The Liverpool Plains Sunflower Trail kicks off just in time for the weekend, with sunflowers at “Sandstone”, Big Jack’s Creek and “Wilgabah” at Wallabadah now flowering and ready to brighten visitors’ days.
Both farms have planted crops as part of an agritourism campaign to draw travellers off the major roads and through the Liverpool Plains. The trail will extend to include “Windy Station” via Warrah Ridge and “Springfield”, Spring Ridge over the coming months as more crops mature and flower, presenting a fantastic opportunity for visitors to explore NSW’s “food bowl” on a roadtrip.
“We are excited to welcome visitors to the Liverpool Plains again this summer,” said Nikki Robertson, President of The Plains Inc.
“2025 threw some challenging weather at our farmers, who dealt with flooding earlier in the year before encountering lower-than-average rainfall over the Spring.”
Sunflowers on the Liverpool Plains are generally planted in Spring to avoid the risk of late frosts and heat stress on younger plants. Low rainfall and higher-than-average temperatures in October/November 2025 have meant that some farmers who were waiting for rain to sow their seeds missed rainfalls and couldn’t go ahead, whilst others planted crops that failed to come up due to a lack of moisture in the soil.
“Even with the best laid plans, our farmers are at the mercy of the weather,” said Mrs Robertson. “The Sunflower Trail is all about educating our visitors about how our food and fibre comes to be, and this is a great opportunity to inform people about the factors that can impact agricultural production on the Liverpool Plains.”
Despite these challenges, four farms will be opening their gates to visitors over the season, which this year will extend out to April.
“It’s the perfect opportunity to showcase our diverse landscape and our region’s generous hospitality,” said Mrs Robertson. “We encourage visitors to explore our towns and villages as they travel through and keep an eye out for other crops like sorghum and cotton as they mature.”
A number of events will also take place in the coming month for visitors to enjoy. They include a Sunflower-themed art exhibition at Random Rural Art Gallery, Willow Tree, guided breathwork sessions with Dr Trini Dickson on her farm near Quirindi, a special live music event at Windy Station and the annual Sunflower Throwing Competition at the Quirindi Rural Heritage Village.
Property locations, opening dates and other event details will be available at www.theplains.com.au as they are confirmed. Visitors are encouraged to do their research to ensure they can get the most out of their visit as offerings will differ for each farm.
The Liverpool Plains Sunflower Trail is presented by The Plains Inc in collaboration with Sunflowers on the Plains.
A not-for-profit group working to promote the Liverpool Plains as an agritourism destination, The Plains Inc supports both existing tourism offerings and those wanting to get “off the ground”. The group is working using a borderless tourism approach to highlight the region as a place steeped in agricultural and Indigenous heritage, where visitors can reconnect with nature and discover quality food and fibre.
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