Darling Downs Ten Chain Farm, Warraba Sunflowers open up their farms to visitors

Whether it's cloudy or sunny, a couple of farms across the Darling Downs are opening up their gates to visitors this weekend to enjoy the best of the season’s sunflowers.

Emma and Pat Storey with kids (from front) Elsie, Jack and Pippa with dog Boots as Ten Chain Farm prepare for their sunflower day, Wednesday, February 21, 2024. Picture: Kevin Farmer

A Flagstone Creek sunflower farm will open to visitors this Sunday where young and old can immerse themselves in the bright yellow blooms, have a picnic, and even take a bunch home with them.

Brother and sister duo Pat and Katie Storey have worked for the past few years to “resurrect” their grandparents’ farm, and this year have managed to transform part of the 50 acre Flagstone Creek property, only 20 minutes east of Toowoomba, into fields of bright yellow.

Pat Storey with kids Elsie and Jack as Ten Chain Farm prepare for their sunflower day, Wednesday, February 21, 2024. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Mr Storey said the first planting in September accidentally became wild deer food as the shoots struggled to grow in the dry September.

Nine weeks after the second planting, the sunflowers, faring well with the recent downpours, now tower over Mr Storey.

It is the second time the Storey’s will host a picnic, and they are part of a growing trend of farmers opening their gates to visitors to share their fresh, locally grown produce and flowers, with Warraba Sunflowers in Cambooya also open to visitors over the weekend.

The picnic is on Sunday, February 25, between 9am-3pm and will include music and lawn games for the family.

Hoping for clouds as shelter from the hot sun, the Storeys advise visitors to bring cash for the event, as internet reception is often unreliable.