Hahndorf Farm Barn – Adelaide Hills
By Jo Parkinson
Escape to the country at Hahndorf Farm Barn! With plenty of animals, fresh air, and fun to be had, pack yourselves a picnic and spend a day on the farm. If that’s not enticing enough, there are two brand new attractions to check out: mini ride-on hydraulic powered diggers and mini ride-on tractors!
You don’t need to travel too far to enjoy the farm experience. Hahndorf Farm Barn is conveniently located on Mount Barker Road, just half an hour from Adelaide and is accessible by public transport.
Entry to the property is through the main shed. Once inside, the kids won’t be able to hold themselves back, with lots of cute baby animals to pat and hold. Chicks, calves, lambs, rabbits, and guinea pigs are all eager to meet you, especially if you have a bag of animal food in your hand!
Once you get outdoors, there is a range of activities on offer. We started with the pony rides. This was so we didn’t get hassled with ‘can I go on the pony now?’ for the rest of the day! Even though we visited on a very busy day, the wait for the ride wasn’t too bad. Getting helmets fitted and watching the camel in the next paddock kept us amused.
Hahndorf Farm Barn Mini Diggers & Mini Tractors
From there we headed on over to the newest attractions; the mini diggers, and mini tractors. What a wonderful addition to the farm, you won’t be able to get an experience like this anywhere else! The kids had an absolute ball on the tractors, feeling very independent driving themselves. They are battery operated, easy to steer and drive (with only one pedal) and suitable for even the smallest of children. One ticket gives you two laps around a large dirt track. With four tractors available, this ensures that the track is not over-crowded and the wait to have a turn is not long.
Right next to the mini tractors are the diggers. To be honest, I don’t know who was more excited, the kids or my husband who does earth moving for a living…move over kids, Dad wants a turn!
The four diggers are placed in a giant sandpit. The bases move from left to right and the arm can be moved by using 3 levers. Friendly staff explain how the controls work, then you are free to start digging! Smaller children may want some assistance from an adult to help them manoeuvre the arm, others may want to do it all by themselves. There were lots of smiles and laughs as the kids worked out how to use them. They are so realistic, so if you have a child that is interested in diggers and machines, these are sure to be a hit! One ticket gives you 3 minutes of digger time. The tickets are $3 each for the tractors and diggers, or you can buy a $5 ticket which gets you a turn on both. They operate all day, so there is plenty of time to enjoy. (Prices as of April 2022)
Other great activities you can do on the farm include the original tractor ride (another favourite of ours), as well as watching the Reptile and very entertaining Cow Milking Shows. You can even have a go at milking a cow for yourself.
There is also a playground, sandpit with truck and digger toys and plenty of areas to pat and feed animals. A large, grassed area with tables makes the perfect spot to have some lunch and take in the view.
The Farm Barn is usually busy on weekends and school holidays, but with so much space it doesn’t feel overcrowded. Weekdays are quieter but you may encounter school groups on excursions.
A great time to come would be in Winter when everything is beautiful and green. You could rug up, bring your gumboots, and have some muddy fun!
For something different, the Farm Barn can host birthday parties, school excursions and even has a mobile service that can come to you.
The Hahndorf Farm Barn is a fantastic day out for the whole family. It’s a great educational and interactive experience that will be sure to create long lasting memories. Staff are welcoming, friendly, entertaining, and informative. When I asked my children what their favourite part of the day was, the reply was “Everything! Can I work here one day?!” Come and experience a day on the farm for yourself, you won’t be disappointed!
Things to remember:
• Pony rides, tractor rides as well as the mini diggers and mini tractors, all require additional tickets. The tractor and pony rides operate 10:30- 3:30
• Cow milking and reptile show, pony rides and tractor rides are available weekends, school holidays and public holidays only
• Bring sunscreen, hats and water as there is not much shade on the warmer days
• It is a good idea to dress comfortably and wear enclosed shoes
Follow the Hahndorf Farm Barn on Facebook and Instagram
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION
For more information and all enquiries please visit the Hahndorf Farm Barn website
What: Hahndorf Farm Barn
When: Open 10am to 4pm – 7 days a week. Check Facebook page for updates
Where: Hahndorf Farm Barn | 2282 Mount Barker Road, Hahndorf
Who: Everyone
At Play & Go Adelaide we make every effort to provide accurate information to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. We recommend confirming times, dates and details directly before making any plans as details may be subject to change.
The Hahndorf Farm Barn kindly allowed us to visit as guests. All commentary by our Play & Go Reviewer are the author’s own independent opinion.
Image Source: All photos by Jo Parkinson
SUBSCRIBE
Want to get all the latest events and activities straight to your inbox?
Subscribe to our weekly email newsletter below to keep up to date with our latest posts and find out all the best events & activities for Adelaide families. Newsletters are only sent once a week, and you may sometimes get a special offer exclusively for our subscribers only!
