About Lavender Hill
Lavender Hill is a working farm on Beacon Road in Riverhead, about 30 minutes north of central Auckland, with 7 acres of lavender, olive and lemon groves and views over the Upper Harbour toward the Sky Tower. Hosts Jason and Trisha distill 100 percent pure lavender oil on the farm and run a small craft gin still they call Little Lottie, using botanicals that are partly grown on the property. Their gin took a gold medal at the 2026 New Zealand Spirits awards.
The main way to visit is the hands-on guided farm tour. It covers how lavender is grown and harvested, how oil lavender differs from garden lavender, the lavender and gin stills, and a walk through the olive trees on varieties, pruning and harvest. Tours finish with time to feed and pat the alpacas, browse the farm shop and taste the gin. The fields are in full bloom up to about mid-January; after that, tours carry on with the same stops but without the purple rows. Tours run most often from December through January, and the farm opens for distillery-focused tours through the rest of the year.
Tours are $25 per adult and free for children under 15, though the hosts say the tour suits adults and older kids more than toddlers, since much of it is questions and answers about the working farm. Garden clubs and social groups can book by appointment. The farm also rents out its barn: three king rooms with private ensuites, or the whole four-bedroom house for up to eight guests, and a workshop room with a rimu table for ten.
The Riverhead tavern and Kumeū's wineries are a few minutes away, making this an easy half-day northwest of the city.
Lavender here
- When it blooms
- Full bloom up to about mid-January
- Visiting
- Guided farm and distillery tours booked online, busiest December through January; group tours and formal tastings by appointment; click-and-collect from the shop anytime.
From the farm shop
- Pure lavender oil
- Craft gin
- Farm shop goods
What to do
- Take the guided farm and distillery tour, best in bloom December to mid-January
- See the lavender oil still and the Little Lottie gin still
- Walk the olive grove and learn about pruning and harvest
- Feed and pat the alpacas
- Taste the farm's gin and browse the farm shop
- Stay in the barn's king rooms or book the whole house
Season, hours and prices
- Season
- Tours mainly December through January, with bloom up to mid-January; distillery-focused tours through the year
- Admission
- Farm tour $25 per adult; children under 15 free (as published October 2026)
Good to know
- Reservations
- Required
Tips for your visit
- Book before mid-January if you want the fields in flower.
- The tour suits adults and older children better than toddlers.
- Tours can shift with the weather; include your contact details when booking.
- If you plan to taste the gin, arrange a designated driver.
Pair it with a nearby stop
The Riverhead · about 5 minutes away
The Riverhead is a few minutes down the road for lunch after a morning tour.
Getting there
Questions
How much is a Lavender Hill farm tour?
$25 per adult; children under 15 are free.
When is the lavender in bloom?
The fields are in full bloom up to about mid-January.
Can you stay at Lavender Hill?
Yes, the barn has three king rooms with ensuites, or the whole four-bedroom house sleeps up to eight.
🗺️ Part of the guide Things to Do Near the Lavender Farms of the Auckland Countryside, New Zealand
Checked in October 2026 against the business’s own website and local tourism pages. Hours and seasons change, so check with them before you go. How we check listings · Is this your business? Claim it free
