Animal farms are a great way for kids to Get up close to farm animals, learn a little bit about rural life and experience a different way of life from the city.
Melbourne has great animal farms for children – here are the best ones for your next farm adventure!
Melbourne’s Best Animal Farms for Children
1. Collingwood Children’s Farm, Abbotsford
If you live in inner city Melbourne then the best animal farm is the bucolic Collingwood Children’s Farm (which is actually in Abbotsford). You can access it via the popular Capital City bike trail along the Yarra River.
Visitors to this Melbourne children’s farm can milk the cow twice daily, bottle feed young lambs (seasonal), wander around, feed the animals, help with farm chores, go into the paddocks with the sheep and goats, cuddle a guinea pig, waddle with the ducks, feed the chooks and look for eggs.
The excellent Kid friendly Farm Cafe is on-site at the Abbotsford animal farm or you can bring your own food to eat on-site.
For Collingwood Children’s Farm and The Farm Cafe discount:
- Entertainment (Formerly Entertainment Book) members get 2-for-1 admission
- Small Ideas members save 50% off Family Admission & 2 meals for the price of 1 at The Farm Cafe on weekdays
Related: Best bike trails in Melbourne for families
Collingwood Children’s Farm, 18 St Heliers St, Abbotsford VIC 3067 +61 3 9417 5806
2. Myuna Farm, Doveton
At Myuna Farm you can pet guinea pigs and rabbits, see snakes, lizards and other reptiles. Take a scenic train ride or pony ride. Feed the animals in the paddock and enjoy lunch at the cafe or even take your own picnic. There’s a playground opposite the cafe sith a farm theme.
Myuna Farm discount: Small Ideas members save 50% off Family Admission
Myuna Farm, 182 Kidds Rd, Doveton VIC 3177 + 61 3 9706 9944
3. Bundoora Park Farm, Bundoora
Bundoora Park Farm is next to the free Bundoora Park play space and entry to both locations is via the Bundoora Park cafe.
Inside Bundoora Park Farm you can feed and handle the farmyard animals at 11.30 and 3.30 daily – the baby animal farm area is the cutest! Take a tractor ride to visit the emus and kangaroos. There are several playgrounds and bbq facilities if you don’t wish to eat at the on-site cafe. With school holiday activities and animal encounters, it’s our favourite animal farm in the north!
Bundoora Park Farm Discount: Small Ideas members save 1 Free Admission & 1 Free tractor ride.
Bundoora Park Farm, 1069 Plenty Rd, Bundoora +61 3 8470 8170
4. The Big Goose, Tyabb
The Big Goose on the Mornington Peninsula is not only an animal farm – there are playgrounds, water play, mini golf and tractor rides and mazes as well. The Big Goose Farm Farm Melbourne often runs special events (such as for Easter and Halloween) and school holiday activities For an extra fun day out!
- Entertainment (Formerly Entertainment Book) members get 2-for-1 admission
- Small Ideas members save 1 Free Admission or 25% off family
The Big Goose, 233 Mornington-Tyabb Rd (entry via Stumpy Gully Road), Moorooduc VIC 3933 +61 459 911 549
5. Animal Land, Diggers Rest
Animal Land offers an authentic farm experience for children and families. They also host school groups and birthday parties.
You can even extend your visit with a Melbourne Farm Stay at the Animal Land homestead, a self-contained cottage sleeping six people with two bedrooms, linen and a fireplace. Wake up to fresh country air, collect eggs from the chicken coop and help milk the cows!
Animal Land Children’s Farm, 190 Duncans Lane Gate 2, Diggers Rest VIC 3427 +61 3 9740 0750
6. Funky Farm, Hastings
Based out of Hastings and only an hour from Melbourne CB, you will find a little private zoo that has up until now not been open to members of the general public.
Funky Farm started as a homestead and hobby farm and this country acreage has now been turned into an animal lover’s paradise.
Most of the residents have been rescued, hand raised and rehabilitated here, so there’s a big emphasis on education. You’ll get a mixture of farm animals and natives at this sanctuary.
The Funky Farm, 209 Coolart Road Hastings 3915
7. Caldermeade Farm, Caldermeade
Caldermeade Farm, in Gippsland, was settled in 1875 as a beef cattle property. It now runs a family friendly café with indoor and outdoor dining, milking, tractor tours, garden with children’s playground, shop with farm made produce and animal nursery.
At the nursery, you can pet and hand feed calves, chooks, goats, lambs, ducks, llamas and donkeys.
Caldermeade Farm, 4385 South Gippsland Hwy, Caldermeade, 03 5997 5000
8. Living Legends, Greenvale
**ServIces are currently limited and guided tours are not available. **
Come to visit the champion Living Legends racehorses down in their paddocks on daily guided tours at 11.00 am and 2.00 pm each day. Rub noses with these legends of the racing turf. This coupon applies to the entrance to the horse paddock area, where you can visit with and pat the Living Legends, plus participation in the public tour where you will get up close and personal with the legends. There are also pictures and career information about each champion racehorse for you to read in the Living Legends paddock area.
Living Legends discount: Small Ideas members save with 2 Admissions for the price of 1
Living Legends, Woodlands Drive, Greenvale +61 3 9307 1165
9. Rain Hayne & Shine, Balnarring
A children’s farm located in an authentic rustic farm setting with many very friendly farm animals to feed and pat along with lots of cuddly bunnies and guinea pigs. A feature of the farm is the many ‘hands-on’ experiences. There are friendly ponies and a horse to offer rides and a free hayride for people of all ages. Free cuppas and gas BBQs are available. BYO food. There are a small playground and hay shed to play in and lots of undercover areas. Get together with your family and friends for A Farmtastic Day Out!
Rain Hayne & Shine discount:
- Entertainment (Formerly Entertainment Book) members get 2-for-1 admission
- Small Ideas member save 50% on family admission.
Rain Hayne & Shine Farmyard, 490 Stumpy Gully Rd, Balnarring VIC 3926 +61 3 5983 1691
10. Chesterfield Farm, Scoresby
Chesterfield Farm is a private working farm situated in the heart of Scoresby that also operates as a tourist/children’s farm. The activities, such as tractor rides and milking demonstrations, and animals give visitors a real “hands-on” experience of farm life.
Chesterfield Farm discount: Small Ideas members receive 1 Free Entry
Chesterfield Farm, 1221 Ferntree Gully Rd, Scoresby VIC 3179 +61 3 9763 1588
11. Edendale Farm, Eltham
Visit Edendale Farm to see goats, sheep, alpacas, spiny leaf stick insects, guinea pigs, spinifex hopping mice, blue tongue lizards and various breeds of poultry. You can buy a bag of chook feed for $1,and enter the enclosure to feed the chickens.
The gardens at Edendale Farm are dotted with artworks made from recycled materials. And Café Eden offers plenty of outdoor seating and a sandpit for kids to play.
Right near the north entrance to Edendale Farm is the Eltham North Adventure Playground, great for a pit stop to burn off some additional energy.
Edendale Farm, 30 Gastons Rd, Eltham, 03 9433 3711
12. Green Olive at Red Hill, Main Ridge
There is something for everyone to really enjoy at Green Olive at Red Hill, including kids farm tours. Pop on your gumboots and feed the chooks, guinea fowl and ducks, collect eggs, pat a Shetland pony and meet Maremma sheepdogs.
The tour price of $15 includes a hot chocolate and cupcake, and tours are at 10am. To secure a table at the farm for lunch after the tour, it’s best to book ahead. The café serves an all day tapas menu, with plenty of fresh produce from the farm and their farm wines.
Green Olive at Red Hill, 1180 Mornington Flinders Road, Main Ridge, 03 5989 2992
