Dunnstown Sunflower Field – Pick Your Own Sunflowers Near Melbourne

Brighten up your weekend by paying a visit to Melbourne’s original sunflower fields in Dunnstown. Explorer Kat took the 90 minute drive from the city to discover what it’s like to wander through a field of 1.6 million sunflowers and pick a few blooming beauties to take home.

Quick Overview of Melbourne Sunflowers

The Dunnstown Sunflower Fields, just outside Ballarat in regional Victoria, sees 1.6 million sunflowers bloom for around 4-6 magical weeks each year. Pack your family, friends, and your dog in the car for the 90-minute drive from Melbourne and spend some time wandering through a field of happiness on this family farm.

About Dunnstown Sunflower Fields

For around 4-6 weeks each summer, the blooming sunflowers bring thousands of visitors to Dunnstown, a tiny farming town of just 259 people, about 15 minutes outside of Ballarat in regional Victoria. Tickets are $10, and you can book online or pay at the gate (kids under five are free!).

Dunnstown Sunflower Fields History

Living on a dairy farm with her husband and four sons, English-born Laiken was keen to inject a bit of feminism into the farm. Inspired by the colourful flower fields that bloom throughout Europe in spring, she initially planted her first field of 200,000 sunflowers on a remote corner of the farm in 2019. Now in its sixth year, the Dunnstown – Pick Your Own Sunflowers Field continues to grow, with 1.6 million sunflower seeds planted this season.

How to Get to Dunnstown Sunflower Fields

Dunnstown Pick Your Own Sunflowers Field is a 90-minute drive (109km) from Melbourne, along the Western Ring Rd, then the National Highway past Bacchus Marsh. Turn off before you hit Ballarat, passing the medieval theme park Kryal Castle on the way to Dunnstown. Navigate to the corner of Navigator-Dunnstown Rd and Howards Rd to find the sunflower picking field.

From Geelong, it’s an hour’s drive (80km) along the Midland Highway, via small towns such as Lethbridge and Meredith on the way.

From Ballarat, it’s just a 15-minute (15km) drive south-east out of town.

Where to Stay Near Dunnstown Sunflower Fields

The best place to camp near Dunnstown is Shady Acres Caravan Park in Ballarat, a ten-minute drive from the Dunnstown Pick Your Own Sunflowers Field. This pet-friendly park offers cabins and camping sites, an outdoor swimming pool, BBQs, and plenty of shady space.

Where to Eat Near Dunnstown Sunflower Fields

If frolicking through sunflower fields has stirred your hunger, luckily the region is littered with charming country pubs.

The Crown Hotel in Buninyong is my pick, for its generous pub meals, boasting ten different parma varieties, all at reasonable prices. With its beer garden, covered deck, and ample indoor seating for cooler evenings, it’s an ideal spot to refuel before the drive home. It’s less than a 15-minute drive from Dunnstown, along sealed roads.

Skill Level

Beginner

As it’s a working farm, the rugged terrain isn’t suitable for wheelchairs. Reception can be patchy out here. And watch out for snakes when walking through the fields.

Essential Gear for Picking Your Own Sunflowers

• Camera (but not drones)
• Cash
• Sturdy shoes (it’s a working farm after all)
• Scissors or secateurs
• A bucket with water to take flowers home in
• Drinking water
• Hat
• Sunscreen

What it’s Like to Visit Dunnstown Sunflower Fields

Sunflower picking is a fun activity for photographers, families, and anyone looking to soak up the fresh country air. Come for the sunflowers, stay for the petting zoo, tractors, and ice cream stall.

Give yourself an hour or so to wander through the field, snapping photos and picking flowers. Bring a pair of secateurs or scissors and a bucket if you want to snip a few stems to take home with you, for an extra $4 per stem. Be respectful and only cut those you plan on buying.

There’s also a small petting zoo and fun photo opportunities scattered through the fields. Plus, on weekends you’ll find a coffee van, food trucks, and live music.

On Monday 4th of March, the Labour Day Public holiday, there’ll also be local market stalls, a coffee van, Clydesdale horse rides through the fields, and live music.

But the best bit? Watching the sunset behind the bright yellow sunflowers creates a magical natural kaleidoscope that’ll turn anyone into a photographer (and will have you looking at country properties on Domain the whole drive home).

Tips For Visiting Dunnstown Sunflower Fields

• The sunflowers bloom at a different time each year, so check the @pickyourownsunflowers Instagram, Facebook page or website for the most accurate opening times
• There are only portaloos at the sunflower field, so stop at the public toilets at the Dunnstown Football and Netball Club on the way in
• Bring cash as WiFi reception for card payments can be patchy

Tips for Sunflower Picking

• The best sunflowers to pick are those that haven’t quite opened yet. Look for ones with a little yellow showing, not fully bloomed. These will last much longer
• Cut the stems as long as possible. You can always cut them shorter once you get home
• Transport them in a bucket with water
• At home, store them in a tall, heavy vase. They are very heavy flowers, and you don’t want them toppling over in the middle of the night, so you need a very sturdy vase
• Put a little sugar in the vase and your flowers will stay in bloom for around four weeks

Sunflowers Melbourne FAQs

Where can I pick sunflowers in Melbourne?

Unfortunately there are no sunflower fields within Melbourne city, but Dunnstown Pick Your Own Sunflowers Field is only a 90-minute drive from Melbourne, near Ballarat.

What is the best month for sunflowers?

In Australia, sunflowers bloom between January and March.

How long does a sunflower live once cut?

If taken care of properly, sunflowers should last for 6-12 days.