Calmsley Hill City Farm: Shows, Animals, Camping & Parties

Sydney’s countryside without the road trip. Ten minutes off the M7 and you’re hand-feeding nursery animals, cracking stock whips, and learning how a working dog moves sheep like a pro. Calmsley Hill City Farm is part paddock classroom, part family playground: daily demos, tractor rides, café fuel and picnic lawns with free electric BBQs. Bring the kids, the pram, the grandparents — the paths are paved and the animals are waiting.

Video

Video Credit: Ozzie – Educational Videos For Kids (YouTube) - cow milking, working dog show, whip cracking and up-close nursery animals.

Location

Address: 31 Darling St, Abbotsbury NSW 2176
Getting there: Just off the M7 at Elizabeth Drive (Western Sydney)
Website: www.calmsleyhill.com.au
Parking & access: Excellent parking; wheelchair and pram access throughout the farm and facilities.

Dates

Open: 7 days a week
School term hours: Mon–Fri 9am–3pm (no public entry after 2pm); Sat, Sun & Public Holidays 9am–4pm (no public entry after 3pm)
School holiday hours: Daily 9am–4pm (no public entry after 3pm)

Price

Day entry gets you up close with farm animals, hands-on demos, and kid-magnet activities like cow milking and animal patting. Tractor rides are extra (grab those tickets on the day), but your entry pass gives you 30 days of flexibility if plans change.

Adults: $32.00
Children (3–16 yrs): $17.00
Pensioners: $27.50
Seniors: $25.00
Students: $27.50
Family of 5: $97.00
Children under 3: Free

Tickets include shows, demonstrations, and animal encounters. Tractor rides are sold separately onsite.

The BioHax Take

City kids meet country life — without the six-hour slog to a farmstay. Calmsley Hill is a full-contact crash course in real Australian agriculture: milk a cow, pat the nursery stars, ride a tractor through the paddocks, then watch a border collie turn a flock like it’s ballet. Add BBQs, picnic lawns and a café doing hash-brown stacks and kid-approved burgers, and you’ve got the easiest family day out in the west.

Photo Credit: Image courtesy of Calmsley Hill City Farm - A trio of farmyard favourites at includig a wombat mid-snack, a cheeky alpaca wearing a party hat in a grassy paddock, and a turtle flashing a grin close to the camera.

Who it’s for

Families chasing hands-on animal time and easy facilities
Teachers and vacation care needing educational farm demos
Birthday crews that want set-and-forget catering + space
Teams after camping + team-build in a unique venue
International visitors wanting Australian rural life in Sydney’s backyard

What’s on offer (daily shows & join-ins)

Animal patting — 10:30am: Meet nursery favourites; sheep and goats in the walk-in all day.
Cow milking — 11:00am & 2:30pm: Hear how dairy works, then try milking yourself.
Tractor ride: Farmer-led tractor-train through the paddocks (extra rides on busy days).
Stock whip show — 12:30pm: Learn the why and how; have a crack at cracking.
Working dog show — 1:00pm: Watch a farm dog and farmer round up sheep in sync.
Sheep shearing show — 1:30pm: See the art and speed of shearing up close.
Koala talk — 2:00pm: Learn adaptations, threats and how to help in the wild.

Plus: Hand-feed nursery animals, picnic on the lawns, free electric BBQs, paved paths, pram-friendly access.

Photo Credit: Calmsley Hill City Farm - A curious wallaby peers at the camera, a vibrant peacock fans its feathers in full display, and three miniature ponies line up along a fence.

Grab a bite to eat (farm house café)

Opening hours generally mirror the farm (check the café blackboard). Coffee to start, burgers and sandwiches, hot chips and kid classics, plus ice creams to wrap the day. Breakfast gets the farm-hand treatment — hash-brown stack or eggs benedict. The café also caters everything from 10-kid birthdays to 1,000-person Christmas parties.

A brief history

Pre-1806: Dharuk Country.
1806–1826: Land grants to John Jamieson; cattle & sheep; huts and dairy built.
1850–1934: Successive owners (Jamieson/Dengate/Cashman/Clarke/McIntyre/Garnock/Horden). Peppercorn & Moreton Bay Fig likely planted by the Horden family.
1947: Big Brother Movement buys farm; reception/accommodation for British migrants; dairy, piggery, poultry, orchard, market garden; steel water tower erected.
1971–1984: Zoned open space; Fairfield City Council leases and creates Fairfield City Farm with education programs.
1989–2000: Soil conservation program; Landcare garden (now Permaculture Garden); Sydney 2000 Olympics MTB staged on site.
2009: Lease with Western Sydney Parklands Trust; site renamed Calmsley Hill City Farm.

Photo Credit: Calmsley Hill City Farm - A fluffy Angora rabbit nestles in straw, a lizard perches atop a turtle basking on a rock, and a black-and-white goat strikes a cheeky pose.

An overnight experience (camping)

Available for private group bookings.
Packages from $1,950 for up to 30 campers (max 14 adults). Email nmoseley@calmsleyhill.com.au

Camping package includes:
Covid-safe activities; two days at the farm; overnight camping; dinner (gourmet sausages, salads, rolls, dessert); breakfast (bacon-and-egg rolls, cereal, juice, tea/coffee); exclusive encounters (animal meet-and-greets, morning feeding, collecting eggs).
Bring your own gear (no hire this year).
Weather policy: In high chance of rain or extreme heat, nights may be cancelled (notice by 4pm the day prior) with full refund or rebook.

Public camping (seasonal): Sept–Apr. Availability calendar published; public nights may sell out.
Prices: Adult $105, Children $60, Family $330 (2 adults + 3 children).
Hire tents & mats: Adults $25pp, Children $10pp (when available/seasonal).

Private group camping nights: Custom dates, your own farm host, private night.
Team building & overnight camping: From $135pp — conference lunch, BBQ dinner, farmer’s breakfast, meeting room, team activities, overnight camping incl. tents/mats.

Celebrate with a day out (birthdays)

Simple 4-step booking: Contact customer service → choose catering → pay $100 deposit → complete guest list.

Birthday party package — $295 (up to 10 children under 16, incl. birthday child):

Entry for invited children
Catering for invited children
Free outdoor area hire all day (undercover backup if raining)
Free entry for parents of the birthday child
Printable invitations

Add-ons: Extra kids over 3: $29.50; under 3: $15.00 if catering required; additional adults $27.50 each.

Photo Credit: Calmsley Hill City Farm - A mother pig lies on the ground nursing a lively litter of piglets in a paddock.

We cater for all (Christmas parties & group bookings)

From 10–20 people to 1,000-plus. Book a picnic area with catering or scale to amusement rides and marquees.
Call: (02) 9823 3222 or email: info@calmsleyhill.com.au
See Area Hire Information for spaces and pricing.

Spaces for all groups and sizes (area hire)

Woolshed — from $800: Up to 300; fully undercover; close to shows.
Heritage Room — from $500: Up to 120; near amenities; 2 BBQs under cover.
Peppercorn Area (gravel LHS) — from $90: Up to 60; free electric BBQ nearby; near toilets & café; most popular for kids’ parties.
Peppercorn Area (grass RHS) — from $60: Up to 60; close to koala exhibit.
Alpaca Area — from $40: Up to 25; near playground & Baby Animal Nursery.
Wildlife Areas 1 & 2 — from $75: Up to 25; undercover with BBQ; close to kangaroo walk-in; loads of space.
Wildlife Area 3 — from $150: 25–100; undercover with BBQ; near kangaroo walk-in; big grassed area.

Caring for the future (sustainability & corporate)

Calmsley Hill’s sustainability lens sits on four principles: everyone’s business; shared costs; whole-system thinking; healthy, fulfilling and sustainable lives.
The farm acts as a hub for CSR “smart partnerships”, sponsorships, philanthropy and grants — applying low/medium/high-tech solutions to reduce footprint and model practical change.

Tours & ITO

Under an hour from the CBD, Calmsley Hill offers international and domestic tours — FIT or groups, self-guided or guided. Feature shows typically 1:30–2:15pm (stock whips, working dog, shearing, koala talk). Private shows by arrangement.
Registered tour operators only: nmoseley@calmsleyhill.com.au

Contact details

P: (02) 9823 3222
F: (02) 9823 4067
E: info@calmsleyhill.com.au
A: 31 Darling St, Abbotsbury NSW 2176

Photo Credit: Calmsley Hill City Farm - The outdoor Farm House Café and a festive barn interior decorated with bunting, hay bales, fairy lights, and farm-themed toys.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to book?
Large groups (10+) and vacation care/childcare/playgroups must book. Otherwise bookings aren’t required unless reserving a seating area.

Can I pre-purchase tickets?
Yes — buy online via the website.

Do you accept EFTPOS/credit cards?
Yes — EFTPOS, Visa and Mastercard. No American Express.

What animals are on the farm?
A wide range of farm and native animals; plus farming shows and demonstrations.

Can I book tractor tickets online?
No — purchase onsite due to timing/availability. Extra rides run on busy days.

Can I bring my dog/pets?
No — pets aren’t permitted on site (including the carpark).

What food does the café offer?
Burgers, hot chips, nuggets, soft drinks, coffee/tea, ice creams and more.

Can we bring our own food/BBQ?
Bring your own food, yes. Personal gas/electrical cooking equipment is not permitted. Free electric BBQs are provided around the farm.

Do you have lockers or fridges for visitors?
No lockers or fridges; the carpark is at the entry and pass-outs are available.

Do you have picnic areas?
Yes — lots. Reserve for a small fee (email info@calmsleyhill.com.au) or first-in best-dressed.

When is camping?
Generally Sept–Apr (about once a month). Private nights can be booked.

Do you have farmstay accommodation or pony rides?
No farmstay; no pony rides (but ponies can be patted through the fence).

Can I hold a koala?
No — holding koalas is not permitted in NSW.

Should we come if it’s raining?
Yes — there’s ample undercover space and paved paths.

Is there public transport?
Yes — bus stop right out front.

We’re tourists staying in the city — how do we visit?
Public transport or taxi, or book with AEA Luxury Tours (info@aealuxury.com.au).

Is the farm accessible?
Yes — paved/sealed pathways suit prams, wheelchairs and walkers.

Do you offer gift certificates and annual passes?
Yes — available via the website.