Spring is a time for flower peeping, and nothing gets us in the car, ready for a road trip to the country than a canola field. The canola fields of Australia burst into bloom during the spring season, usually from August to October, carpeting the earth in a sea of bright yellow, almost gold, some would say.
Although canola tourism, as it’s called, hasn’t always been favourable to farmers. Every year, when canola fields are in bloom, people flock to the countryside for the obligatory Instagram snap in the field, trampling precious canola. I think we forget that these beautiful flowers are someone’s livelihood, not to mention a hazard to the environment.
Back in 2018, farmers in Western Australia’s Avon Valley expressed their frustration at people trespassing on their land and potentially spreading diseases to their crops to take pics.
If you are planning to get your boots on and get that perfect shot, make sure you get the permission of the farmer first and don’t move from field to field.
Canola Flight
Another option is to take those impressive canola field shots from above.
Yes, you read that right. You can take a canola flight and soar across large fields of yellow.
Following the canola trail in VIC and NSW, the canola flights take around four hours from takeoff to landing.
In Benalla, Victoria, flights take off from Benalla airport, and in NSW, flights depart from Temora airport, with transfers from your accommodation to the launch site available.
Each flight takes off before first light to perfectly position you over canola fields when the sun rises. The pilot even knows the best photography spots, so rest assured, you will get your canola field Instagram shot.
Post-flight, expect a glass of prosecco and chocolates waiting for you at the landing site.
A Goldrush Ballooning flight costs $385 per person, with flights limited to season and weather on the day. Although Goldrush operates seven days a week, so there are plenty of opportunities to secure your canola flight before the season ends.
Related: Canola Selfies: Why Farmers Are Begging You to Stop Taking Snaps in Their Fields
Related: Want Florals for Spring? 34 Groundbreaking Walks and Road Trips Around Australia
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