How to Visit the Canola Fields in York (Legally!)

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The canola fields near Perth usually bloom around August each year. It makes for an incredible sight to see the rolling paddocks of endless gold whilst driving along the peaceful country roads. While there are no canola fields in Perth itself, they are just a scenic drive away in the quaint town of York.

Read on for all you need to know about how you can safely and legally visit the canola fields in York, plus my inside tips on how to make the most of this day trip from Perth.

This guide was first published in 2021 following my first visit to York during canola season, and completely updated in 2025.

Some Quick Facts About Canola

Canola, also known as rapeseed, is grown for its seed, which is crushed into an oil. The oil is used for a variety of industrial purposes, including environmentally friendly biodiesel and food use as a vegetable oil.

It is only cropped once a year, so you have to make sure you time your visit to see the blooms.

The countryside begins to look like this not long after leaving Perth!

Where to See Canola Fields near Perth

The best place to see canola flowers near Perth is to take a trip to view the canola fields in York.

The small historic town of York is about a 1.5-hour drive east of Perth. The drive is very scenic, with rolling fields of farmland along the way – you are bound to see a lot of canola fields on the drive to York!

Endless field of golden canola
Fields of endless gold

There are also a few wildflower hotspots near York which usually bloom around the same time as the canola. For more information and locations, check out my detailed Western Australia wildflower guide.

And, for more spring goodness, make sure to check out my guide on visiting the spectacular annual Tulip Festival at Araluen Botanic Gardens, held from August to September each year.

Tulips in full bloom at the annual tulip festival at Araluen

Please note that the roadside canola flower fields can be viewed from the fence line, but it is illegal to enter a farmer’s field without their permission.

Also, keep in mind that the fields are working farmland, and entering it can contaminate and destroy the canola crop. Unfortunately, there have been a few articles over the years about farmers’ fields being trampled by visitors, so please respect the farmers’ livelihood (and the law!).

The three golden rules of visiting the canola fields are:

1. Park vehicles safely
2. Stay out of crops
3. Respect private properties

How to Take Photos in the Canola Fields

The best place to take photos in a canola field near Perth is PetTeet Park York. This is a local, family-run business based just out of York that operates its canola farm for tourism purposes each year.

Taking photos in the canola at PetTeet Park near York

PetTeet Park Canola Farm

PetTeet Park has a purpose-planted canola field that you can walk in and take as many photos as you like! Best of all, the canola is not sprayed with any nasty pesticides.

Generally, the canola flowering season is from mid-August to the end of September. I’ll update this article with the 2025 dates as soon as they are announced!

York Canola Field 2025 update:

23.8.25: It has just been announced on the PetTeet Park Instagram page that they are opening on Saturday 30th August. Based on previous seasons, I expect they will be open to about the first week of October, but keep an eye on their Instagram page for the latest updates.

12.8.25: Due to late rain, PetTeet Park is opening later than usual this year. Exact dates have not been announced at the time of updating this article on the 12th August 2025. However, I expect they will be open by the last weekend of August based on previous seasons.

Opening Hours + Entrance Fees

There is no need to book at Petteet Park, just turn up at the farm on weekends during opening hours. Petteet Park is open on weekends only from 10 – 4 pm (last entry 3.30 pm) during the canola season only.

Entry fees for Petteet Park for the 2025 canola season are:

  • Adult: $20
  • Pensioner: $15
  • Children (0 – 4 years): Free
  • Children (5 – 12 years): $10
  • Children (13 – 17 years): $15
  • Family Pass (2 Adults & 2 Children 5 – 17 years): $50
  • Cash Only!

Included in the entry cost is a petting area, a playground and other farm animals. This is a great trip for the whole family. They have a pop-up cafe on the farm, too.

I first visited the canola farm during its inaugural opening season back in 2021, and it’s only grown bigger and better since then!

Baby goats sitting on a hay bale
Some of the local farm animals at PetTeet Park

Canola Flowering Season

Canola begins flowering in August and into September, but flowering times can vary depending on the season and location. I recommend contacting the York visitor centre before your trip or keeping up to date on Facebook.

PetTeet Park is usually open to visitors from mid-August until late September. Here are the opening dates from the previous few seasons so you can get a sense of how long the season usually lasts:

  • In 2024, PetTeet Park was open from 31 August until 6 October
  • In 2023, PetTeet Park was open from 19 August until 24 September
  • In 2022, PetTeet Park was open from 27 August until 25 September
  • In 2021, PetTeet Park was open from mid-August until 19 September
A beautiful spring day at PetTeet Park

Tips for Taking Photos in the Canola

Some of my ideas for taking Insta-worthy canola field shots:

  • Framing the shot: Try framing the camera behind the canola
  • Different angles: take shots from lower perspectives in the field to get more depth, as well as higher angles to get more of the field in the photo
Smiling in a field of canola
Try framing your photo from a low angle to fill the foreground with canola
  • Plan your outfit: consider wearing something that contrasts with the yellow – blue is on the opposite side of the colour wheel, for example. White also tends to stand out amongst the bright golden yellow.
  • Aerial photos: If you have a drone, this makes for amazing photo opportunities. If you are too high, it can be difficult to capture the fields from a “top down” angle; these shots work better from an angle instead of directly over the top.

PetTeet Park in York is the only place where you can legally take photos in the field. For a small fee you can take as many photos as you want without damaging a farmer’s crop – it’s a win-win!

Things to Do in York

Make sure to stop at York before or after your visit to PetTeet Park. This is one of my top day trips from Perth!

The Bakery Cafe is a great spot to grab some lunch. From here, you can walk down to the river at Avon Park to enjoy a picnic lunch. Take a walk across the suspension bridge, admiring the views of the gushing Avon River.

Town hall in the historic town of York
The beautiful architecture along the main street in York

Go for a leisurely stroll along the main street in town, Avon Terrace, to admire the historic buildings, including the iconic York Town Hall. There are so many charming buildings in York, such as the retro York Motor Museum and Penny Farthing Sweets.

Historic storefront selling sweets

The Flour Mill Cafe is a great coffee spot, and is open all week, including Sundays!

Before leaving town, go for a stroll around the York Bushland Garden and admire the range of flowering blooms. This gorgeous spot is run by volunteers from The Wildflower Society of WA, and showcases a wide range of wheatbelt plants and species native to the York area.

A great place for a stroll, especially during wildflower season (August – October)

Another scenic spot is the Mount Brown lookout located just outside of town. Take a hike (or drive) to the top (7.5 km return) to be rewarded with panoramic scenic views over the rolling farmland of York.

Mt Brown Lookout at Sunset

You can detour past Northam on the way back to Perth to see the colourful silo art. As a bonus, there are lots of canola fields between York and Northam to admire from the roadside.

northam public art silo
The colourful Northam Silo Art

Where to Stay in York

You can very easily visit York on a day trip from Perth, but why not make a weekend of it and spend a night or two in town. There are lots of options for farm stays and B&B-style accommodation close to York.

Some of my top hotel recommendations in York are:

  • Lavendale Country Retreat: Surrounded by picturesque gardens and farmland, this retreat has a range of chalets and fully self-contained cottages. A family-friendly option for the whole family, with an outdoor pool.
  • Avon Terrace Guesthouse: Comfortable and clean accommodation, centrally located in York on Avon Terrace.
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Where Else to See Canola Fields in Western Australia

The York canola fields are the closest to Perth. On a longer trip north of Perth to see the wildflowers at Coalseam Conservation Park, there were fields of gold all along Brand Hwy between Perth and Geraldton.

You can’t get too close to these paddocks, but it makes for a beautiful sight on the long drive towards Geraldton.

Driving to Albany or Denmark from Perth along Albany Highway is another spot where you might chance upon golden paddocks from the roadside, as well as paddocks of canola fields near Bluff Knoll.

If you enjoyed this article, check out my other travel guides for Perth and surrounds!

Perth Day Trip Ideas:

More Perth Guides and Seasonal Events:

Wildflower Guides:

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11 thoughts on “How to Visit the Canola Fields in York (Legally!)”

  1. I love seeing fields of this, it’s so pretty. I can’t believe I just realized that rapeseed and canola are the same thing. I had no idea. Looks like a fun day out, York looks so lovely

    Reply
  2. Beautiful photography! and drone shots! Looks like a beautiful area, I love how colourful the silo art is. Hopefully one day I’ll be able to visit myself. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  3. I knew very little about canola and never thought about there being fields to go visit. The fields do look beautiful. That’s nice there is one field where you can go and take photos so other farmers’ fields do not get ruined.

    Reply
  4. Hi there
    Just asking
    We wpulf like ti see canola flower farm on Saturday 25/9 is that still good time to make some Photos for us 4 prople ?
    Thank you

    Reply
    • Hey Dewi! Recommend you check out the Petteet Park Facebook page (linked in the article) for the latest and greatest conditions report! I saw a post during the week saying one field is looking more in bloom than the other.

      Reply

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