When visitors arrive at Dairy Adventures in Mannum, they expect to meet cows, bottle-feed calves, and brush Elvis, the farm’s resident pet steer. What they don’t expect is to walk away with a newfound respect for the science and systems that keep milk safe for every South Australian household.
That’s exactly what co-owner Narelle Zanker aims for. A teacher-turned-farmer, she’s built Dairy Adventures into one of the state’s most engaging agri-tourism experiences with her husband Joel, showing people what food safety looks like in practice, from cooling milk to washing vats.
From classroom to cow shed
Narelle’s journey back to the farm wasn’t scripted. After four years teaching secondary school combined with a few years teaching agriculture and studying leadership, she realised her passions for education and farming didn’t need to live separately.
“I loved teaching, and I loved the farm. One day, I thought, why not do both?” In 2024, Narelle and Joel launched Dairy Adventures on her family’s 4,000-acre mixed property, where her parents have milked cows for more than five decades.
The business began modestly, with a few social media posts and some trial runs with family groups, but quickly drew attention from families, schools and community organisations.
Within a year, more than 1,200 people had visited, from preschoolers to retirees, and even aged-care and disability groups. The couple now run up to four tours a week, with school holidays often very busy. And Narelle’s parents have supported Dairy Adventures every step of the way.
Feeding Frenzy
Their most popular tour, Feeding Frenzy, lets visitors step into the daily rhythm of the dairy. Guests fill buckets of grain, bottle-feed calves, and watch a full milking session. They learn about how milk flows from udder to vat and learn the safety checkpoints that protect every litre.
“People think dairy farming is just milking cows. But there’s a lot more to it: hygiene systems, temperature control, milk testing, and cleaning programs. Once they see the layers, they really appreciate what goes into every bottle,” Narelle said.
Each tour ends with something tangible: a Polaroid magnet photo to take home, and something less tangible: awareness. “You can see it click for people,” Narelle said. “They realise this isn’t just a farm, it’s a food-production facility.”
Teaching food safety
Food safety is woven into every part of the experience. During tours, Narelle walks visitors through the dairy’s ice bank cooling system, explaining how milk is chilled almost instantly after milking to preserve freshness and prevent bacterial growth.
Ice is built overnight in a tank, and the next day, that ice melts and circulates near-freezing water through a heat exchanger. That rapidly cools the milk to the right temperature, one of the most important steps for food safety.
Narelle also explains the three-stage wash program used to clean the milking machines and the bulk milk vat. Visitors hear how detergents, sanitiser and hot water are sequenced to remove residue and bacteria, and how regular deep cleans keep the system spotless.
“It’s not glamorous, but cleaning is crucial,” Narelle said. “People are fascinated when they realise how much science goes into hygiene.”
For Narelle, inviting the public into the dairy hasn’t complicated operations, it’s improved them. “We’ve always been clean, but when you know people are watching and learning, it takes your standards to the next level.”
Technology and traceability
Behind the scenes, the Zankers’ dairy blends tradition with technology. The herd wears Allflex monitoring collars that track cow health, rumination and reproductive cycles, allowing early intervention if an animal is unwell. This contributes to lower cell counts, Narelle’s benchmark for milk quality.
“My goal is to keep our cell count consistently under 100. We’re close, usually between 90 and 130, and that shows how healthy our cows and systems are.”
Each step of the process, from cow nutrition to cooling and cleaning, reinforces Dairysafe’s core message: safe milk starts with healthy cows and good hygiene.
Narelle also connects traceability back to the consumer. On every tour, she shows visitors the branded Bega products that use their milk, a simple but powerful way to show the connection between local farms and national brands.
Education at heart
Dairy Adventures reflects Narelle’s teaching instincts. Her lessons are practical, fun and accessible for all ages. Young children are captivated by feeding calves and brushing Elvis, while older students explore more technical topics like pasteurisation, milk composition and the importance of cooling curves.
She tailors each session depending on who’s visiting. “If it’s a school group, I’ll talk more about the biology of milk or food handling. If it’s families, I’ll focus on animal care and what makes milk safe to drink,” Narelle said.
This flexibility has made the tours a hit with schools across the Murraylands and beyond. Narelle is now developing curriculum-linked programs to make farm visits part of classroom learning, along with a possible children’s book to reinforce those lessons back at school.
Awards and recognition
The industry has taken notice. In 2025, Narelle was named Young Dairy Farmer of the Year at the South Australian Dairy Awards, recognition she credits to her commitment to public education.
“I think what stood out was that we’re doing something different by using a working dairy to teach people about farming and food safety,” she said.
Dairy Adventures also earned a silver medal in the New Tourism Business category at the South Australian Tourism Awards, competing against major attractions including Monarto Safari Resort.
“That was huge for us,” Narelle says. “To see dairy farming recognised alongside multi-million dollar tourism operations was incredible.”
Narelle and Joel are now exploring new tour options, including a tractor-and-trailer ‘Sunny Safari’ ride, where visitors can safely meet cows in the paddock. They’re also developing a lawned activity area to encourage families to stay longer and connect with the farming lifestyle.
Narelle’s long-term goal is to deepen the public’s connection with dairy. That understanding, she says, is critical for the future of Australian dairy. “If people see what happens behind the scenes, they’re more likely to value what we do and support local producers.”
Find out more about Dairy Adventures at https://www.dairyadventures.com.au/ or search for Dairy Adventures on Facebook and Instagram.
