A 4-day itinerary driving the Riverina’s Canola Trail

Tip: Before the journey starts, know that while you’ll want to stop at every bend in the road, it’s vital to pull over with care to not put yourself (or others) in danger, and always be aware of your surroundings. Also, as tempting as it is to wander through the fields, remember that the canola fields are working farms and private property, so exploring them may be trespassing or damaging crops.

Morning

Make your first stop at the Cowra Visitor Information Centre, which is the departure point for several interesting tours during flower season. The Fields of Gold experience begins the day with a guided tour of some of Cowra’s top spots for photographing canola flowers, while Fly Oz’s Cowra Scenic Canola Flight gives you a bird’s-eye view of the golden fields for 30, 60 or 90 minutes.

A family enjoy the fields in Cowra - Credit: Cowra Tourism Corporation

Canola season, Cowra – Credit: Cowra Tourism Corporation

Afternoon

The Visitor Centre also doubles as a local produce dealer, showcasing a variety of wines from the region, as well as a range of local pantry goods and crafts. If you haven’t already toured the fields, join a Cowra Sunset Canola Tour (bookable from the centre) to see the bright yellow fields with the best lighting nature provides. Alternatively, head to Glencara for a twilight dinner, to dine and dance within the farm’s fields canola fields. You’ll feast on lamb from the nearby paddocks alongside local wines and brews.

The view of the canola fields in Cowra - Credit: Cowra Tourism Corporation

Canola fields, Cowra – Credit: Cowra Tourism Corporation

Evening

Keep your eye out for canola fields as you drive to Young in the heart of the Hilltops region. If you didn’t pick up produce from your earlier stops, book in for dinner at The Cranfield, a beautiful restaurant set in an 1888 building, and a menu supplied by the orchards, vineyards and farms surrounding it.

There are plenty of farmstays and charming cottages in and around Young, including the beautifully renovated Old Brick Pub, occupying an 1874 building opposite the Lambing Flat gold diggings. There’s a fully equipped kitchen, two king beds and a fireplace where you can get cosy with a bottle of wine and the gourmet goodies you picked up earlier in Cowra. Towing a caravan? You can pull into Cowra Van Park, which is right on the river.