Fairhill Native Plants and Gardens at Ninderry: Nursery, Farmyard and Cafe

Fairhill Native Plants, the native plant nursery and botanic garden many people still know as Fairhill Native Botanic Gardens, is now called Fairhill Adventure Gardens. It is at Ninderry, five minutes from Yandina, and open every day from 8 am. Fairhill renamed itself to reflect everything it has become, and the nursery and the original native botanic gardens are still the heart of it.

There is a nursery, a native botanic garden, a cafe, a Country Store and an animal farmyard where kids can hold chicks and walk mini goats. Fairhill was established in 1975 and is run today by Angela and David Wright, who bought it from the previous owners. That makes it a plant-buying stop, a kids’ morning or a long lunch in the garden.

The Fairhill native plants nursery

Fairhill’s nursery sells Australian natives and subtropical plants, including grafted grevilleas, dwarf flowering gums, screening and hedging plants, butterfly-attracting and habitat plants, and bush tucker plants. Fairhill’s bush tucker page lists 42 edible natives, among them finger lime and lemon myrtle. Many of the plants are propagated, grafted and grown on site, and if a plant is not stocked the team can usually source it. Entry to the nursery is always free, and delivery is available (plants are not shipped interstate).

The Country Store and Farm Shop sells local milk, eggs, bread and meat, small-batch preserves, honey, locally made drinks and ice creams, gifts from local makers, garden supplies and pet products. Entry to the store is free, and it is open daily from 8 am to 4 pm.

Native botanic gardens, rainforest and Turtle Lake

The original native botanic garden, which Fairhill describes as 50 years of horticultural legacy, sits beside a wilder side: a subtropical rainforest walk, water dragons sunning on warm stones, Turtle Lake where you can feed the ducks, and the self-guided Forest Fairy Tale Trail, with fairy legends and stories from around the world. The Little Engineers’ Dig Zone is part of the garden area and gives younger kids somewhere to play.

The gardens need a Day Pass or membership. Adults come in free with a child who has a Day Pass or membership, and infants under 1, support workers and carers with ID or a Companion Card are free. Day Passes are priced per child (ages 1 to 2, and 3 and over), and the prices show when you book. Day Passes are also sold at the gate, but booking online is cheaper. Monthly and annual memberships are available.

Animal farmyard sessions

Ranger-led farmyard sessions run daily and are included with a Day Pass or membership. Listen for the gong and meet the rangers at Reception. Fairhill’s farmyard page lists these times:

• 8.30 am, 12.30 pm and 3 pm: Cuddle and Brush with the baby mini goats in the Kids’ Barn. The 12.30 pm session ends with lead-training walks, and the 3 pm one finishes with Goodnight Goats.
• 9.30 am and 10.30 am: Cuddle Corner and Farmyard Friends, where kids hold the latest chicks, feed the guinea pigs and meet the goats.
• 11.30 am: Mini Goats’ Promenade, walking the grown-up mini goats from their paddock to Turtle Lake and feeding the ducks.
• 2 pm: Afternoon Teatime, helping with the afternoon feeds and evening preparation for the chicks, chickens, ducks, guinea pigs and paddock goats.

The schedule can change slightly from day to day, so collect that day’s Welcome Guide at Reception on arrival. Booking is recommended but not essential, and children must be supervised by a parent, guardian or carer at all times.

Gardens Cafe, bar and restaurant

The Gardens Cafe opens from 8 am, with last food orders at 2 pm, and has a Terrace Bar, also with last orders at 2 pm. There is takeaway as well, and the cafe makes a puppaccino for dogs. Entry to the cafe is free, so you can stop for a coffee or lunch without paying for the gardens.

Is Fairhill dog friendly?

Yes. Dogs on a lead are welcome throughout, from the gardens to the cafe. Bring your own bags and clean up after your dog, and keep a respectful distance from the farm animals. Water bowls are provided, so ask staff for a refill on a warm day.

Planning your visit

• How long: a plant-shopping stop can be 30 minutes. For the farmyard, gardens and lunch, allow a morning or most of a day.
• What to bring: comfortable shoes and sun protection. There is free WiFi on site, and there are covered areas for rainy days.
• Accessibility: main paths are concrete or compacted gravel, there is level access from the car park to the Visitor Centre, accessible toilets with baby change are on site, accessible parking is near the entrance and wheelchairs can be borrowed, subject to availability. Some heritage areas have natural surfaces that are harder to get across. Fairhill has a map of accessible routes, and you can call 07 5343 7906 to plan your visit.
• Rules: no smoking anywhere on the property and no BYO alcohol. Drone use needs permission, and Fairhill is not a childcare facility.

Getting to Fairhill and parking

Fairhill is at 114 Fairhill Road, Ninderry, about 5 minutes from Yandina and the M1 (exit 215). Fairhill lists it at 15 minutes from Bli Bli and Eumundi, 20 minutes from Buderim, Coolum Beach, Mapleton and Maroochydore, 30 minutes from Caloundra, Mooloolaba, Montville and Noosa, and 40 minutes from Gympie and Maleny. From the Brisbane CBD it is about 95 minutes by car.

Parking is free on site, with more than 200 spaces, shaded areas, accessible spaces and coach parking. Check Fairhill’s visit page for current hours, and book tickets before you go.

Nearby

• Yandina – the heritage town five minutes away, with a Saturday market.
• The Ginger Factory – free entry, a boat ride and a tasting tour in Yandina.
• Spirit House Yandina – an Asian restaurant in tropical gardens.
• Yandina Country Markets – Saturday mornings at the sports ground.
• Wappa Falls – a walk near Yandina.

More gardens are on the public gardens page, and more day trips on the Sunshine Coast page.

You might also like

• Maroochy Regional Bushland Botanic Garden – bushland walks and sculpture at Tanawha.
• Maleny Botanic Gardens (Wootha)
• Redcliffe Botanic Gardens (Redcliffe Peninsula)

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