ALPACAS could be classed as the 'newest' farm animals around, and apart from their constant comparison and confusion with llamas, people don't know a whole lot about them.
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This Sunday Birrong Suri Alpacas in Canyonleigh will hold an open day where visitors will have the opportunity to learn about alpacas and even take an alpaca for a walk.
Birrong Suri Alpacas owner Fiona Vanderbeek said they always do something for National Alpaca Week and for the past two years they've taken the alpacas to the Visitor Information Centre at Mittagong.
"This year the alpacas insist they would like people to visit them at their own home, our beautiful farm nestled in a secluded valley in Canyonleigh."
She said they hold farm tours regularly and people love them.
"People love the chance to handle the alpacas and kids can lead them around and hand feed them," she said.
On their 100 acre property they have 60 suri alpacas and Fiona said it's not only a great day out on the farm; it's also a good day for people contemplating buying alpacas as pets or for breeding.
"We will be doing demonstrations in the shearing shed, such as how to cut toenails, and explaining how we shear them."
The Vanderbeeks have been breeding suri alpacas for 10 years and Fiona said every year you can see an improvement of quality in the fleece.
"Suri alpacas are still a fairly new and constantly evolving industry, so you can still see a visible improvement with each generation of breeding."
Fiona said they entered the industry after going to a new breeder's seminar weekend in Robertson.
"We came across a small alpaca farm in the Hunter Valley and had a look and thought they were interesting animals and then went to a new breeder's seminar weekend in Robertson and by the end of the weekend we decided to give it a go."
Birrong Suri Alpacas is on 263 Hawkshill Road Canyonleigh, entry is free, and the farm will be open on Sunday from 10am-4pm. No dogs and wear boots or strong enclosed shoes. There will be signs, but instructions are as follows.
Go seven and a half kilometres up Tugalong Road and then go left at Nandi Road, then go left at Hawkshill Road and drive to the end of the road where a sign says "stop, private property". Ignore the sign, drive down the hill into the valley and take the second gate on the right to the Birrong shearing shed.
