FARMS NEW ZEALAND

Glenlothian Farm is a petting zoo and rare breeds attraction located in West Melton, in the Selwyn District near Christchurch, New Zealand. As a member of the Rare Breeds Society, the farm is home to over 20 rare and heritage animal breeds including Enderby Island rabbits, Canterbury Blue pigs, Arapawa Island goats, Shetland ponies, wallabies, peacocks, alpacas, and pheasants. Visitors can see, feed, and pet the animals, and the farm also hosts birthday parties, school group visits, and craft classes in its onsite studio space. A craft shop selling locally sourced products adds to the charm, and the farm plays a valuable role in educating visitors about endangered and heritage breeds.

Skipton Animal Park is a welcoming farm animal park located in Fairlie, in the Mackenzie District of Canterbury, New Zealand's South Island. Situated along the Fairlie-Geraldine Highway, the park offers families and visitors the opportunity to visit, enjoy, and interact with a variety of friendly farm animals in a relaxed rural setting. Fairlie serves as a gateway to the broader Mackenzie region, famed for its stunning landscapes including Lake Tekapo and Aoraki Mount Cook, making Skipton Animal Park a pleasant stop for those exploring the Canterbury high country. The park is suited to visitors of all ages looking for a gentle and enjoyable animal encounter experience.

Kaipaki Petting Farm is a friendly farmyard attraction located at 515 Kaipaki Road in Ohaupō, Waipa District, in New Zealand's Waikato region. The farm is home to a wide variety of animals including horses, ponies, donkeys, cows, sheep, alpacas, goats, ducks, chickens, guinea pigs, rabbits, lizards, and turtles. Visitors can stroll through the farmyard loop hand-feeding hay and maize to animals, brush and braid the horses and ponies, and cuddle smaller creatures like guinea pigs and rabbits. The farm also features a tractor play area and seasonal bottle-feeding of lambs, making it an engaging and hands-on destination for families and young children.

Wānaka Lavender Farm is a 20-acre agricultural and lifestyle attraction set at 36 Morris Road in Wānaka, New Zealand, offering a delightful blend of fragrant lavender fields, display gardens, and farm animals. Visitors can walk through the lavender in bloom, meet friendly alpacas and other farm animals, enjoy scenic picnic experiences, and play giant outdoor games. The farm produces a range of handmade lavender products including soaps, oils, and creams, and also operates a honey business under the Lakes Honey brand. A tea and ice cream service adds to the relaxed charm of the property, which has earned a Qualmark Gold Award for its quality visitor experience.

Walnut Ranch is a family-friendly farm and equestrian attraction located in Blenheim, in the Marlborough region of New Zealand's South Island. The ranch offers visitors the chance to feed and cuddle a variety of farm animals and enjoy pony rides, while more adventurous guests can take horse riding lessons in a controlled arena before progressing to farm treks. Additional attractions include a simulated gold and gem fossicking mine and a recreated western town called Little Nut Creek, making the venue a fun and diverse outing for families. The ranch also hosts birthday parties and offers merchandise, creating a welcoming rural experience for all ages.

Clevedon Animal Farm is a family-run farm attraction located at 271 Clevedon Kawakawa Road in Clevedon, Auckland, New Zealand. The farm is home to a friendly collection of animals including horses, ponies, donkeys, goats, sheep, alpacas, cows, dogs, ducks, and chickens, many of which perform in an outdoor garden amphitheatre. Visitors of all ages can touch and feed the animals, take pony rides, learn how to groom a horse, and enjoy guided farm walks. The property features a lovely picnic area and hosts children's birthday parties and school holiday events, offering an engaging and accessible rural experience just a short drive from central Auckland.

Funky Farm Petting Zoo and Kidz Play Toy Hire is a family-friendly petting zoo located at 236 State Highway 51 in Hastings, in the Hawke's Bay region of New Zealand's North Island. The farm is home to a variety of approachable animals including miniature ponies, miniature cows, a donkey, emus, lambs, alpacas, guinea pigs, and a blue tongue lizard that visitors can hold under staff supervision. Children can enjoy feeding the animals with veggies provided by staff, as well as a playground with an in-ground trampoline. The facility is combined with a toy hire and library service on the same property, and fresh barista-made coffee is available for adults, making it a complete and enjoyable outing for the whole family.

Lilliput Animal Park is a family-oriented petting zoo situated approximately 10 minutes from Taupo at 136 Link Road, Oruanui, in the Waikato region of New Zealand. The park is home to a broad range of animals including donkeys, ponies, emus, goats, sheep, deer, llamas, alpacas, pigs, geese, ducks, chickens, parrots, lizards, rabbits, guinea pigs, and peacocks. Visitors can hand-feed the animals, enjoy cuddle sessions with smaller creatures, and interact with resident reptiles. The park also features playground equipment, slides, swings, trampolines, and themed play structures, making it a well-rounded destination for families during school holidays and weekends.

Marshalls Animal Park is a 35-acre family attraction nestled within McLaren Falls Park in Tauranga, New Zealand. The park is home to an engaging variety of animals including Clydesdale horses, several breeds of deer, emus, alpacas, goats, sheep, pigs, and rabbits. Visitors can feed and interact with the farmyard animals, enjoy pony rides, explore flying fox activities, and play in dedicated playground areas. The park caters to educational group and school visits and offers accessible viewing areas for visitors with mobility needs. Picnic facilities are available throughout the scenic grounds, making Marshalls Animal Park a popular and relaxed outing for families in the Bay of Plenty region.

Hanmer Springs Animal Park is a 6-hectare rural farm park located in the charming alpine village of Hanmer Springs in the Hurunui District, Canterbury, New Zealand. The park offers hands-on encounters with a diverse range of animals including sheep, lambs, goats, pigs, a pony, donkeys, llamas, alpacas, ostriches, emus, and wallabies. Visitors can hand-feed the animals in petting enclosures and enjoy recreational facilities including a playground, trampolines, and a sandpit. An onsite café serves refreshments, and picnicking is encouraged on the open grounds. The park operates year-round with extended hours in summer and offers educational programs for school groups visiting the area.

The Animal Ark Dunedin is a farm park petting zoo and rescue sanctuary located at 18 Dukes Road North in Mosgiel, near Dunedin, in the Otago region of New Zealand's South Island. As Dunedin's only farm park of its kind, the facility provides a safe and permanent home for unwanted, sick, and special-needs animals, with a mission to give every resident animal the best quality of life. Visitors can meet and feed a diverse cast of animals including water buffalo, alpacas, rare Swiss Valais sheep, pigs, goats, cows, llamas, and more, many of whom have their own names and personalities. The facility also features a playground area and picnic tables, making it an accessible and heartwarming outing for families and animal lovers of all ages.

Whiti Farm Park is a family-friendly animal attraction located along State Highway 25 on the Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand, just ten minutes south of Whitianga. Spread across eight acres of shady, park-like grounds, the attraction is home to over 40 species of friendly farmyard and exotic animals, birds, and reptiles, including ponies, sheep, alpacas, deer, emus, ostriches, rabbits, talking parrots, and a hand-reared possum named Raisin who can be hand-fed by visitors. Bush walks lead to a secret garden with hidden animals, and vintage farm machinery, a train, and a fire engine add to the charm. Open daily from 10am to 4pm all year round, Whiti Farm Park is a wonderful hands-on experience for children and animal lovers of all ages.

Whitford Bird Garden is an aviary, garden, and art experience located in Whitford, south-east of Auckland, New Zealand, created by Auckland-born artist and conservationist Blake Twigden. The garden features a rich variety of spectacular native and exotic birds including sulphur-crested cockatoos, peach-fronted conures, lorikeets, Lady Amherst pheasants, peacocks, and silkie bantams, set among a beautiful landscape of succulents, native flaxes, ferns, and exotic plants. Alpacas and miniature horses also call the garden home, adding to its charming atmosphere. The venue is designed as a restful and educational space that inspires visitors to appreciate and care for wildlife, blending flora, fauna, and art in a unique and tranquil Auckland setting.