The best places for fruit picking near Melbourne

Come to the Yarra Valley’s CherryHill Orchards from November through to early January to pick yourself a basket of ruby red cherries fresh off the trees. There are more than 40 varieties grown at the orchard, and the on-site shop stocks absolutely everything cherry related – including juice, sodas and even beers. In spring, the orcahrd also runs the annual Cherry Blossom Festival, a great day out for the whole family. To pick cherries, you must book ahead online. 

Opening times: Daily 9am-5.30pm, November to January (exact dates vary depending on Mother Nature).

Located just five minutes from the historic township of Trentham, Hampton Ridge Farm is an adorable family-run property that grows fresh, delicious raspberries free of fungicide and pesticide sprays. Once you've wandered the rows of bushes and handpicked your bounty, you're more than welcome to find a spot for a picnic. Entry includes a few taste testers from the crop, and your berries are weighed and paid for upon exit. BYO takeaway container and dogs are also welcome.

Opening times: 10am-2pm (exact 2024/25 dates to be confirmed via Instagram).

This family-run orchard in the Yarra Valley grows more than 450 varieties of fruit including stone fruits, citruses and exotic gems like feijoa and guava. Visitors can pick fruit year-round, though there are fewer options available between mid-September and mid-October. Go on a one-hour tractor tour ($38.50 for adults, $32.50 for kids) to sample up to eight different fruits and learn all about the orchard.

Opening times: Daily 9am-4pm (March to November) or 9am-5pm (December to February).

This organic berry farm in the Strzelecki Ranges lets you pick everything from strawberries, loganberries and blackberries to boysenberries, gooseberries and currants. It also grows around 40 types of raspberries, plus apples, feijoas, chestnuts and persimmons. Entry is $10 for adults and $7 for kids (aged 2 to twelve year), and you can pick-your-own berries for $19 a kilo. The farm shop also sells a variety of jams and jellies (all organic, of course). 

Opening times: Daily 9am-5pm (December to January). Outside of that time, call ahead to check produce availability and make an appointment to visit. 

Naturipe Fruits has three farms located across Bacchus Marsh and Ballarat, offering the chance to pick peaches, nectarines, cherries, strawberries or apples, depending on the season. Entry is free (unless you're picking strawberries or cherries), and you weigh what you pick and pay for it at the end (prices for different fruits vary). You can also stock up on goodies like jams, sauces and vinegar from the farm shop.

Opening times: Daily 9am-5pm (October to May, depending on what fruits are available).

Beechworth Berries is a regular at markets across regional Victoria, but you can also pick strawberries fresh from the farm. The berries (the farm also grows raspberries, blackberries and blueberries) are grown waist-high for easy picking, and it costs $15 per kilo. Best of all, dogs are welcome – so you can bring your furry friend along for the fun. Be sure to swing past the farm gate shop to pick up some homemade jams.

Opening times: Daily 8am-4pm (late September to late May).

Located in Wandin East, this farm offers more than 30 different varieties of cherries for to choose from. Most of them are sweet, while some are white and sour cherries. Entry costs $18 for adults and $9 for children, and your cherry haul is weighed upon exit at $14 per kilogram.

Opening times: Daily 9am-5pm (November to January).

This farm in the Yarra Valley offers pick-your-own blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and assorted vegetables (including potatoes, cucumber, capsicu, beans and pumpkin). Entry is $10 for adults and $5 for children, and once you've finished filling your containers, you'll be charged per kilogram – prices vary and can be found here. 

Opening times: Sunday to Friday, 8.30am-4pm (October to April).