The weather is warming up, which means that soon, you can go cherry picking in some wonderfully picturesque orchards near Melbourne. Escape to the countryside, wander through the rows of trees, and pick your own plump cherries to take home. Bring the whole family along and have fun in the sunshine, or bring a date and spend some time together under the trees.
Generally speaking, cherry picking season runs from mid-November to January, but as this is a weather-dependent event, it’s best to keep an eye on social media for updates about the season. This is an outdoor activity, so remember to wear a hat, bring sunscreen and wear comfortable shoes. Check out this list to begin your cherry picking adventure. Meanwhile, if you can’t get enough of cherries, check out the Victorian Cherry Trail.
1. CherryHill Orchards
Head to CherryHill Orchards for their delightful Cherry Picking Festival. Wander through their rows of trees in either Wandin East or Coldstream, eat as many cherries as you like straight from the tree, and pack some cherries to take home. During the festival, there will also be food trucks, cherry ice cream, cherry drinks and special events. The festival in Coldstream will start on November 13 and run until late December, while the event in Wandin East will start on November 27 and end in early January.
📍474 Queens Rd, Wandin East VIC 3139 or 739 Maroondah Hwy, Coldstream VIC 3770
2. Blue Hills Berries & Cherries
Pluck ripe cherries straight from the tree at Blue Hills Berries & Cherries. There’s two U-Pick locations for you to choose from, and entry includes “all you can eat” cherries in the orchard. The cherries that you take home will be weighed and paid for when you leave. You’re welcome to BYO picnic, and there will be an onsite coffee or food truck on the weekends. Takeaway food, cold drinks and ice cream will also be available at their Farm Gate store. You can also purchase freshly picked cherries straight from the Farm Gate shop. The cherry picking season will run from mid November to early January, depending on fruit availability. They will be open daily, from 9am to 4:30pm. Learn more here.
📍27 Parker Rd, Silvan VIC 3795
3. Big Fella Cherries
Pick your own cherries or buy them farm fresh from Big Fella Cherries in the Yarra Valley. They’re open from Thursdays to Sundays, from late November to early January. It all depends on the season of course, and you can stay up-to-date with them here.
📍38 Boundary Rd, Coldstream VIC 3770
4. Cherry Haven
Cherry Haven has over 30 different types of cherries in their Yarra Valley orchard. Most of them are sweet, but there are some white and sour varieties too. This family-owned cherry farm is expected to open in mid-November. Check out their website here, or follow them on Facebook for updates.
📍470 Queens Rd, Wandin East VIC 3139
5. Naturipe Fruits
Naturipe Fruits has over 15 cherry types for you to discover, including white cherries, red sweet cherries and sour cherries. This six hectare farm also has other fruits for you to pick, such as strawberries and nectarines. While you can take the cherries home, you’re not encouraged to eat the fruit while you’re there. The season will generally run from mid-November to January. Learn more here.
📍638 Bacchus Marsh Rd, Bacchus Marsh VIC 3340
6. Payne’s Orchards
Payne’s Orchards in Bacchus Marsh has different kinds of fruit available for picking throughout the year, including apricots, peaches, apples, and yes, cherries. Cherry picking is expected to start in November. Picking sessions run for about 40 minutes, and no eating is permitted inside the orchard. Find more details here.
📍372 Bacchus Marsh Rd, Bacchus Marsh VIC 3340
7. Ripe ‘N’ Ready Cherry Farm
Wander down the Mornington Peninsula, and pick your own cherries at the sustainable Ripe ‘N’ Ready Cherry Farm. Growing seasonal produce since 1968, you’re invited to go cherry picking through the orchards, or purchase fresh produce from their farm gate, which is open daily from 9am to 5pm. The cherry season is expected to start in mid-November, and will last until mid-January. See more here.
📍52 Arkwells Ln, Red Hill VIC 3937