Looking out to the mountains of Gariwerd, Stoneycroft Cottage was built in 1864 upon South Mokanger (pronounced moe-can-jer) farm on Gunditjmara country. We acknowledge the traditional Gunditjmara (also known as Dhauwurd Wurrung) custodians and pay respect to their Elders past and present. ‘Mokanger’ is an Indigenous word for swamp which can be attributed to the nearby Wanon River that can be experienced via the Settlers Walk in Cavendish.

The Gardner family have been the custodians at South Mokanger for over 110 years. Johnny Gardner is the current custodian working to primarily produce lambs on a pasture driven system. Johnny is a passionate farmer, with a team that focusses on balancing people, environment and animals. Johnny’s partner Maddie is an Interior Stylist working between the farm and Melbourne. Maddie is passionate about utilising natural fibres, celebrating local artistry and reworking pre-loved furniture.

Together the team at South Mokanger are happy to share information on farm activities and talk through the processes happening during your visit. Our mission is to offer a sensory experience that connects people to country via positive agriculture, local artistry and immersion in nature.