Open farm scheme to include farms in Donnybrook region

9/4/98

Agriculture Western Australia's popular Open Farm Scheme has expanded to include farms in the Donnybrook region following the success of the event in York.

Primary Industry Minister Monty House said four farms in Donnybrook would open their gates to visitors on Sunday, May 3, providing an insight into the region's varied agricultural activities.

Mr House said the Open Farm Day offered an opportunity for urban residents to enjoy rural Western Australia while learning more about the role agriculture played in the State.

"Public support of the Open Farm Weekend in York over the last two years, combined with sponsorship from BankWest, has seen the expansion of the event into another agricultural region with a very different range of farming activities," he said.

Mr House said the Donnybrook Open Farm Day was organised specifically for people living in and around Bunbury who had limited opportunities to spend time on a working farm.

The four open farms include:

+ The Old Goldfields Orchard and Cider Factory - consisting of 40 acres of apples, pears and stone fruit trees. Visitors to the farm will see how fruit is picked and packed and apples made into cider. Marron production is also taking place in special ponds and breeding tanks on the property.

+ Rosedeane Alpaca Farm - a small 16ha working farm on the fertile river flats of the Preston River. The alpacas produce a fine, silky fleece for both home spinners and commercial processing. Fleeces produced on the property have recently been exported to Japan. Rare Wiltshire horn 'self-shearing' sheep are also bred at Rosedeane.

+ The Gundagai Dairy - has 800 black and white Friesian cattle, with a dairy herd of 400 cows. The dairy produces three million litres of milk each year. A new rotary type dairy is used which milks 50 cows at a time.

+ Berry Delightful - grows seven different types of berries including blackberries, boysenberries, tayberries (new variety developed in Scotland) and raspberries. Most of the berries are grown using a trellis system and are picked from mid-November through to May. The berries are used to make products such as cordial, vinegar, topping, jam,wine and sauce.

Farm tours will be conducted between 9am and 5pm. Visitors need to register at the Donnybrook-Balingup Tourist Information Centre in Donnybrook and collect tickets, information booklets and maps to the farms which are within a few minutes drive of the town.

The cost to visit all four farms is $10 per couple and $5 for individuals. Children under 16 are admitted free. Proceeds will be directed to local landcare projects and the farmers involved.

For more information contact Agriculture Western Australia on (08) 9368 3767 or the Donnybrook Tourist Bureau on (08) 97311720.