After delighting Melburnians with their dreamy Cherry Blossom Festival, CherryHill Orchards are throwing open their doors again for a fun Cherry Picking Festival. Wander through their rows of trees in either Wandin East or Coldstream, and pick some plump cherries to take home. During the festival, there will also be food trucks, box sales, drinks and cherry ice cream to try. The Cherry Picking Festival will start on Monday November 14, and last until early January.
Cherry Picking Festival at CherryHill Orchards
Your journey begins by choosing your cherry picking spot. Both orchards are about an hour away from Melbourne CBD, and offer slightly different experiences.
The original orchard in Wandin East stretches over 85 acres. It features an on-site café, gorgeous views and a large area for picnics. If you’d like to level up your picnic experience, opt for the fully-catered Luxe Lounge experience.
Enjoy a customisable picnic from The Posh Palais, and tuck into a pre-packed gourmet picnic hamper in your own private row of cherry trees. This experience is perfect for four or more people, and will give you three hours of private lounging time. All the set up and cleaning is done for you, so you just get to relax, soak in the sun and enjoy your hamper. This picnic experience costs $130 per adult.
Meanwhile, the Coldstream orchard offers 100 acres for you to go cherry picking. Spend the day frolicking around the cherry trees, then, pop next door into Rochford Wines for a lunch and wine testing.
Enjoy an afternoon of wine tasting, followed by a two-course lunch, paired with a glass of estate wine. Tickets for this experience includes a Grab & Go box, which you can fill in with up to 500g of cherries. This experience costs $90 per adult.
If you’d like to elevate your experience even further, start your day with a hot air balloon ride at sunrise. Take in picturesque views of the Yarra Valley, and enjoy a champagne breakfast at Balgownie Estate. After that, drive for 15 minutes to the Coldstream orchard and join in on the cherry picking festivities. This package costs $880 per couple.
Both locations include local food trucks to enjoy. On weekends and public holidays, musicians will fill the air with live music.
More info:
The festival will start in Coldstream on November 14, and in Wandin East on November 26. Tickets for adults cost $19.50 on weekdays, and $22.50 on weekends and public holidays.
Find the Coldstream orchard at: 739 Maroondah Hwy, Coldstream VIC 3770.
Find the Wandin East orchard at: 474 Queens Rd, Wandin East VIC 3139.
Click here for more information.