Collingwood Children's Farm

What Collingwood Children's Farm does

Collingwood Children's Farm (Collingwood Children's Farm Incorporated Association) is a registered Australian not-for-profit charity founded in 1979, operating a 10-acre working community farm on a Crown Land reserve in Abbotsford, approximately 4–5 km from Melbourne CBD on the banks of the Birrarung (Yarra River). It maintains approximately 250 animals, heritage breeds, gardens, and an apiary, and positions itself as the only public-facing urban production farm in the catchment and the longest continually farmed piece of land in Victoria. The organization exists to support adults and children experiencing adversity through social inclusion and inclusive programming for disabled, disadvantaged, and marginalised persons.

The farm monetizes across multiple small-ticket channels: general admission ($10–$20 per visitor, with concession tiers and free entry for under-24-month infants), tiered Annual Passes for individuals/families/concession holders, curriculum-linked school tours at $430 per class, self-guided and camping group bookings, corporate volunteering at $175 per participant (8-person minimum), aged care and mobility access at $175 per vehicle, venue hire (weddings, parties, marquee hire, shooting locations), branded merchandise in the on-site farm shop, and laying hen sales from $15–$30 each. Booking is processed through the Humanitix platform for structured programs, with payments handled by Square and Stripe and marketing run via Mailchimp and Instagram. Donations are tax-deductible under its ACNC registration (ABN 16 007 039 536), and the organization is Social Traders Certified.

Following concerns about long-term financial sustainability driven by rising costs and weather variability, the Victorian Government appointed Wallara Australia Ltd as the new Committee of Management of the Crown Land Reserve in January 2026. Wallara, a disability services provider, committed up to $1 million over 18 months and appointed Adriano Pilati as Farm Manager; the farm continues to operate as usual under the Collingwood Children's Farm brand with Marija Maher as CEO. The technology stack is non-proprietary, relying entirely on standard e-commerce, ticketing, payments, and email platforms.

Name

Collingwood Children's Farm

Legal name

Collingwood Children's Farm Incorporated Association

Website

https://farm.org.au/

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Collingwood Children's Farm is a registered not-for-profit community farm on 10 acres of Crown Land in Abbotsford, 4–5 km from Melbourne CBD, operating since 1979 with ~250 animals and serving families, schools, corporate groups, NDIS/aged-care providers, and wedding clients through admissions, programs, venue hire, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agritourism and Community Education Farm

NAICS

Support Activities for Animal Production (115210), Other Animal Production (1129)

SIC

Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Grazing & Pasture-Based Operations (Range, Rotational Grazing) (AFAEAFAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Livestock Weighing, Sorting & Handling Facility Services (AFAEALAG)

Keywords

• Community farm operations
• Educational farm tours
• Corporate volunteering programs
• Wedding and event venues
• Animal husbandry services

Headquarters

HQ city

Abbotsford

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Entry Fees and Admissions: General admission tickets for visitors ranging from $10-$20 per person with free entry for infants under 24 months and concession pricing at $10.
2. Annual Passes and Memberships: Annual passes for individuals, families, concession holders, and supporters with various tier options providing unlimited entry throughout the year.
3. School Tours: Structured educational tours for school groups at $430 per class plus booking fees, including guided farm experiences linked to Victorian Curriculum.
4. Corporate Volunteering: Team-building corporate programs at $175 per participant with minimum 8 participants, including hands-on farm work experiences.
5. Venue Hire: Revenue from hosting weddings, parties, corporate events, and shooting locations at the historic barn, marquee, and outdoor spaces.
6. Merchandise Sales: Farm gate shop selling branded merchandise including kids t-shirts ($30), bucket hats ($30), and other apparel.
7. Animal Sales: Sale of laying hens to rehoming families at $30 each (sliding scale available) and other animal husbandry-related sales.
8. Donations and Grants: Tax-deductible donations from the public supporting animal care, horticulture, community programs, and education. Also receives occasional grant funding.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Collingwood Children's Farm operates a working 10-acre urban community farm with approximately 250 animals, providing public admission, structured educational programs for schools, corporate volunteering, venue hire for weddings and events, aged care and mobility access programs, children's parties, merchandise, and laying hen adoptions. The farm is a registered not-for-profit charitable organization that generates revenue through entry fees, program fees, venue hire, retail, and donations to support its social inclusion mission.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• General Public Admission Tickets Day entry tickets for the public to visit the working urban farm, animal enclosures, and gardens. Adults $20, children (24 months-17 years) $10, infants under 24 months free, with concession pricing for student, senior, and Health Care/Pensioner/Veteran card holders. Valid from 9:30am until close; not transferrable.
• Annual Passes and Memberships Recurring annual memberships providing unlimited entry throughout the year, offered in tiers for individuals, families, concession holders, and supporters. Revenue supports animal care, gardens, and keeping the Farm open for the community.
• School Tours 1.5-hour guided curriculum-linked educational tours for primary and secondary school classes at $430 per class (plus booking fees), Monday-Friday during school term, maximum 30 people per class. Tours cover Science, English, and Design and Technologies at Victorian Curriculum Foundation to Level 2, with hands-on farm experiences, animal interactions, and garden exploration. Booked via the Humanitix platform.
• Self-Guided Groups
• Camping Groups
• Corporate Volunteering
• Children's Birthday Party Packages
• Farm Weddings Wedding ceremonies and receptions at the historic Barn and surrounding gardens, accommodating up to 150 guests. Wedding coordination is provided by Farm Cafe Weddings, including experienced staff, catering, florals, furniture, beverages, and event planning.
• Donations and Fundraising Tax-deductible donations over $2 supporting animal care, horticulture, community programs, and education, collected through an online portal and on-site giving. The farm also receives occasional grant funding.
• Aged Care & Mobility Access Program Vehicular drop-off and approximately 2.5-hour visits to the farm for aged care homes, NDIS providers, and organizations catering to people with special mobility needs, priced at $175 per vehicle (up to 12 passengers) plus booking fees.
• Laying Hen Adoptions Sale of laying hens starting at $15-$30 each (sliding scale available) to rehoming families for backyard chicken keeping, with a minimum order of 2 chickens so they can stay with their friends. Pricing is dependent on breed and age. Guinea pig donations are also accepted.
• Farm Shop Merchandise On-site and online farm gate shop selling branded apparel including 100% cotton kids t-shirts at $30 and 100% cotton adjustable bucket hats at $30, designed by staff.
• Special Event and Shooting Location Hire Hire of farm venues for corporate events, private celebrations, and as shooting locations for film and photography productions, utilizing the historic Barn, marquee, and outdoor spaces.

Quantifiable outcome

• Approximately 250 animals maintained with gold-class animal welfare standards above industry standards
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Wallara Australia LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Strategic merger announced January 2026 where Wallara Australia Ltd, a leading disability services provider, becomes the new Committee of Management for the Crown Land Reserve. Wallara has committed to investing up to $1 million over the next 18 months to strengthen staff capability, infrastructure, and long-term sustainability. The merger creates jobs for Melburnians with disabilities and ensures the farm's long-term future while preserving its core mission and identity.
• Victorian Apiarists' Association Melbourne SectionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJointly manages the Apiary at Collingwood Children's Farm. The Apiary educates visitors about bees and beekeeping, provides tips to current and prospective beekeepers, and is open to all visitors on the second and fourth Sunday of every month.
• The Farm CafecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFarm Cafe operates the on-site café accessible from inside the farm and the Main Yarra Trail, serving breakfast, lunch, and catering. They also manage wedding coordination (Farm Cafe Weddings), providing full event management including experienced staff, catering, florals, furniture, beverages, and event planning for weddings at the farm.
• Disability Service OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerActively collaborating with a range of disability service providers to ensure the new community garden reaches its full inclusive vision. Partners include Access Workshop and other organizations to create accessible urban agriculture spaces for people with different abilities.
• HumanitixcoreTechnology or IntegrationBooking platform partner for school tours, camping groups, corporate volunteering, self-guided groups, aged care access, and party bookings. Handles ticket sales, registration, and payment processing for structured programs.
• Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe farm acknowledges the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people as the Traditional Owners of the Abbotsford Precinct Heritage Farmlands. Working with Aunty Gail on Indigenous naming for community gardens through respectful cultural consultation. The farm mission includes respect for the Traditional Owners.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Calmsley Hill City Farm: Calmsley Hill City Farm is an urban children's farm in Western Sydney offering animal interactions, school excursions, and venue hire — directly comparable to CCF's mixed visitor-and-education model in an Australian urban setting.
• Edendale Farm: Edendale Farm is a community farm in Eltham, Victoria that operates animal-husbandry programs, school visits, and community gardens on a comparable scale to Collingwood Children's Farm, serving as the nearest regional peer within the same state.
• CERES Community Environment Park: CERES is an urban sustainability and education park in Brunswick, Melbourne offering community gardens, environmental education, and visitor programs — a directly comparable Melbourne urban environmental-education site that draws similar school and family audiences to CCF.
• Odds Farm Park: Odds Farm Park is a UK children's farm park combining hands-on animal interactions, school trips, and family visitor experiences — a direct international peer for CCF's urban children's farm operating model.
• Farmer Palmer's Farm Park: Farmer Palmer's is a UK children's farm park in Dorset offering animal encounters, school visits, and birthday party packages — closely comparable to CCF's mix of admission, school tour, and party revenue streams.

Broad incumbents

• Melbourne Zoo: Melbourne Zoo is the major animal-focused visitor attraction in inner Melbourne, drawing family and education audiences that overlap with CCF's school and family visitors, though at much larger scale and with a broader wildlife remit.
• Healesville Sanctuary: Healesville Sanctuary is a Victorian wildlife institution focused on Australian native animals and conservation education, comparable to CCF in animal-based educational programming but at a substantially larger scale and broader species scope.
• Werribee Open Range Zoo: Werribee Open Range Zoo is a larger Zoos Victoria institution providing safari-style animal experiences and education programs in Victoria — a broad incumbent competitor for CCF's family and school education audiences.

Regional players

• The Farm Yarra Valley: The Farm Yarra Valley is a regional agritourism destination in Victoria combining farmgate retail, animal encounters, and weddings — comparable to CCF's venue-hire and animal-interaction offerings, but operating at a different geographic scale outside inner Melbourne.

Others

• Abbotsford Convent: Abbotsford Convent is the heritage site adjacent to CCF, also operating as a community and cultural precinct with venue hire, gardens, and visitor programming — an adjacent peer sharing the same urban location and visitor base rather than directly competing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/collingwoodchildrensfarm
• Instagraminstagram.com/collingwoodchildrensfarm
• Xx.com/collingwoodfarm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Collingwood Children's Farm