There are only a few days of school holidays left in Perth but anyone on a budget with time on their hands and children to be amused could do worse than spend a few hours at Landsdale Farm School.

Entry is only $4 per person so it’s a pretty cheap day out. There is a cafeteria on site selling sandwiches, hot chips, light meals, icy poles etc but there is lawn and plenty of tables around for having a picnic lunch from home.

Pony rides operate on school holidays for $1 per child. One of the carts blew a tyre yesterday so they introduced tractor cart rides for the same price and boys and girls alike enjoyed those.

We also got to sample billy tea and damper for $1.

Animals and birds on display include pigs, cows, goats, donkeys, chooks, turkeys, ducks, parrots and cockatoos. Other features include a big covered play area, a herb and vegie garden and a gnome trail.

You can also collect eggs and pay to take a carton home. Can’t get much fresher than that.

Photos soon to appear to the right in Flickr photo stream.

We also enjoyed a day out this week at Swan Valley Oasis where the kids enjoyed a round of mini-golf/adventure putt.

Our original intention was to visit a course to the north of the city but that one sells only drinks at its kiosk, no lunch food per se and doesn’t have any picnic areas. This is obviously to encourage people to use the popular cafe.

When you have several families and eight plus children on a day out the last thing you want to do is spend an additional $10+ per child to eat, knowing that they will probably be too tired or distracted by their mates to do so.

The kids took about 80 to 90 minutes to complete the 18 hole Adventure Putt and loved the blue-coloured waterways and fountains. We hope to head back soon to check out the Supa Golf.

The prices compared to other activities is quite reasonable – about $12.90 for adults for 9 holes of  SupaGolf or 18 of Adventure Putt and  $10.60 for children aged six to 15.  It is not on the website but it is about $6 for fives and under. I say about because I didn’t play (adults walking with kids are free – and someone needs to score!) and used the Entertainment book discount voucher. Two five year olds and an eight year old came to about $16!

There is a restaurant on site catering to locals and tourists that seemed to be doing a brisk trade. With deals like kids eat free on Mondays, a good breakfast menu and weekday lunch specials, I think I might need to check it out soon.

A kiosk sells icy poles, coffee, pies and snacks and there are picnic tables all around the playground and sandpit area.

Having driven past a zillion times I am glad we finally got around to checking the golf out.  It’s easy to forget how much there is to do in the Swan Valley and how close it is to home. Hopefully we’ll get there more often this autumn.