Rynfield Bunny Park review - Benoni (JHB)

If you are headed out to the east of Johannesburg, or the "East Rand", as it is fondly known among locals, why not stop in at the Bunny Park in Rynfield, Benoni.

The Bunny Park is a large farmyard where you can see a variety of animals, feed them by hand, and let the kids spend a good amount of time and energy on the playground equipment there.

Date last visited

May 2011

Location and Setting

The Bunny Park is situated on Pretoria Road, Rynfield, Benoni in Johannesburg.

Approaching on the N12 highway from JHB, take the Snake Road offramp (M44), turn left and continue on Pretoria Road for approximately 2.4km.

Look out for the Bunny Park on your left.

You can find a map here.

For the kids...

The name kinda gives it away - bunnies are just the cutest, fluffiest little creatures and kids love nothing less than to feed them carrots, or chase them about (not advised though - we don't want to traumatize the little guys now!).

At the park you will also see ducks, geese, chickens, sheep, goats, peacocks, pigs, donkeys and maybe a few others that I have forgotten about :)

All in all, kids love it when they get to see animals up close, and the Bunny Park delivers big time on this front.

You can buy a bag of carrots or bird seeds from the kiosk near the entrance to feed the animals by hand, or you can bring your own food to do the same. 

When the kids tire of all the animals, it is time to head over to the playground, where you will find swings, slides, an old tractor and a whole lot of other rides for the little ones to try their hand at.

For the adults...

A morning out to the Bunny Park is a great way to let the kids run around in a lovely park setting. Townhouse and complex living often mean that gardens are scarce, so this is a great alternative if you have kids who need something to do outdoors.

Now I can't speak for everybody, but personally I enjoy any opportunity to see animals, and the Bunny Park is a great way to do this.
I listed the variety of animals above, so you won't be stuck for choice here.

Onto the really important stuff - food :)
The Bunny Park is really more of a picnic venue, than somewhere that you can kick back with a cappuccino in your hand.
There is a tuck shop / kiosk near the entrance where you can buy snacks and drinks such as chips, chocolates and cold-drinks.
There is also a hot dog stand nearby, but that's about where it ends.

Not that I want to take business away from the kiosk, but it probably makes more sense to pack a decent picnic basket for the family, find a shady spot under a tree and enjoy your lunch that way.
Just watch out for the geese... they might just want a taste of your lunch as well :)

Anything else?

Entry is free - I have no idea how they keep it free, when the place is so clean and well maintained.

There are also pony rides near the entrance, a small train for the kids, and a mini fairground where they can get their adrenaline pumping :) (for a fee, per ride).
The toilets were fairly clean for a public place, but as always, bring along those wetwipes just in case!

Final words

For something cheap and fun to do on a sunny day, the Rynfield Bunny Park makes a great destination for the family.
The kids will love it, and there are plenty of great photo opportunities to be had when the bunnies start creeping up on them for carrots!

Getting in touch

The Bunny Park operates from 08:00 - 16:00, 7 days a week.
If you want to visit on a Public Holiday though, it might be a good idea to call first and confirm.

Telephone:
(+27) 11 422 3651

or contact Gideon on:
(+27) 83 391 8184

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Flora Farm, Boksburg (JHB)

Update as at November 2018:

Unfortunately, after over 40 years of operation, Flora Farm has closed down permanently.
Thanks for all the great memories guys!


If you are ever out on the JHB East Rand (passport in hand :), looking for a place to chill for a bit in pleasant surroundings, don't overlook Flora Farm.

From the outside it basically looks like a nursery. Step inside though and it becomes a nice little haven from the bustling main road just next door.

Date last visited

August 2010

Location and Setting

Flora Farm is situated at 11 North Rand Road, Bartlett, Boksburg 

(Cnr North Rand & Trichardt Road).

It is a short drive away from the East Rand Mall, and only a short distance away from the end of one of the runways at JHB International Airport - so expect the occasional low-flying aircraft overhead as they land or take off.

The place is basically a decent-sized nursery - a garden centre where you can get pretty much anything that you would expect to find in a garden :) There are also a host of shops in the centre dealing with other elements such as wedding decor, unique gifts, outdoor statues and the like.

Most importantly (that's my appetite talking now), there are 2 branches of Nino's onsite - a small cafe type branch as you enter, and a larger one situated at the back of the nursery.

For the kids...

Apart from being an outdoors venue which is always great with kids, Flora Farm offers a really nice (secure) kids play area, right next to the Nino's at the back of the nursery.

There are several jungle gyms and obstacles to climb on and get lost in, as well as a stack of giant toys and building blocks to keep the ankle-biters from biting your ankles for a little while :)

We noted that the kiddies changing facilities were situated within the ladies restrooms - I think this is more or less becoming a norm at venues for safety reasons.
Even so, what if you are a single dad taking your tot out for the day? Where do you change them if they decide to make use of their nappy...? :)

For the adults...

The main attraction for adults is definitely the huge selection of plants, shrubs, garden / nursery stock and equipment that Flora Farm offers, if you are into that kind of thing :)

There is even a wellness centre on the premises, although I know absolutely zero about wellness centres and you would need to visit their website to find out more about what they offer.

In fact, best you head on over to http://www.florafarm.co.za/ because there really is a lot going on there!

Nino's offer their standard (awesome) menu, which you can download here. There is lots of great stuff in there to choose from, and some decent options for the kiddies as well.

If you frequent Nino's, you will know that their standard of food is pretty high and that they tend to be consistent between branches. That's always a good thing :)
I am not entirely certain though, if the smaller Nino's at the front of Flora Farm offers the full menu - that's a to-find-out on our next visit there.

Anything else?

In the name of "going green", you can also drop off all your tin, paper and glass waste at Flora Farm.
Their recycling centre is located on the left as you enter the main gates.

Free admission.

Final words

If you want to just kick back a bit on a Sunday afternoon while the kids use up all their energy reserves, while stocking up on your garden needs at the same time, then you could do a lot worse than Flora Farm - pleasant surroundings, great food and lots of stuff for the little ones to do.

Many happy returns guaranteed.

Getting in touch

Telephone:
011 894 2377

Email:
info@florafarm.co.za

Fax:
011 918 5852

Website:
http://www.florafarm.co.za/

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