If you love blueberries and seasonal fruit there is no better way to spend a morning or an entire day, than visiting our very own Victorian blueberry farms. We were lucky enough recently to be invited to meet the team at Oasis Berry Farms and see all of the incredible work that goes in behind the scenes to make this Healsville blueberry farm tick. To our surprise, not only did the blueberries taste incredible, but there were a few hidden surprises on the farm that made this a must-visit for families travelling to the Yarra Ranges. If you’re looking for the perfect spot to bring the kids that is fun, engaging and educational, then check out everything we saw and learned at Oasis Berry Farms.
More than a blueberry farm in Healsville
Rodolfo (owner and farmer) and the team at Oasis Berry Farms have a rich history in farming. Rodolfo’s parents harvested nuts, berries, stone fruit and just about anything sweet and seasonal that you can imagine. Throughout his childhood, he learnt what it took to build a sustainable and prosperous farm, and that is exactly what he and the team have done at Oasis Berry Farms. The farm consists of rows upon rows of blueberry bushes that produce multiple varieties of the juiciest and tastiest blueberries you will ever try. During picking season Rodolfo is very selective of the pickers he chooses, which allows the farm to have a successful and disease-free harvest.
It is this familiarity that delivers such an incredible haul of berries each year, avoiding those commonly found diseases on farms where the public is picking the berries. Oasis had an incredible previous season with over 14,000 kgs picked, and even more forecast for this year. During the berry season, you can visit the farm and purchase 500g punnets and 1kg buckets of blueberries, to enjoy during your visit or to take home. And bring a picnic so you can sit out on the incredibly well-manicured lawns, at a picnic table or bring a blanket to throw down under a tree. That’s where you will find us between December and March!
The old saying holds true at Oasis, you simply can’t beat the freshness of farm-picked berries. But blueberries aren’t all that Roldolfo has planted on the farm, there is an array of seasonal fruits like cherries, lemons, mandarins and so much more to indulge in when you visit the farm. And why stop there, grab yourself a drink to enjoy and even take home a fresh bottle of jam with you as well, perfected by local jam makers, Kookaberry, using Oasis Farm blueberries. Supporting Oasis means supporting so many other local Yarra Ranges businesses meaning you’ll enjoy so much more than just a bucket of blueberries at this farm.
Beware the wild roars
A builder by trade, Rodolfo hasn’t stopped at love for growing fruit, with two new additions to the farm this season that are sure to get the kids excited. Rodolfo and the Oasis team have built and custom-made two new features to entertain the whole family, a Jurassic Dinosaur trail and a miniature garden full of wild little creatures and fairies. And yes, it is as fun as it sounds!
The dinosaur trail is a sight to behold, walking through what can only be described as the gates of Jurassic Park, the trail is a dinosaur lover’s dream. Within the bamboo enclosure, you’ll find a full range of prehistoric monsters including a Tyrannosaurus Rex, a Pterodactyl, the infamous Velociraptor, and many more big and small dinosaurs. Beyond these incredible prehistoric creatures is also a well-designed garden with bamboo reaching well into the sky and an incredible array of plant life.
The dinosaur trail delivers the full experience with dinosaur sounds, baby dinosaurs hatching from eggs and a beautiful pond feature throughout as well. We took our little adventurer along and it’s safe to say he loved the dinosaur trail and we can’t wait to get back again to see what Rodolfo can do next.
Miniature garden
Next door to the dinosaur trail sits a beautifully manicured miniature garden equipped with little scenes the whole way around. Beautiful flowers and plants adorn the path around the garden with tiny figurines leading the imagination as to just what might be happening in their tiny world. The care taken to put together this wonderful space is obvious from the first step into the garden, and we didn’t know which way to look as the tiny scenes are so well thought out and entertaining for both kids and adults.
Throughout the garden, you will find mini fruit & veggie characters, fairies, gnomes and so much more. Whether it’s watching them scale a house, dive down a well or climb the trees, the scenes in the miniature garden will set the imagination ablaze and be sure to keep those little adventurers wandering all day long. Whether you’re a fan of miniatures or simply a lover of blooming gardens full of colour and fragrance, the miniature garden is a must-visit at Oasis Berry Farms.
Idyllic scenes on man-made islands and within the gardens
Another area at Oasis Berry Farms that we were not expecting to be such a hit with our little one was the man-made resources and islands. As a sustainable farm, Rodolfo and the team have created two dams onsite to water the extensive property. There is a bridge from the farm to the small island, and crossing it or looking back on the farm from the island is so idyllic. It’s the perfect spot to look back and admire the Oasis berry farm. There is also a jetty on the second dam, and we can confirm that kids love the adventure of walking across the bridges and looking out across the water. We also heard from a little birdie that there will soon be a treasure hunt activity that involves this area… stay tuned!
Add Oasis Berry Farms to your summer adventure list
The team at Oasis Berry Farms are the definition of dedication and care, whether it’s in the way they cultivate their berries or the way they take care of their gardens. From the first tyre onto the road into the farm, you’ll see an abundance of plants, flowers and gardens to explore. Oasis Berry Farms is so much more than just a destination to get your hands on blueberries, it’s an experience the whole family can enjoy and a spot you could easily spend an entire day at. We can’t wait to head back later this year when Rodolfo has had the chance to harvest and get our hands on a few kilos of berries.
You can check out our other travel destinations by seeing where we have holidayed around Victoria! If you’re close to the Healsville blueberry farm, but sure to visit the Wiggley Bottom Farm too! If there are any other farms around Victoria that you think we must check out, let us know!
