A Venue Full of Heart

“Is it too early for a lavender gin and tonic?” I ask with a sheepish grin.

“It’s never too early,” replies the friendly staff member behind the bar.

I discovered this cosy spot while on maternity leave. Desperate to get out of the house, I’d look at the map and see what was around for us to explore. I packed my newborn into the car and made the 15-minute drive to Lavender Estate. Of course, he cried the whole way there, and I arrived feeling stressed and flustered as a new mum.

As I stepped out of the car and took in the view, beautiful green fields with vibrant, sweeping rows of lavender, I was instantly at ease.

How could you not feel a deep sense of calm in a place filled with lavender?

I was so happy to discover this venue, only for it to close almost immediately. But early last year, it reopened again with new owners, and it’s better than ever.

This is fast becoming one of my favourite venues in Perth. It really does have everything.

Alcohol is served all day for the mums who just want one gin and tonic on their birthday, but can’t manage to get out of the house at appropriate drinking times.

The gift shop is a fantastic touch; whenever we have relatives visiting, they always pick themselves up a treat. My mum loves the lavender tea leaves she bought on her last trip.

There’s a playground situated right near the outdoor seating area. My son particularly loves the ‘bumpy slide.’ As an adult, I don’t recommend going down this one, but the kids think it’s hilarious.

I always keep a towel in our car now; it comes in handy to wipe the condensation beading on the play equipment on a cold winter’s morning.

I personally come for the warm lavender scones served with cream and their own cute little jar of jam. They’re so big that they’re a delicious meal in themselves.

He comes, of course, for the purple tractor.

For a long time, we weren’t sure if our son knew how to say “yes.” He would often say “no,” but never seemed to agree to anything.

Then one morning at breakfast, I asked, “Do you want to go to the purple tractor today?”

He looked at me, nodded, and gave me the loudest, clearest “yes” I’d ever heard from him.

I was so excited, I ran to tell my husband.

If you order food while you’re there, it’s served in picnic-style takeaway containers, so you can bring your picnic mat and eat in the sun, or munch on the go while chasing a tiny tractor-bound toddler. I have noticed that if you order any lavender-themed drink (and trust me, I’ve had a few here), they always come in glassware with a cute lavender garnish.

I’ve been here for all kinds of occasions, sampling gin and tonics on my birthday, sipping lavender tea while recovering from illness, and slurping lavender iced lattes with my scones for morning tea on a weekday.

On our last trip to Lavender Estate, I smiled to myself as I listened to my son chatting away happily in the back seat about the purple tractor. Although we only travelled 15 minutes down the road, we’d come such a long way since our first trip, when he cried the whole drive there.

Being in the north, this venue might be a trek for some families, but this tired mum feels truly blessed to live so close to a spot that holds so many great memories for us.

💜