Where to experience the best fruit picking near Melbourne
Who doesn’t love a sweet, juicy, and tasty peach on a hot summer day, and the daily PB&J? I’m sure we all love the occasional sweet treat that fruits can be, amidst all the junk we consume.
What if I told you that the city is home to some of the prime spots you can find where you can pick out fruits for yourself?
Some fruit picking farms near Melbourne are so generous that you can eat all you can while you also pick out fruits to go. Plus, you’re even taken for a ride to know more about what you’re eating and where it’s coming from!
Seasonal fruit picking guide
Summer (December – February)
Summer has got to be the most fruitful season wherever you may be, and Melbourne’s no different. It starts just before Christmas and ends in February.
Harvests during this season are significantly more abundant than any other season throughout the year since most fruit farmers plant their crops mostly during summer or spring. Fruits that are in season during summer include:
- apricots
- bananas
- berries
- cherries
- figs
- grapefruit
- grapes
- melons
- oranges
- peaches
- pears
- plums
Autumn (March – May)
Just like summer, autumn has an abundant list of fruits in season. While it isn’t as extensive as summer’s, it’s comparatively numerous compared to the harvests of winter and spring.
This is the season where some of summer’s produce is still available. Some of the fruits you’ll find unique during this season include apples and mandarins.
Winter (June – August)
Between June and August, fruits available in Melbourne are those that ripen in colder temperatures. Some of the fruits that are accessible during autumn are carried out into the winter.
Fruits obtainable during this season include:
- apples
- bananas
- grapefruit
- kiwifruits
- lemons
- limes
- mandarins
- oranges
- pears
Spring (September – November)
Spring brings about the shortest list of fruits in Melbourne. Fruits available during spring include:
- bananas
- berries
- grapefruit
- lemons
- limes
- mandarins
- strawberries
Top fruit picking farms near Melbourne
Now that you know what fruits are available during a certain season, you should also be acquainted with some of Melbourne’s fruit picking farms where you can get the freshest fruits you’ll ever need.
Rayner’s Orchard
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Website: http://www.raynersorchard.com.au/
Address: 60 Schoolhouse Rd, Woori Yallock VIC
Contact details: +61 3 5964 7654
Operating hours: Monday to Sunday – 9 AM to 4 PM
Rayner’s Orchard is one of the few fruit picking farms near Melbourne that is available all year round. They provide people with a guided farm experience that allows them to relax and be at peace with nature.
Their tour grants people a chance to hop on a tractor, take a trip through the lush orchards, and pick tons of fruits from over 450 fruit varieties that they offer across all seasons.
They also offer activities for families to enjoy during the tour, which let them learn a thing or two about the fruits in season.
For those who love treats, Rayner’s Orchard has got them. They let their customers take and eat whatever fruit they want throughout the entire tour.
Moreover, get acquainted with some of their farm animals as you get to feed them and watch them do tricks to entertain you and your family.
Pro tip:
Check out their Peach Cafe, where you can enjoy some of the freshest meals made from farm-sourced ingredients. If you’re also aspiring to grow fruit trees yourself, you can check out their nursery for the fruit trees they offer for sale.
CherryHill Orchards
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Website: https://cherryhill.com.au/
Address: 474 Queens Rd, Wandin East VIC
Contact details: +61 1300 243 779
Operating hours: mid November to early January
CherryHill Orchards has been around for more than 80 years, and it shows how extensive their locations have been over the years. From Yarra Valley, they are now operating across the southern regions of Australia.
While they only offer cherries, and are only available from mid-November to early January, their orchards make for an ideal ground that results in those juicy and sweet cherries that they’re known for.
The cool climate in the area fosters the abundance of cherries that are of high quality.
Their cherry-picking tour allows guests to spend time with their family, arrange picnics, enjoy the scenic views of the Yarra Valley, and pick out their cherries right from the trees.
They grow over 40 varieties of cherries, so there’s something for everyone’s taste.
Guests are assured that CherryHill is taking all the necessary steps to reduce environmental impact by taking sustainable initiatives. This includes imposing the single-use of plastics, switching to solar energy, investing in water-saving systems, and improving their packaging.
Pro tip:
While the orchard doesn’t usually allow dogs, they do allow their entry during the Blossom Festival around the second week of September, until the first week of October. Dog owners should pay a small admission fee that goes directly to Animal Aid in Coldstream.
Blue Hills Berries & Cherries
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Website: http://www.upickberries.com.au/
Address: 27 Parker Rd, Silvan VIC
Contact details: +61 3 9737 9400
Operating hours:
- Cherry picking – 9 AM – 4 PM mid/late November to early January
- Berry picking – mid-October
Blue Hills Berries & Cherries have been sourcing Melbourne with quality fruits since 1894. They are known for their provision of ‘Pick Your Own’ or ‘U-Pick’ cherries.
U-Pick cherries let guests pick cherries off of Blue Hills’ trees and gives them an “all-you-can-eat” cherries experience for a two-hour duration.
With the range of the farm’s reach, guests are bound to relish the sweet cherries through their own effort. Throughout November until January, guests can take advantage of the ‘Silly Season,’ or the ‘busy berry & cherry season’ at Blue Hills.
Their gift shop is also one of their nice touches, offering handmade treats from local artisan producers and jams that are made right at the farm.
Pro tip:
Check out their website for their “Fruit Report,” which lets you get updated on when berry picking will be available and when you can purchase tickets for it.
Naturipe Fruits
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Website: https://www.naturipe.com.au/
Address: 638 Bacchus Marsh Rd, Bacchus Marsh VIC
Contact details: +61 419 340 363
Operating hours:
Bacchus Marsh main farm – April 26-27 – 9 AM to 5 PM
Bacchus Marsh strawberry farm – Monday to Sunday – 9 AM to 5 PM
Naturipe Fruits has been a family business for over 20 years and has been a fruit picking farm providing Melbourne with various fruits like strawberries, apples, etc.
They’re known for their high quality produce that’s critically grown free from chemicals. They’re committed to sustainability by turning over ripe fruits into jams and sauces for their impressive line of gourmet products.
This guarantees that not a fruit from their farm is stored beyond its time.
Also, note that their farm is free for entry and prices paid are for the value of the fruits picked throughout the fruit picking experience.
Pro tip:
While their farm is available all year round, do check them out between November and December, as this is their peak season. You’re guaranteed to see tons of fruit varieties during those months.
Sunny Creek Organic
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Website: http://www.sunnycreekorganic.com/
Address: 69 Tudor Rd, Trafalgar South VIC
Contact details: +61 3 5634 7526
Operating hours: Sunday – 8 AM to 6 PM
Sunny Creek Organic has been an environmentally sustainable farm with a wide range of fruit and berry offerings for over 35 years.
It hosts over a hundred varieties of berries, an abundant collection of apples and other fruit and nut trees. The space that its owners, Phil Rowe and Cathie Taylor, have cultivated is meticulously utilized to make sure every part of the farm bears fruit.
Summers are when guests should flock to the farm to take advantage of its “pick-your-own” fruits and berries offering. With just $19.00 per kilo, people can take home a kilo of some of their freshest fruits.
Pro tip:
Check out their website to know what fruits are in season on their farm to get the most out of your fruit picking experience.