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Melbourne's Premier Farm Experience Recognised for Excellence in Victorian Tourism
Diggers Rest, Victoria – Animal Land Children's Farm Children's Farm is thrilled to announce that we have been awarded Gold at the prestigious 2025 Victorian Tourism Awards in the Tourist Attractions category. This remarkable achievement marks our second consecutive gold win, cementing our position as one of Victoria's premier family-friendly tourist destinations.
A Journey Four Decades in the Making
Since our founding in 1985 by Laurie and Joanne Pincini, Animal Land Children's Farm has grown from humble beginnings – serving just a couple of kindergartens with daily revenues of just $4 – to becoming a Gold Award-winning tourist attraction welcoming over 47,000 visitors annually. This recognition validates 40 years of dedication to providing authentic farm experiences that connect families, schools, and international visitors with Australian agricultural life.
What Makes Animal Land Children's Farm a Gold-Winning Destination?
Located just 30 minutes from Melbourne CBD in Diggers Rest, Animal Land Children's Farm offers visitors an immersive farm experience that combines education, entertainment, and authentic Australian rural culture. Our award-winning attractions include:
Interactive Farm Experiences
- Hand milking demonstrations – Learn traditional dairy farming skills
- Tractor rides – Explore our 32-acre working farm
- Pony rides – Perfect for young children experiencing farm animals
- Animal feeding – Get hands-on with sheep, goats, alpacas, and more
- Egg collecting – Experience farm life firsthand
- Pond studies – Educational environmental activities
Educational Programmes for Schools
Our curriculum-aligned programmes serve students from kindergarten through Year 9.
VIP Farm Tours
Responding to visitor demand, we've dramatically expanded our VIP tours programme from 997 participants in 2023-24 to an impressive 2,999 in 2024-25. These premium experiences offer exclusive access to activities previously only available to school groups, including cow milking and extended tractor rides.
Farm Stay Accommodation: A Unique Melbourne Experience
Animal Land Children's Farm's Melbourne Farm Stay offers five comfortable guest rooms starting from $220 per night, providing an authentic overnight farm experience. With up to 80% of our accommodation guests coming from international markets – particularly Singapore, which shows strong farm tourism demand – we've become a sought-after destination for travellers seeking genuine Australian rural experiences.
Our farm stay perfectly captures what international visitors crave: multi-day immersion in a genuine working agricultural operation, farm-to-table dining experiences, wildlife encounters with uniquely Australian species, and cultural exchange with a multi-generational farming family.
Commitment to Accessible Tourism
Animal Land Children's Farm is proud to offer inclusive experiences for all visitors:
- Companion Card acceptance – Carers accompany visitors with disabilities
- Flexible pricing options – Pre-discounts for lower-income families
- Self-guided tours – Explore at your own pace with staff support always available
Community Impact and Charitable Work
Beyond tourism excellence, Animal Land Children's Farm demonstrates strong community commitment. In 2024, we raised $44,348.50 for the Royal Children's Hospital – a significant increase from $33,687 in 2023 – showcasing how successful tourism businesses can make meaningful contributions to their communities.
Recognition of Our Exceptional Team
This gold award success reflects the dedication of our entire 40-person team. We've recently implemented a comprehensive standardised staff training programme with detailed training manual development, ensuring every visitor receives consistently exceptional service. This structured approach replaced our previous informal system and has been instrumental in maintaining quality as we've scaled to welcome nearly 50,000 annual visitors.
Special recognition goes to:
- Laurie and Joanne Pincini – Our visionary founders and owners who built this dream over 40 years
- Our dedicated farm team – 40 staff members who bring passion to every visitor interaction
- Glen – For his invaluable support throughout our journey
- Sarah Seddon – Our 2024 tourism awards mentor who guided us expertly through the awards process
Victorian Tourism Industry Leadership
Our membership in the Victorian Tourism Industry Council keeps us connected to industry best practices and positions Animal Land Children's Farm as a leader in Victoria's tourism sector. The Victorian Tourism Awards process itself has been transformative, encouraging us to assess our performance, review strategies, and commit to continuous improvement.
"The awards process forces you to look at the big picture, monitor your progress, and commit to a culture of excellence," notes the Victoria Tourism Industry Council. For Animal Land Children's Farm, this meant examining everything from our digital presence to our visitor journey, resulting in innovations that elevated our entire operation.
Innovation Through Adversity
Animal Land Children's Farm's story is one of resilience and adaptation:
- 2010 – When government regulations eliminated kindergarten excursions, we lost 50 bookings in one week. We responded by creating mobile farm programmes and launching birthday party services
- 2014-2015 – Added Melbourne Farm Stay accommodation, diversifying our offerings
- 2017-2019 – Successfully navigated Victoria's severe drought through infrastructure improvements
- 2020-2022 – Survived Victoria's world-record 112-day COVID-19 lockdown, emerging stronger with enhanced safety protocols and pre-booking systems
- 2024 – Implemented standardised training programmes and expanded VIP tour offerings
What's Next: Australian Tourism Awards 2026
As a gold winner in a national category, Animal Land Children's Farm will proudly represent Victoria at the 2026 Australian Tourism Awards in Perth. This progression to national competition represents the pinnacle of our 40-year journey from struggling startup to nationally recognised tourism destination.
Plan Your Visit to Award-Winning Animal Land Children's Farm
Experience for yourself why Animal Land Children's Farm has been recognized as Victoria's gold-standard tourist attraction:
Location: Diggers Rest, Victoria (30 minutes from Melbourne CBD)
Visitors: 47,492+ annually
Experiences: Farm tours, VIP experiences, school programmes, birthday parties, farm stay accommodation
Social Media: Join our community of 13,410+ Facebook followers
Whether you're a Melbourne family looking for an authentic farm day trip, a school planning educational excursions, an international visitor seeking genuine Australian experiences, or planning a unique farm stay getaway, Animal Land Children's Farm offers award-winning experiences that connect you with nature, animals, and Australian agricultural heritage.
Contact Us
Ready to experience Victoria's Gold Award-winning farm attraction? Visit our website to book your visit, explore our VIP tour options, or reserve your farm stay accommodation.
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