Visit the Taupiri Sunflower Farm

Last updated on 17 December 2025

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I was not expecting to find the Taupiri Sunflower Farm

Over the summer of 2021 – 2022 here in New Zealand, I found myself doing a lot of driving around the North Island. Being an avid traveller and having been locked up in Lockdown for 4 months, I had to get out of the city. My adventures took me to numerous beautiful spots around New Zealand, but one spot, in particular, was a must-visit:  the Taupiri Sunflower Farm.

After driving past it on my way home from Zealong Tea Plantation, I knew I had to make it a priority on my next trip down to Cambridge. After a stunning weekend at Lake Karapiro, we headed back to Auckland and stopped off at the sunflower farm just outside Taupiri.

What is the Taupiri Sunflower Farm?

You can read more of the story in this Stuff article, but in short: this stunning “paddock full of happiness” was planted by Deanne Crowder and her husband Phillip, in the hopes that it would bring some joy to people’s lives. It also serves as a beautiful reminder and recognition of Deanne’s sister, Leisha, who died when she was just 18 years old.

What started off as a Christmas surprise in front of her parents’ maize has turned into a wonderful pick-your-own experience that people from all over New Zealand are flocking to. There are now 2 hectares of flowers growing just off Route 1b in the Waikato, close to Taupiri and not far from Gordonton.

Pick-you-own flower fields are popular in countries like the United States and England, so when Deanne decided to give it a go in New Zealand, she was blown away by the response. But I’ll tell you what: I am all for pick-your-own flower fields, and on this particular trip I actually went to two. Highly recommend!

Photo-taking opportunities

“Do it for the gram” – a phrase that we often hear these days, but if there’s something that Instagram and the people of the internet love, it’s a good flower field photo.

If you go near the end of the season (early to mid-February), then the stems are high. Really high. You might lose your children or your short friends in there, so maybe work out a system so you can gather back together again. The family has cut paths through the flowers, so you can get around a little more easily. But high-stemmed sunflowers are perfect for snapping those photos, so make sure you take your phones and your cameras. You don’t want to miss that opportunity.

Pick-your-own sunflowers

You can either simply enjoy the sunflowers and wander through, watching the bees dance around with giddy delight 🐝, or you opt for picking up a pair of secateurs (which are provided for you) and picking some of the beautiful stems. There’s no limit to how many stems you can pick, but just make sure if you want lots, have at least one other person with you, if not two. Those beauties are heavy.

My other recommendation would be to make sure you have something to put your sunflowers in, especially if you’re coming from a distance. As we only semi-planned to go to the farm (more making it a stop on the way back from a holiday), we weren’t that prepared to take them home. We managed to make a makeshift water bowl and placed the sunflowers in it in the boot of the car, surrounded by our luggage. Not ideal, but we made it work.

FAQs

When is the Sunflower Farm in Taurpiri open?

The farm is open over the summer, but it does depend on the weather that year. The best way to keep up to date with their opening days and times this year is to check out their Facbeook Page.

Where is the Taupiri Sunflower Farm?

The Taupiri Sunflower Farm is located on State Highway 1b, or 2049 Gordonton Road, Taupiri. It’s close to the Waikato towns of Taupiri and also Gordonton. Read below to see how far away from Auckland the farm is.

How far from Auckland is the Sunflower Farm?

The Taupiri Sunflower Farm is around 1-hour drive from Auckland. From Auckland’s CBD, jump on the Southern Motorway and follow it south. Take the exit for State Highway 1b, and the sunflower field isn’t too far from the turn-off, on the right-hand side of the road.

How much is the Taupiri Sunflower Farm?

It costs $13.50 (13 years +) to get into the Taupiri Sunflower Farm for an adult, $8.50 for children (under 4s are free), and $12 for Senoirs. You can wander through the fields, snapping photos, admiring the beautiful flowers, or opt to pick your own. It’s just $3 a stem, and you can pick as many sunflowers as you’d like. The farm provides cutters for you.

Have you been to the sunflower farm in Taupiri?