At the heart of Romelda Retreat and Woodlands is a living family story, rooted in five generations of vision, hard work, and a shared love for the Zimbabwean countryside. What began as a dream of a peaceful homestead has grown into a welcoming sanctuary along Lake Mutirikwi.
Generation 1: Helen & Owen – First roots on the land.
In the late 1970s, John and Pat bought Romelda as a home with space enough to look after John’s parents, Helen and Owen, in their older age. Helen and Owen moved onto the land and lived in the original small cottage, which is today Amy and Tyler’s home. Sadly, Helen was only at Romelda for a couple of years before she passed away, but she shared the early dreams of what the property could become. Those first years set a quiet foundation: a family place beside the lake, held with care.
Generation 2: John & Pat – Where the story takes shape.
With John and Pat the story of Romelda truly takes shape. Their vision was simple and lasting: a home where family could put down roots, care for one another, and live close to the land. Pat laid out the gardens, planted the citrus orchards, and established the original fruit trees. They also kept ducks, chickens, horses, and sheep. The name Romelda itself pays homage to the family legacy, a portmanteau crafted from the names of John and Pat’s four children: Rodger, Mel, Daryl, and Dave.
Pat’s gardens and the mature trees they nurtured still shape the character of the property. That care, laid down over years, is still the groundwork everything at Romelda grows from today.
Generation 3: Dave & Lisa – The birth of Romelda Retreat.
Dave, John and Pat’s youngest son, returned to carry the property forward with his wife Lisa. Together they began developing Romelda into a working, self-sufficient homestead that could be shared with others. What started as a self-catering sole-use tented lodge soon expanded with a campsite and boats, giving rise to Romelda Retreat.
Through the post-COVID boom in local travel, Romelda grew into a household name and recognised hospitality brand across Zimbabwe. Since 2025 Dave and Lisa have also shaped the longer vision for Woodlands: residences for guests who want to stay a while, with the land cared for as carefully as the welcome.
Generation 4: Amy & Tyler – Elevating the experience.
Dave’s daughter Amy was included in the early development of Romelda Retreat, helping with reservations and marketing; she put Romelda on the map. A quirky social media and an inspiring website drew steady bookings and caught the attention of many travellers further afield.
With her partner Tyler, she now manages the hospitality of Romelda Retreat: lodge, campsite, and glamping. In 2023, as they prepared for the arrival of their son Callum, Amy and Tyler relocated from Victoria Falls to Romelda, seeking a supportive village environment to raise their family. They live in the original cottage where Helen and Owen first made their home, closing a quiet circle on the same patch of ground.
Generation 5: Callum – Growing up on a working farm.
Today, young Callum represents the fifth generation thriving on the land. The property has expanded to be uniquely family-friendly, featuring playgrounds at the Lodge, Campsite, and Woodlands, fishing reservoirs, and in 2026, the addition of The Little Orchard Playhouse pre-primary school.
Growing up outdoors equips Callum with practical life skills and nature knowledge beyond his years: with his dad, he spends afternoons taking apart and putting back together parts and engines to learn how they work, while walks across the farm with his grandad teach him to check on vegetables, crops, fruit trees, and staff. In the quiet hours, he joins his granny in the gardens or birdwatching, and in the evenings, he greets and chats with guests alongside his mum, down at the lodge.
An invitation to join our village.
Dave and Lisa conceived Woodlands as the natural next chapter in the evolution of Romelda, born from a quiet realisation shared by so many departing guests who lamented, “We wish we had more time.” Woodlands Romelda transforms that wish into reality. Designed as an intentional long-stay residence, it offers travellers an opportunity to step off the fast-paced tourist track and immerse themselves deeply in rural homesteading and lakeside living.
Together, the generations living at Romelda remain dedicated to sharing their homestead with people from all walks of life. Whether you stay for a few nights or spend several months at Woodlands Romelda, you are invited into our community bubble, slow down, and experience the timeless beauty of life in rural Zimbabwe.
