Collingwood Children’s Farm & The Abbotsford Convent

Tags

australia, coffee, farm, food, melbourne

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discover a rustic farm community thriving in its own lush oasis right by the yarra river, just 5km from the heart of melbourne

w/ colourful history & a story dating all the way back to the 1840s

in 1979, a community committee leased a small area of the abbotsford convent for a children’s farm

creating a non-profit community resource providing enriching country experiences for city people

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Collingwood Children’s Farm

18 St Heliers St, Abbotsford, Australia VIC 3067

+61 3 9417 5806

Mon-Sun: 9am-5pm

the farmers’ market | joyfully stock up on fresh produce from over 70 victorian vendors or just enjoy the sunlight on colourful picnic mats & straw bales

come by if you need blooming flowers or sprouting seedlings

or some homemade jam, chutney or honey

or fresh, seasonal fruits & vegetables

so wander ’round the back to where the paddocks spread across to the yarra river

look forward to the 2nd saturday of each month, from 8am-1pm

aside from the market, you can also try your hand at daily cow milking at the barn

exuding a dash of pioneer living & farm life in the city of melbourne

get lost in the many gardens now blossoming w/ spring vibrance

graze over the soft, buttery, silvery, grey-green foliage of the lamb’s ears

breathe in the lingering scents of the orange blossoms

volunteers help w/ the rearing of the farm animals

even the worms

savour the country life on the urban farm’s surprisingly sprawling grounds alongside the horses, goats, sheep, geese, peacocks, bees & even guinea pigs

then wander up the road to the convent for some warm, hearty food

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established around the 1860s by the nuns of the Order of the Good Shepherd, who sought to provide shelter for orphans, the infirm & the sick

today, the historical buildings house a flourishing community for arts, culture & learning

so explore the gorgeous gardens & open grounds, the brick buildings seeping with heritage, & try the different cuisines available

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The Abbotsford Convent

1 St Heliers St, Abbotsford, Australia VIC 3067

+61 3 9415 3600

Mon-Sun: 7.30am-10pm

lentil as anything | delicious vegetarian food offered & a generous, trusting, social spirit encouraged

how it works – ‘ sit, eat, enjoy. when you are happy & full, pay as you feel in our magic money box.’ (score when organic fruit & vegetables are used as much as possible & organic, fair-trade coffee & tea, & homemade chai is served)

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Lentil As Anything

+61 3 9419 6444

Mon-Sun: 9am-9pm

(Breakfast: 9am-11.30am, Lunch: 12pm-4pm, Dinner: 6pm-9pm)

& if you desire more scrumptious vegetarian food & a change of scenery

41 Blessington Street, St Kilda, Australia VIC 3182

+61 3 9534 5833

Mon-Sun: 11am-9pm

231 Barkly Street, Footscray, Australia VIC 3011

+61 3 9689 9784

Mon-Sun: 11am-9pm

(Lunch: 12pm-4pm, Dinner: 6pm-9pm)

the convent bakery | roasting its own fair-trade & organic coffee & sharing its knowledge of old fashioned bread making w/ its century-old wood fired masonry ovens used by the sisters of good shepherd

dig into plump brunch dishes like the convent breakfast (poached, scrambled or fried eggs served w/ bacon, grilled sausage, grilled tomatoes, mushroom & house baked beans w/ sourdough toast)

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The Convent Bakery

+61 1300 447 697

Mon-Sun: 7am-5pm

after all the excitement, take a calming stroll through the convent gardens & listen to the soft hum of bees weaving their way through the flowers

wood & coal – near the old convent