Flowers, food and fun: it’s your last chance to check out the Canola Trail
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Did some say 20 degrees and party cloudy this weekend? If Floriade has whet your appetite to be surrounded by fields of flowers, then you need to check out the final days of the Canola Trail.
Perfect to brighten up your day and curb your craving for more florals, the trail is close enough to Canberra that it can be done in a day—and the fields of yellow are only one part of the road trip. Make sure you stop and check out the Canola Trail’s charming towns and quaint villages, which are overflowing with hidden gems.
Blooming until mid-October, the trail begins in Junee about 2.5 hours away from Canberra, and sets the perfect tone for the trip to come.
Eaten all your snacks before you’ve even reached the first stop? Load up on extra nibbles at the Junee Liquorice and Chocolate Factory and stretch your legs wandering around the Junee Broadway Museum or Bethungra Dam. Want to get your heart racing? Go and brave Australia’s most haunted house, the Monte Cristo Homestead. For extra thrills stay the night at one of Junee’s numerous B&Bs, campsites or hotels and book an evening ghost tour of the Victorian-era mansion that is guaranteed to give you the shivers.
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From Junee, take a short drive either across to Coolamon or up to Temora to continue your journey along the trail, each town is within 40 minutes of the other, so the longest bit of the drive is in the rear view.
As you drive from town to town, you will be swept away into golden hills of Canola fields and the opportunity to capture the Insta-perfect shot. But there’s a gentle reminder for when you’re snapping away.
“We ask for visitor’s safety and bio-security that those looking to take photos of and in the canola only do so if they have permission to enter private property,” says Laura Munro, Tourism and Business Development Officer for the Coolamon Shire Council.
So while the desire to get amongst the flowers might be drawing you to pop over the fence, for both your safety and for the farmers’ sake, make sure you stay on the road side—and don’t worry you’ll still be able to shoot a snazzy snap.
“We assure you that you’ll grab an impressive Insta-worthy image from the fence line. It’s also important that you park safely on the side of the road when stopping,” Laura says.
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One of the best part of this self-driving trail is that you have the power to choose your own adventure. But either way you go, you will be rewarded with a bounty of things to do, delicious food to eat, gorgeous places to stay and the best that country hospitality has to offer.
“The towns along the Canola Trail become a hive of activity during the flowering season, and we are starting to see a large number of visitors to the region which is amazing for our local businesses and attractions,” Laura says.
If it was up to us, we would be eating cheese for every meal and Coolamon certainly makes it extremely tempting to do so. The Coolamon Cheese Co is nestled into architecturally stunning heritage co-op building, which has been transformed to showcase a world of artisanal cheese.
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As you stroll the charming streetscapes, beautifully-preserved architecture and soak in the relaxed atmosphere, you will be pleasantly surprised to uncover treasures galore in the many boutiques and collectible stores along the way.
Once you have eaten your weight in cheese, have a glimpse into the past at the Coolamon Up-to-Date store or grab some fresh air exploring the Kindra State Forest.
When you are ready, jump back on the road to explore the last stop on the trail, Temora.
Home to the Temora Aviation Museum, explore a world-class collection of airplanes or if you want to take to the air yourself book into a hot air balloon experience with Gold Rush Ballooning. Up in the air soak in the magical spring sunrises as you take in the optimum viewing platform of the canola fields.
No matter which way you choose to travel along the trail, you will be guaranteed a journey filled with delicious food, stunning views and enthralling attractions, all accompanied by gorgeous, country hospitality.
Flowering is expected until mid-October but keep up to date on the Canola Trail’s website or Instagram to make sure you make the most of the blooms.
Feature image by Michael Read
