Warrook Farm - A Hands On Farm Experience

Continuing past Cranbourne on the South Gippsland Highway, Warrook Farm is just over an hour drive from Melbourne.

Look for the sign after the Koo Wee Rup Road turn-off.

Calves Waiting For Feeding Time at Warrook Farm

The farm, with its beautiful 100 year old homestead and gardens, is open 7 days a week and gives a wonderful insight into the workings of an Australian farm.

After viewing the farm, have a wander through the gardens.

Tours of the farm are available twice a day at 11.00am and 1.00pm.

Watch cow milking demonstrations – and even have a try yourself!

Not an easy skill, but you will get sense of accomplishment when that first stream of milk hits the pail!

Perhaps a simpler option is to help with the hand feeding of calves and lambs.

During my farm childhood we always had orphaned lambs to feed - they became our pets and were not allowed to be sold!

An animal nursery has cute baby animals for visitors to pet – a lovely experience for children and adults alike.

Visitors can observe sheep shearing and learn the process of how the fleece goes from the sheep to the market and ends up in the woollen garments we buy.

Having been brought up on a sheep farm, I was a bit nostalgic entering the woolshed - the old familiar smell of sheep and wool!

And memories of all the time spent in the shed during shearing season - sweeping, baling and probably getting in the way!

An wonderful sight is the skill of the working dogs rounding up a mob of sheep.

The concentration exhibited by the dogs is amazing.

Sheep waiting to be shorn at Warrook Farm

Sheep Ready for a Shearing Demonstration

There is a fauna park of native Australian animals – emus, kangaroos and wombat.

If you prefer, you can take wagon rides around the farm instead of walking.

Damper and billy tea making demonstrations (and tastings of course) can be arranged in advance – a real Aussie experience!

There is nothing more Australian than damper - a "bread" of flour, water and salt. Damper and billy tea were staples of drovers and stockmen during Australia's pioneering days.

In the homestead a licensed café/restaurant provides good old country cooking, from a snack to a full meal.

Or try a scrumptious Devonshire tea - a Warrook Farm specialty!