Fun at the Farm

Visiting Auckland isn’t complete without making a trip to a farm or two, and best of all, staying and working in one.

Being Aotearoa’s largest city, Auckland has all the facilities and amenities of urban living, but with the surprises and adventures of farm living, as well. Farmstays offer the opportunity to experience genuine Kiwi farming first hand, with accommodation to include farm tours and animal activities.

At the Drury Farm, hosts Ross and Lyndy share their gladly share their home, offering comfy and affordable accommodation that comes complete with farm fresh air and home-cooked meals. Just within 25 minutes drive south of Auckland City, Drury Farm is located at RD 1236 Great South Road, Drury. It’s a country B&B  with cows to be milked, calves to be fed, sheep to be shorn, lambs to be cuddled, rabbits to be petted, and horses to be ridden. Inclusive of GST, board and lodging is at $70 per night for a single B&B; and $100 per room, per night for a double/twin share B&B. For booking or enquiries, call 09 294 8129 or 0800 22 87 35, or email info@farmfunstaynz.co.nz.

Alternatively, become a part of WWOOF, Willing Workers on Organic Farms, a world wide community that promotes awareness of ecological farming practices by providing volunteers (“WWOOFers”) with the opportunity to live and learn on organic properties. There are no hard fast rules, save for a non-monetary exchange, wherein WWOOFers help in a farm by working 4-5 hours a day in exchange for 3 meals a day and dry, clean accommodation for 5 days or more. There is no maximum age limit, but very few hosts accept kid below 16 years old due to safety issues. Membership can be applied online and fee is only $40 (or $50 to include a handbook). For more information, contact WWOOF via email support@woof.co.nz.

Kids (and adults, too), however, will get a treat with a day trip to Ambury Regional Park, a working farm located at Ambury Road, Mangare; about 14.6 kilometres or 26 minutes drive from Central Auckland. At the Ambury Farm, sheep, goats, cows, pigs, lambs (in springtime), chickens, turkeys, rabbits, and peacocks are all available for viewing up close and personal. Save for July to August, visitors can freely go into the paddocks to mingle with the animals and feed them. Cow milking is, however, only done daily between June and December. With BBQ grills and picnic tables provided by the Auckland Regional Council,  families can enjoy a whole day or even camp at the park. Ambury farm is open this summer from 8:00am to 9:00pm.

Photo credit: Stock.Xchng