s Place, it became a whole family affair. Everyone pitched in to help create something we hope families will enjoy during their stay at Dido's Place for years to come.

The finished space now includes:

๐ŸŒฟ Nature play
๐Ÿงช A Magic Potion Stand
๐Ÿฅฃ Mud Kitchen
๐ŸŒฑ Potting Bench
๐ŸŒธ Sensory Garden
๐Ÿงšโ€โ™€๏ธ And, of course, a few little fairies hiding amongst it all! Can you spot them?

A lot of the space has also been created by reusing and repurposing materials, including recycled pallets that we transformed into the mud kitchen, potion stand and potting bench.

There were definitely some tired bodies by the end of this week ๐Ÿ˜‚ but seeing the finished space and how incredible it is, has made all the hard work worthwhile.

Weโ€™re so excited to finally share it with you and even more excited to see our little guests getting messy, creating, planting, exploring and letting their imaginations run wild. ๐ŸŒฟ๐Ÿ’›

๐Ÿ† ๐–๐„โ€™๐‘๐„ ๐…๐ˆ๐๐€๐‹๐ˆ๐’๐“๐’! ๐Ÿ†Weโ€™re so excited to share that Dido's Place has been named a Finalist in the 2026 Australian Womenโ€™s...
18/08/2026

๐Ÿ† ๐–๐„โ€™๐‘๐„ ๐…๐ˆ๐๐€๐‹๐ˆ๐’๐“๐’! ๐Ÿ†

Weโ€™re so excited to share that Dido's Place has been named a Finalist in the 2026 Australian Womenโ€™s Small Business Champion Awards in the Tourism category!

Itโ€™s always lovely to receive recognition like this, especially as a small family-run business that started with a simple idea back in 2017 and has grown into so much more than we ever imagined.

A huge thank you to our amazing guests who choose to stay with us, come back again, leave such beautiful reviews and recommend Didoโ€™s Place to their family and friends. Your support really does mean the world to us.

A big thank you to our wonderful Hawkesbury community. Weโ€™re very proud to be part of this beautiful region and even prouder to be representing the Hawkesbury in the Tourism category on a national stage!

Last but not least, a massive thank you to our local cleaners Bonnie Clean & Co, local suppliers and local businesses that we collaborate with to bring the magic to every stay at Dido's Place.

Now we wait for awards nightโ€ฆ wish us luck! ๐Ÿคž

โญ ๐‘๐„๐€๐ƒ ๐“๐„๐‘๐‘๐ˆ'๐’ ๐…๐”๐‹๐‹ ๐‘๐„๐•๐ˆ๐„๐– ๐‡๐„๐‘๐„ โญ"Dido's Place is an absolute haven for families with young children. From the moment we...
12/08/2026

โญ ๐‘๐„๐€๐ƒ ๐“๐„๐‘๐‘๐ˆ'๐’ ๐…๐”๐‹๐‹ ๐‘๐„๐•๐ˆ๐„๐– ๐‡๐„๐‘๐„ โญ

"Dido's Place is an absolute haven for families with young children. From the moment we booked, to arrival and everything while we were there was absolutely perfect. The house and property has such a warm and welcoming feel, it really felt like a home away from home. There is so much to do on the property for young children we didn't even have to leave if we didn't want to. Nila (the host) went out of her way to make our stay extra special with every little detail thought of, from welcome gifts tailored to the children's ages, to little notes and tips to make the stay as easy as possible. It was absolutely perfect and we will definitely be back again." - Terri

This review perfectly captures what Dido's Place is all about. We want families to arrive, settle in and feel like they are instantly on holidays!

While the kids are busy exploring the gardens, digging up potatoes, hunting for fairy doors, jumping on the trampoline, fishing, getting creative or playing in the children's toy room, the grown-ups can relax nearby with a coffee overlooking the 9 acre property, a soak in the hot tub or an evening around the fire pit.

And we're about to give the kids even MORE to do!

๐ŸŒฑ We're currently very busy working away behind the scenes on our new Nature Play Zone, and it is really starting to come together.

Think little farmers, mud kitchen chefs, growing, digging, creating and plenty of good old-fashioned outdoor play. And we have a feeling our garden lovers and home chefs might enjoy what we're creating too!

๐Ÿ‘€ So stay tuned to our Stories to see our latest updates as everything comes together. We can't wait to unveil this new experience for our families very soon!

Thank you Terri for your beautiful review. It really does mean the world to us. โค๏ธ

โญโญโญโญโญ

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Address

253 East Kurrajong Road
East Kurrajong, NSW
2758

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