Last Updated on June 21, 2023 by Kimberly Crawford
Sydney, the beautiful city known for the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House, has plenty to offer to its citizens and people living nearby. Sydney has a varied array of activities, such as Aboriginal events ―that put a light on the country’s culture― to sports like riding, boating, and golfing.
But this city is a great destination for everyone, especially families, because of the good old-fashioned fun attractions for kids, family-friendly beaches, zoos, and wildlife. The top entertainment locations for the whole family include the iFLY Downunder, Jetpack Adventures, and the Cables Wake Park. Of course, let’s not forget about the Australian National Maritime Museum and the Museum of Fire, which have programs for introducing kids to educational but non-formal activities.
But what if you got outside the city and wandered for a country-side adventure on one of the farms around Sydney? You don’t know until you find out, so here are our recommendations for visiting a family-friendly ranch.
The Golden Ridge Animal Farm
The Golden Ridge Animal Farm can be found at 686 Old Northern Road, where many cute and well-behaved animals are raised. The place has two-hour visits available, and you book the sessions online. The price for the tour is $25, and for $5, your kids can feed the animals, whether they’re cows or goats, under supervision. For an extra $5, children may be lucky enough to ride ponies.
The farm has many animals, from pet mice, bulls and many baby animals. Besides exploring the farm and playing around, the place offers coffee, drinks and meals, but you can also have a picnic surrounded by pure nature. The Golden Ridge Animal Farm is open from ten AM to two PM during the week and from 10: 30 AM to three PM on weekends. If you’re looking for a place to park your car around, you can look for airport parking Sydney to let your vehicle in a safe establishment.
The Calmsley Jill City Farm
Here at the Calmsley Jill City Farm, you and your family can learn what it takes to be a farmer for a day! With numerous native and farmyard animals, the place provides daily shows of patting the animals or stock whip shows. At the same time, the owners will teach everyone how to milk a cow or feed the animals.
The farm is on 31 Darling Street Abbotsbury and is open for visitors from nine AM to three PM Monday to Friday and from nine AM to four PM during the weekend. The ticket for an adult is $30.50 and $16.50 for children, but you can also pay a total of $93 for the whole family. You can picnic at the farm and use their tools for grilling or preparing food and book airport parking in case you want to spend more time around the farm.
The Amusement Farm and Fun Park
With a more polished look than regular farms, the Amusement Farm and Park is located at 170 Yarramalong Road, Wyong Creek, and has a pretty similar schedule to the rest of the farms. The park has magical mazes, friendly farm animals, and petting shows.
For more extreme activities, you can hold reptiles for $15 and feed animals. However, common things to do include yard activities, visiting the bird sanctuary area, or playing in the rhinoplay unit.
The amusement park also has a Maze terrace café where kids can play safely while adults enjoy delicious coffee. There are also plenty of picnic areas available. Entry fees are $36 for adults, $24 for children, and there’s also a discount for bigger families with one entry fee of $110.
The Backyard to Bush at Taronga Zoo
The Taronga Zoo is available at Bradley’s Head Road, Mosman, and is open daily from 10:30 AM to two PM. The place is great for kids to see and learn more about animals like sheep, goats, pigs, rabbits, guinea pigs, and other familiar species. Your kids get up close with animals, as they’re used to humans and are friendly.
The Zoo also has an extended playground where your kids can play in the water, so make sure to bring clothes for change. After having some fun, you can all enjoy the harbor views while creating a picnic. The entrance costs are $45.90 for adults and $27 for kids.
The Rouse Hill House & Farm
If you’re looking for a place with history, check out the Rouse Hill House & Farm on 356 Annangrove Road.
Six generations of the same family have owned the site and have plenty of interesting things to share, such as the restoration of the 1888 Rouse Hill schoolhouse. Chooks, cows, and horses can be admired and played with at the farm, but besides the animals, the place is mostly fit for relaxing.
The farm is open from Thursday to Sunday from ten AM to four PM. The ticket fee for an adult is $15, and if you’re going with the whole family, you pay only $38, while kids under five can enter freely.
The Grounds of Alexandria
The Grounds of Alexandria is more of a spot to stop by and explore the area a little rather than a proper farm. You can enjoy a cup of coffee and a meal while you’re there, but around this spot, there’s the Grounds Garden, where plenty of animals can be found.
Your kids can play with the adorable chickens and roosters, but there’s also the Potting Shed, where you can often see a Macaw called Fluffy.
The Grounds of Alexandria also hosts events regularly, so you can attend one of their shows almost daily. There’s no entrance fee, and the location is building 7A, 2 Huntley St, Alexandria.
What’s your next farm to visit?
Sydney is a great city with excellent cuisine and exciting places to visit. But the cherry on top is around it, where farms are open for anyone to see, especially families so that kids can learn more about animals and have the opportunity to play with them.