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🗺️ Farm Day Trips guide
Things to Do Near the Lavender Farm of Portland & Narrawong, Victoria
Narrawong Lavender opens daily 10 to 4 from November to April, 15 minutes from Portland's 1858 lifeboat and the 1884 Cape Nelson lighthouse.
2 places · updated October 17, 2026
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Narrawong is a small town on Portland Bay in Victoria's far south-west, about 15 minutes east of Portland, where the Surry River meets a long surf beach. The Great South West Walk runs through this country, about 250 km of forest, river gorge, beach and the capes west of Portland. This is also Gunditjmara Country: the World Heritage-listed Budj Bim Cultural Landscape, with its ancient stone eel traps and channels, has its southern part at Tyrendarra, a few minutes east of Narrawong. Seasons are reversed from the north. Summer runs December to February, and whales pass the coast from May to September.
Narrawong Lavender, at 7811 Princes Highway, grows Miss Donnington lavender, harvests it by hand and distills it in small batches over a wood-fired furnace. It opens daily 10 to 4 from early November to the end of April, and December and January are the best months. The shop sells fresh bunches in season, dried buds, lavender oil and goat's milk soap. Group tours and off-season visits are by appointment, so phone ahead outside the summer season.
The lavender farms
- Narrawong LavenderLavender farm · Narrawong
December and January
Open daily early November to end of April with free entry; group tours and winter visits by appointment.
Best time to visit
Narrawong Lavender opens daily from early November to the end of April and looks its best in December and January. From May to October, visits are by appointment only. In the summer school holidays (late December into January), Narrawong's beaches are patrolled daily. Whale season runs May to September, when southern right whales come close to shore, sometimes inside Portland Harbour, and humpbacks pass by. Blue whales feed off Cape Nelson from November to May, so a summer lavender trip can include a whale watch from the lighthouse. Spring (September to November) is the best time for the Sea Cliff Nature Walk's plants and wildlife at Cape Nelson.
Places to see nearby parks, trails, beaches and landmarks
- Narrawong Beach and Surry River🏖️ Beach · Narrawong · about 1 mi, 3 min drive
Surf, swim, fish or walk the long beach, or paddle and fish on the Surry River. The beaches are patrolled daily during the summer holidays.
- Tyrendarra Indigenous Protected Area🌲 Preserve · Tyrendarra · about 6 mi, 10 min drive
Part of the World Heritage-listed Budj Bim Cultural Landscape, owned by Winda-Mara Aboriginal Corporation, about 2 km north of Tyrendarra. Raised paths and boardwalks lead past Gunditjmara stone weirs, channels and eel traps, recreated stone houses and seasonal wetlands.
- Portland Visitors Centre and Maritime Museum🏛️ Museum · Portland · about 11 mi, 15 min drive
Its centerpiece is the 1858 Portland lifeboat, which rescued survivors of the steamer Admella in 1859. At the entrance is a 14 m sperm whale skeleton from a whale that washed up on Narrawong Beach in the late 1980s.
Daily 9 a.m.–5 p.m.; closed Christmas Day
- Portland History House🏛️ Museum · Portland · about 11 mi, 15 min drive
The 1863 former town hall on Cliff Street, with displays running from the region's Indigenous people to the founding of the Portland Bay settlement. It also holds western Victoria's largest family history research collection.
10 a.m.–12 p.m. and 1–4 p.m.; closed Tuesdays and Good Friday
A$3 adults, A$2 pensioners and students (as posted October 2026)
- Point Danger Gannet Colony🌲 Preserve · Portland · about 14 mi, 22 min drive
Australia's only mainland colony of Australasian gannets, with more than 6,000 pairs nesting at Point Danger and Lawrence Rocks. Reach it by Gannet Drive, off Madeira Packet Road about 6 km from Portland.
- Cape Nelson Lighthouse🗼 Lighthouse · Cape Nelson · about 19 mi, 25 min drive
A 32 m lighthouse built of local stone in 1884. A tour with a climb to the top runs daily at 11:30 a.m., Isabella's Café is in the old stables, and you can stay in the keepers' cottages. Blue whales feed offshore from November to May.
Tours daily at 11:30 a.m.; café daily
- Cape Nelson State Park🌳 State park · Cape Nelson · about 18 mi, 25 min drive
The 3 km Sea Cliff Nature Walk (about 1.5 hours, best in spring) and the 6 km Lighthouse Walk loop through coastal heath and rare Soap Mallee, which grows nowhere farther south. Parts of the walks combine into an 8 km, 4-hour loop.
- Cape Bridgewater Seal Colony Walk🥾 Trail · Cape Bridgewater · about 25 mi, 40 min drive
An energetic walk of about 2 hours return to the seal colony viewing area, with views back over Bridgewater Beach and the cape. You may also see whales or dolphins. The cliffs are unstable, and dogs aren't allowed.
- Cape Bridgewater Petrified Forest and Blowholes🌉 Landmark · Cape Bridgewater · about 27 mi, 40 min drive
Thousands of years ago, sand dunes buried moonah trees here and formed the petrified forest, seen on a short cliff-top walk. The blowholes are about 100 m from the car park. Watch for slippery rocks and strong currents, and leave dogs at home.
Where to stop: farms, food and stays
- Tae Rak Aquaculture Centre & CaféCafé or coffee shop · Breakaway Creek
Free-entry cultural center and café on Lake Condah in the Budj Bim landscape, open Wednesday to Sunday, with kooyang tasting plates.
- Bay of Whales Gallery & Coffee ShopMaker or artist · Narrawong
Brett Jarrett's wildlife art gallery near the lavender farm, open Thursday to Sunday 10 to 4, with coffee on Sundays.
- Cobboboonee Vineyard and Cellar DoorWinery or vineyard (21+) · Heywood
Small vineyard near Heywood whose website lists ticketed events, including an 18+ Melbourne Cup day on November 3, 2026; check ahead for tasting times.
- Bridgewater Bay CafeCafé or coffee shop · Cape Bridgewater
Beachside café at Bridgewater Bay, listed in the shire's whale-watching guide as a stop on the cape; check hours before you go.
A one-day plan
- 10:00 AMNarrawong Lavender
Walk the rows and pick up fresh bunches or lavender oil; about 45 minutes.
- 10:55 AMTyrendarra Indigenous Protected Area · about 10 min drive
Follow the boardwalks past the stone eel traps and channels; about 1 hour.
- 12:15 PMTae Rak Aquaculture Centre & Café · about 20 min drive
Lunch by Lake Condah; about 1 hour.
- 1:40 PMBay of Whales Gallery + Coffee Shop · about 25 min drive
Look through the wildlife paintings and prints; about 30 minutes.
- 2:25 PMPortland Visitors Centre and Maritime Museum · about 15 min drive
See the 1858 lifeboat and the whale skeleton, and ask about recent whale sightings; about 45 minutes.
- 3:25 PMCape Nelson State Park · about 15 min drive
Walk the 3 km Sea Cliff Nature Walk and visit the lighthouse grounds; about 1.5 hours.
- 5:25 PMCape Bridgewater Petrified Forest and Blowholes · about 30 min drive
End on the cliff top at the blowholes and petrified forest; about 40 minutes.
Tips
- Go on a Thursday to Sunday between November and April. The lavender farm opens daily in that season, the Bay of Whales gallery Thursday to Sunday, and Tae Rak's café Wednesday to Sunday.
- Tae Rak is cashless (cards and electronic payment only). Book its guided cultural tours ahead; they start at A$89 for adults (2026).
- Dogs aren't allowed at the Cape Bridgewater seal colony or blowholes sites.
- At Narrawong, swim between the flags during the summer holiday patrols. Out on the capes the cliffs are unstable and the rocks slippery.
- For winter whale watching, the Wade Street Whale Platform on the way into Portland looks over the harbor, and the visitor center team posts sightings on its social pages.
Checked in October 2026 against official park, tourism and business websites. How we check listings
Questions
When is Narrawong Lavender open?
Daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. from early November to the end of April, and December and January are the best months. From May to October, visits are by appointment.
When can I see whales near Portland?
Southern right and humpback whales pass from May to September, sometimes coming into Portland Harbour. Blue whales feed off Cape Nelson from November to May.
What is Tyrendarra?
The southern part of the Budj Bim Cultural Landscape World Heritage area, about 2 km north of Tyrendarra township. Boardwalks there lead past Gunditjmara stone aquaculture systems used to trap kooyang (eels).
How far is Cape Bridgewater from Narrawong?
About 25 miles west through Portland, roughly 40 minutes by car.
🪪 Collect a stamp at every stop
The free Lavender Passport keeps a stamp for each farm and stop you visit, in real life and in the Lavender Farm Simulator. At the farm, play Field Quest to collect plant varieties as you walk, climb the leaderboards and unlock sponsor rewards.
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