Fields of yellow return to the Surf Coast

A BURST of yellow has returned to the Surf Coast hinterland, as a Modewarre-based sunflower experience opens its much-loved paddock for its 2026 season.

Initially intended to throw open its doors to the public today, extreme fire danger conditions will mean the farm will now begin its season on Saturday (January 10), running for around two weeks, timely closely to the natural bloom of the crop.

Launched three years ago by three Modewarre neighbours with young families – Abbey Galbraith, Anna Loughnan and Amy Brady – the project has grown from a shared love of gardening into a short, once-a-year farming experience that continues to draw visitors from across the region.

“Sunflowers was the perfect fit because they bring so much joy – everyone can identify with a sunflower,” Galbraith said.

“People just want to go and switch off and be in nature more than ever now.

 

 

“I’ll never forget one lady who walked out of the patch, eyes ablaze, and she’s like ‘I’ve just been watching a bee pollinate a flower for 10 minutes’. She was just so joyful from it.”

This year’s crop has been shaped by favourable conditions.

“This has been a really great season because we’ve had high rainfall,” Galbraith said. “Not as much sun, but they’re still looking quite full and lush, so it feels like quite an immersive paddock experience this year.

“The nature of farming is that you’re never going to reproduce the same product over and over.”

The sunflower field continues to attract a wide range of visitors, from families to the residents of local nursing homes and retirement villages.

“We certainly get plenty of young families come through, but we also get a lot of families with teenagers,” Galbraith said. “They were really grateful for the experience because it gave them something to pull the teenagers off their screens at home.

 

 

“And the teenagers loved it. They could get their social media snap, but it also gave them a nice family experience.”

The farm will be open weekdays between 9am and 5pm, with evening sessions on offer on Friday and Saturday evenings until 8pm.

Yoga among the flowers, evening picnics in the patch and painting sessions may also be on the cards this season, with locals encouraged to keep an eye on the farm’s social media pages for more details.

Each season, the farm donates a portion of its profits to the Royal Children’s Hospital and the Modewarre CFA.

For more information, head to modewarreflowercollective.com.au or follow @surfcoast_sunflowers on Instagram.