A visit with a power chair to the NZ Alpine Lavender Farm, near Twizel

Getting there

Last Summer, we spent some time in Twizel, a small town in the heart of the MacKenzie District. It’s a great place to try your hand at salmon fishing from the canals. Friends were putting us up in one of their rentals, we arrived to find we needed to build a wooden ramp so Finlay could access the front door. We were becoming a dab hand at building makeshift ramps wherever we travelled.

The next day everyone decided a swim was in order, this included a favourite local pastime of jumping from a bridge into the Pukaki River. Finlay and I chose a more leisurely activity and headed into the Aoraki Mt Cook National Park. We were looking forward to experiencing part of the Hooker Valley walk.

Mt Cook Village is a 45-minute (64 km) drive from Twizel. It was another beautiful day and the road trip was stunning. Along the way we spotted the Alpine Lavender Farm on the left-hand side, clearly visible from the main highway and easy to pull off. We found plenty of grassy space dedicated to visitor parking. The vibrant colours were inviting us in, so we decided to stop and check it out.

New Zealand Alpine Lavender is one of the largest certified organic lavender farms in the Southern Hemisphere. It’s open for a visit from 9 am to 5 pm from December to February and from 10 am to 4 pm for the rest of the year. They grow three main varieties of lavender: Pacific Blue, Avice Hill, and Violet Intrigue. The lavender farm is 600 metres above sea level and surrounded by the Ben Oahu mountain range.

I was excited to show Finlay the lavender as he collected masses from his daily local walks back home. Before leaving Twizel I packed Finlay’s all-terrain buggy just in case to give us more accessible options. At the Lavender Farm, the ground was firm, and dry making it easy to take the power chair. I was relieved we did not need to transfer Finlay in and out of his two wheelchairs. As I was Finlay’s only support, I would have needed to ask for some assistance for a two-person lift. We travel with a Molift transit hoist, but it can be awkward and often impossible to use on outdoor terrain.

Entry

Entry is only $5 to experience the lavender farm. If you purchase an item from the shop, you will get that $5 refunded in your purchase.

Photo props

Along with the beautiful lavender field as a backdrop, there are heaps of photo opportunities using old bikes, a pink tractor, and chairs.

Wheeling through the lavender

We were pretty excited when we saw we could get the whole way through the lavender farm. There are sections where the track becomes narrower with a few rocks, but the power chair dealt with it well. The only thing worrying me was Finlay getting stung by a bee as he continuously grabbed the lavender.

Sensory heaven

The smell of the lavender empowers you with a good vibe. We both felt more relaxed and ready for the day ahead of us after our visit here.

Ticketing, food, history, and souvenirs

After experiencing the lavender farm, it was time to check out what they were selling. It was everything lavender, from handcrafted soaps to pure organic essential oils, cream milk, and dark chocolate!

Let us not forget the lavender ice cream! I left Finlay waiting at one of the picnic benches to order our ice cream. We had the blueberry and mixed berry. They were both delicious. Then we popped next door for some Anxiety Away Essential Lavender Oil. Finlay loves having his hands and feet massaged with essential oils.