Collingwood Children's Farm
Encyclopedia
The Collingwood Children’s Farm is a not-for-profit, inner city farm situated on the Yarra River
in the Melbourne
suburb of Abbotsford
, Australia
. It is adjacent to, and considered part of the larger Abbotsford Convent complex. The Abbotsford Heritage Precinct Farmlands (APHF) supporting the Farm are unique in being the oldest continually farmed land in the state of Victoria. Farming commenced in 1838 and has continued for almost 175 years.
The farm is open to the public all year round, from 9.00am to 5.00pm and visitors may explore the grounds at their own leisure.
The first Sunday of every month (excluding January) is a Family Day with a barbecue
, plus horse and hay rides for the children. The farm also hosts a popular monthly Farmers' market
, on the second Saturday of each month; selling fresh produce from the farm and over 60+ Victorian
producers. To celebrate the Winter Solstice and as a fundraiser, the farm also holds an annual bonfire event.
The farm boasts an extensive range of animals from earthworms and peacocks to goats, sheep, horses, ducks, pigs
, chickens, donkeys and guinea pigs. Nearly all of the animals at the farm are classified as rare breeds.
The farm began in 1979, when a community committee leased a small plot of Crown land
next to the Yarra River
, used by the farm and Community Gardeners. Funding has come from various sources over the years and now entrance fees and donations make up the bulk of the farm's income. The farm relies immensely on community effort with staff, volunteers and a Young Farmer's Programme working collaboratively to maintain the farm.
Visitors are able to try their hand at cow-milking, which occurs daily at 10am and 4pm. Produce from the animals, such as honey
, earthworm castings
, and eggs are for sale from the farm when available. The farm also offers hosted birthday parties (limited to two per day) on weekends (except those days which fall on Family Day, Farmers Market Day and other special events). Weddings and special events are also held at the farm.
Cyclists and pedestrians will often take a journey along the Yarra River Trail as it passes through the Collingwood Children's Farm, following the Yarra River from the city to Dights Falls
and further afield. They often stop and eat at the Farm Cafe (which is run independently of the farm).
Yarra River
The Yarra River, originally Birrarung, is a river in east-central Victoria, Australia. The lower stretches of the river is where the city of Melbourne was established in 1835 and today Greater Melbourne dominates and influences the landscape of its lower reaches...
in the Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
suburb of Abbotsford
Abbotsford, Victoria
Abbotsford is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 2 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Yarra. At the 2006 Census, Abbotsford had a population of 4,327....
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It is adjacent to, and considered part of the larger Abbotsford Convent complex. The Abbotsford Heritage Precinct Farmlands (APHF) supporting the Farm are unique in being the oldest continually farmed land in the state of Victoria. Farming commenced in 1838 and has continued for almost 175 years.
The farm is open to the public all year round, from 9.00am to 5.00pm and visitors may explore the grounds at their own leisure.
The first Sunday of every month (excluding January) is a Family Day with a barbecue
Barbecue
Barbecue or barbeque , used chiefly in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia is a method and apparatus for cooking meat, poultry and occasionally fish with the heat and hot smoke of a fire, smoking wood, or hot coals of...
, plus horse and hay rides for the children. The farm also hosts a popular monthly Farmers' market
Farmers' market
A farmers' market consists of individual vendors—mostly farmers—who set up booths, tables or stands, outdoors or indoors, to sell produce, meat products, fruits and sometimes prepared foods and beverages...
, on the second Saturday of each month; selling fresh produce from the farm and over 60+ Victorian
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
producers. To celebrate the Winter Solstice and as a fundraiser, the farm also holds an annual bonfire event.
The farm boasts an extensive range of animals from earthworms and peacocks to goats, sheep, horses, ducks, pigs
PIGS
PIGS is a four letter acronym that can stand for:* PIGS , Phosphatidylinositol glycan anchor biosynthesis, class S, a human gene* PIGS , the economies of Portugal, Italy , Greece and Spain...
, chickens, donkeys and guinea pigs. Nearly all of the animals at the farm are classified as rare breeds.
The farm began in 1979, when a community committee leased a small plot of Crown land
Crown land
In Commonwealth realms, Crown land is an area belonging to the monarch , the equivalent of an entailed estate that passed with the monarchy and could not be alienated from it....
next to the Yarra River
Yarra River
The Yarra River, originally Birrarung, is a river in east-central Victoria, Australia. The lower stretches of the river is where the city of Melbourne was established in 1835 and today Greater Melbourne dominates and influences the landscape of its lower reaches...
, used by the farm and Community Gardeners. Funding has come from various sources over the years and now entrance fees and donations make up the bulk of the farm's income. The farm relies immensely on community effort with staff, volunteers and a Young Farmer's Programme working collaboratively to maintain the farm.
Visitors are able to try their hand at cow-milking, which occurs daily at 10am and 4pm. Produce from the animals, such as honey
Honey
Honey is a sweet food made by bees using nectar from flowers. The variety produced by honey bees is the one most commonly referred to and is the type of honey collected by beekeepers and consumed by humans...
, earthworm castings
Vermicompost
Vermicompost is the product or process of composting utilizing various species of worms, usually red wigglers, white worms, and earthworms to create a heterogeneous mixture of decomposing vegetable or food waste, bedding materials, and vermicast...
, and eggs are for sale from the farm when available. The farm also offers hosted birthday parties (limited to two per day) on weekends (except those days which fall on Family Day, Farmers Market Day and other special events). Weddings and special events are also held at the farm.
Cyclists and pedestrians will often take a journey along the Yarra River Trail as it passes through the Collingwood Children's Farm, following the Yarra River from the city to Dights Falls
Dights Falls
Dights Falls is located in Melbourne, Victoria just downstream of the junction of the Yarra River with Merri Creek. At this point the river narrows and is constricted between 800,000 year old volcanic, basaltic lava flow and a much older steep, silurian, sedimentary spur...
and further afield. They often stop and eat at the Farm Cafe (which is run independently of the farm).