While strawberry picking isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when considering a trip with the family, most first-timers love it, and you should try it out. Visiting one of the many nearby strawberry fields is a great way to spend a day with the kids.
If you don’t feel like working, you can always pick some fresh fruits and vegetables at the farm fields. Alternatively, you can let the kids run wild in the strawberry fields while you sit back and enjoy the sly grins on their cheeks.
Strawberry picking is a fun and healthful family activity that gets everyone outside and away from electronics and television. If you are in the region or just looking for a fun day trip, you can explore the local strawberry fields in Vic with your kids.
This post has compiled a list of some of the area’s best sites for strawberry picking. Let’s get started!
When Is Strawberry Season in Melbourne
Weather conditions and the varieties of plants planted have a significant impact on when strawberries are in season in Melbourne.
But late November through early April is peak strawberry picking time. Call the venue beforehand if you don’t want to be let down. Some businesses, however, will remain open past these times; visit them either very early or late in the day to avoid the heat.
Picking strawberries in Victoria, Australia, is a fantastic outing for a social gathering. But if you plan, the day should go off without an issue. It will be hot whenever you decide to go, so prepare for the heat by wearing protective clothing and using sun protection.
Bring some mozzie spray to ward off the pesky insects, and if you have pollen allergies, consider taking a pill before you go. Many strawberry fields also grow other food that could create problems for you.
You should wear old clothing and footwear that can be easily thrown away after the day is finished in case you get strawberry juice on them.
Younger individuals in your company will easily reach the strawberry patches. Therefore, spend some time at the outset of your journey, helping them learn to recognise ripe strawberries. Pick a spot and give the kids free rein, but keep an eye on them and let them know where you are in case you get lost.
Best Places for Strawberry Picking in Melbourne
In Melbourne, there are several great places to go strawberry picking. The Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula, and Hamilton are some places around Melbourne that are ideal for strawberry picking.
The picturesque suburbs and rural landscapes in these places make for a wonderful weekend getaway from the bustle of the city. Here are some suggestions for starting your strawberry-picking adventure; read them over and pick one that appeals to you.
There’s nothing like a day spent on one of Vic’s fruit harvesting farms with the family, enjoying the natural sweetness of the harvest together.
Taking your kids fruit picking is a wonderful way to introduce them to nature while imparting useful science and farming lessons.
You won’t believe the many great options for a fruit-picking adventure in Melbourne! This final fruit-picking list compiles every great farm you could find in Vic so you can pick the ideal fruit at the right moment in time.
The most incredible places to go fruit picking in Melbourne are listed below.
1. Beechworth Berries
Beechworth Berries, a tiny local producer dedicated to providing its devoted customers with tasty fruits at the lowest price possible, offers a PYO experience where you can pick local strawberries and other flavorful fruit.
They have a farm near Melbourne where you can pick your strawberries or buy them already picked, and they also sell their tasty wares at a few local markets.
2. Naturipe Fruits
The Naturipe Fruits field is a family business growing fruits for over 20 years.
Their fruit-picking field is located in the scenic, tranquil, and historically significant Bacchus Marsh, where you may choose delicious fruits, including apples, strawberries, and more. Families around Melbourne can enjoy their day fruit-picking at Naturipe Fruits, and the farm also produces excellent nourishment from the variety of fruit they grow. They cultivate every type of delicious fruit imaginable, from sugary cherries to crisp apples.
They also provide high-quality, locally grown fruit gathered and sold daily.
3. Sunny Creek Organic
Pick organic berries from this Strzelecki Ranges field. The farm also produces apples, chestnuts, feijoas, and persimmons, in addition to 40 varieties of raspberries, blackberries, loganberries, boysenberries, currants, gooseberries, and more.
Over the Victorian summertime breaks, it is open every day, but at other times of the year, you will need to call ahead to make sure you may stop by for picking. The pick-your-own berries are $18 per kilo, with admission costing $10 for grownups and $8 for children. The farm store also features an assortment of jellies and jams, all 100% organic.
Travel to Gippsland, where the Strzelecki extends, provides a picturesque backdrop for Sunny Creek Berry Farm’s ten acres of spreading orchards. The farm is a great place to go fruit picking with kids because it uses ecologically friendly methods to produce over a hundred different berries and classic varieties of chestnuts, apples, and other diverse fruit.
4. Rayner’s Orchard
Rayner’s Orchard, a family-run orchard business in the Yarra Valley, has apple picking, among other fruits like nectarines, peaches, plums, and more. They also offer an exclusive Tractor Fruit sampling Tour year-round, where visitors can sample at least eight kinds of the season’s freshest fruit.
Rayner’s Orchard also has a farm store and café where they sell local produce and a wide variety of fruit items created from fruit harvested from their orchard. The café serves great Devonshire tea, lunches, snacks, and drinks. The store sells various fruit-related products, such as jams, bottled fruit, chutneys, dried fruit, fruit leathers, desserts, pure fruit juices, and fresh fruit.
Rayner’s Orchard offers fruit picking during the better part of the year, but before making the trip, it’s a good idea to check their official site for updates.
5. CherryHill Orchards
CherryHill Orchards is entirely Australian-owned and -produced and has been cultivating fresh Australian cherries throughout the summer for over 80 years. They also have Australia’s longest cherry season of production.
As a result of these extended growing seasons, cherry enthusiasts across the country can indulge in some of the finest, best-tasting cherries from November through February.
6. Blue Hills Berries and Cherries, Silvan
This farm is located near Silvan and has been owned and run by the same family since 1894. The spot is well-known for its high-quality fresh and frozen produce and “PYO” or “U-Pick” berry and cherry options.
Blue Hills Berries and Cherries is the only place around the Yarra Valley where you can count on getting the highest quality fruit possible. The location has extensive farming heritage passed down via the Chapman family.
You can pick delicious juicy strawberries and cherries at Blue Hills Berries and then purchase them. Alternatively, you can visit the gift shop and explore the wares of local artists, including some of the farm’s jams, after you’ve filled the harvest.
7. Chappies U-Pick
For over 120 years, Chappies has been cultivating various fruits and vegetables, which guests are welcome to pick themselves or buy at the farm’s general store. You can rest assured that this farm is the best option for your family if you want to purchase or pick delicious raspberries, cherries, or blackberries.
Located in Silvan in Yarra Valley, the farm is just an hour’s drive from Melbourne’s central business district, making it an excellent destination for a day trip with the kids.
8. Cherry Haven
Cherry Haven, a family-run U-pick orchard in Vic’s beautiful Yarra Valley, is the perfect spot to harvest sweet, juicy cherries.
The orchard is conveniently located an hour or less drive from Melbourne’s CBD, and it boasts the ideal climate and soil for growing premium cherries.
Cherry Haven has more than 30 cherry varieties, all of which you are welcome to sample and select for yourself.
Since cherry-picking is only possible during summertime, it’s important to remember to include it on your family’s list of things to do this season.
9. Fielderberry Farm
Fielderberry Farm is the place to go if you’re in Melbourne and want to go berry picking. Guests can visit the Farm in Cockatoo to harvest their blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries from November through May each year. The farm spans over five acres.
10. Folly Farm Blueberries
Folly PYO blueberries, located in Olinda, are some of the best in the world because of the area’s rich soils, lengthy winters, and mild summers. The Farm’s picturesque scenery also creates a serene and creative berry-picking setting.
You can pick your blueberries at this farm in January and February. Blueberries, both fresh and frozen, are also available for sale.
Folly Farm Blueberries requests that you schedule your blueberry-picking session in advance.
11. Jay Berries
Strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, and blueberry picking are available at this picturesque Yarra Valley farm, providing educational tours of its fields.
In addition, Jay Berries sells organic veggies produced on-site, fruit that has already been collected, and several goods made from their fruit.
12. Kinglake Raspberries
You may choose your own or buy freshly harvested Raspberries from Kinglake Raspberries. This raspberry farm spans about 25 hectares and is located just northeast of Melbourne on the tranquil slopes of the Great Dividing Range.
Kinglake Raspberries is open throughout the harvesting period. If you pick berries, they will provide a basket that can carry about a kilogram of berries and instruct you on how to harvest berries appropriately if this is your first time.
13. Sanders Apples
Families from Melbourne and the surrounding area can visit Sanders Apples for a memorable pick-your-own fruit experience. This family-run apple orchard offers Royal Gala, Granny Smith, Pink Lady, and Kanzi apples off the trees. In addition, visitors can ride tractors and eat while taking in the beautiful surroundings.
14. Yarra Valley Gateway
You can get fresh, luscious strawberries without digging out your gumboots and faded overalls at this estate. Strawberries from Yarra Valley are among the freshest and finest in the area since they are grown indoors in a regulated, healthy atmosphere.
The estate features an in-door strawberry-picking area and a cafe where visitors can relax with a cup of coffee and a plate of absolutely delicious home-cooked food. The restaurant at Yarra Valley property serves delicious pastries and aromatic teas.
15. Sherwood Park Orchard
Spend the day at Sherwood Park Orchard harvesting Pink Lady and Granny Smith apples. Alternatively, you can lay back in the bakery cafe with coffee and something sweet from their freshly baked pastries.
The orchard sells a wide variety of wonderful, in-season produce, including fruit, vegetables, sauces, eggs, jams, and juices. Sherwood Park Orchard offers a pick-your-own apple service from April through June for about $3 per kilogram of apples.
16. Ripe N Ready
Those interested in picking their cherries at Ripe N Cherry Farm can do so between November through January. Furthermore, they have a big fishery for trout dam stocked with rainbow trout and sell freshly harvested cherries, raspberries, blackberries, marionberries, and blueberries right at the farm gate.
17. Rocky Creek Farm
If you’re looking for the full Melbourne strawberry harvesting experience, look no further than Rocky Creek Farm. It’s Australia’s largest strawberry producer and your best destination for exploring and picking the world-famous Rocky Creek berries. And for those who don’t prefer strawberries, the farm also offers raspberries and cherries.
Visit the farm’s cafe to indulge in delectable sweets, chocolate-covered berries, speciality fruit wines and liquors, and fresh, locally-grown gourmet fare.
Rocky Creek Strawberry Farm visitors can pick strawberries between November and April. Heavenly sweets, chocolate-covered berries, fruity wines and liqueurs, and fresh, genuine gourmet products are all on the menu.
18. The Bramble
The Bramble Farm will have a fruit-picking event around the beginning of November or early December.
Nearly ten thousand brambleberry vines and twenty-eight thousand raspberry canes produce some of the best berries in the region. The property is about an hour’s drive southeast of the central business district.
The harvest season at Bramble Farm spans many months, often between November and April. You can spend an hour or two selecting raspberries and brambleberries this season.
19. Lomas Orchards
The Lomas Orchards is a fantastic place to go for strawberry picking in the company of your loved ones. They also sell excellent seasonal vegetables and unique handmade goods.
While they grow various other fruits and vegetables, including pears, heritage apples, and apricots, the only ones that can be picked are strawberries.
Lomas Orchards is pleased to announce the opening of a farm shop on the premises, perfect for picking up some tasty souvenirs before you leave.
20. Pennyroyal Raspberry
You may get your hands dirty picking fresh raspberries at Pennyroyal Raspberry Orchard. The farm sells raspberries, youngberries, boysenberries, brambleberries, marionberries, jostaberries, red currants, strawberries, and black currants.
After picking raspberries, visitors may refuel in the farm’s Ciderhouse Cafe with some light fare, snacks, and refreshing drinks.
Try some of their freshly baked scones and jam while you’re there, and take some time to unwind with an afternoon tea. Berry gins, soda, and local berry ice creams have been staples at this location for years.
Last but not least, a cosy cottage with all the comforts of home is available for families to rent all year long on the farm.
21. Surf Coast Fields
Explore the incredible 90-acre of Strawberry Fields with your children in search of the largest, ripest berries!
Kids can explore the farm’s broad fields and go berry picking, but they can also watch tractors, learn about farm life, and better grasp where they eat comes from.
22. Tuckerberry Hill
You’re welcome to enjoy the fresh air and beautiful scenery at Tuckerberry Hill, where you can pick your blueberries and strawberries.
Visitors and locals are welcome to bring their kids to the farm to experience this great activity and the farm’s great cafe and berry shop.
Freshly picked blueberries, handcrafted blueberry muffins, and blueberry ice cream are just some of the blueberry items on the farm’s list.
23. Paynes Orchards
You may pick a perfectly ripe and luscious fruit at Paynes Farm, just a 40-minute drive outside Melbourne. It is one of Australia’s few remaining small family-owned and managed orchards.
The farm will equip you with buckets and help locate the fruits you enjoy harvesting. Throughout the year, berries, nectarines, cherries, plums, apples, apricots, and peaches are among the fruits that can be picked.
The fruit at Paynes Orchards is typically available on the following schedule:
- Apricots – January or February
- Berries – December, January, or February
- Nectarines and Peaches – January or February
- Apples – March, April, or May
- Cherries – November or December
- Sour Cherries – Late December
24. The Strawberry Forest
The Strawberry Forest in Bacchus Marsh has vertical growing plants accessible by people of all heights, making it ideal for families with young children. It is also considered the best for those with mobility issues and others who simply enjoy collecting fruit while standing on their heads.
The berries in this forest are grown without pesticides, and the strawberry plants are spaced far enough apart to accommodate strollers and wheelchairs.
Watch for their Secrets’ Treasures as you collect your juicy fruits. If you uncover all four hidden treasures, you get a discount coupon for 5% off at “The Fruits of Life.” You can stock up on healthy, locally grown produce and energising drinks.
25. Jay Berries
Explore the Yarra Valley, a fruitful paradise ideal for a protracted visit. Enjoy the Best of Both Worlds by Going Strawberry Picking and Wine Tasting.
The Yarra Valley isn’t just for strawberries; it’s also a great place to try other types of fresh fruit. The area is well-known for its wineries, so you can take a group there and enjoy various activities.
The farm distributes individual tickets daily to guarantee a constant fruit flow. Visit their official site or call them today to schedule your trip and enjoy sampling the fruit from the tree.
26. Yarra Valley
Explore the Greenhouse Strawberry Orchards, which also features a Gourmet Cafe. This strawberry field is ideal for families because it features covered plantations, which make the picking experience more pleasant and comfortable. Break at the café while indulging in the delectable gourmet foods prepared right there.
There is no charge to enter; you just need to pay for your chosen items. For a more varied and interesting experience, you can also choose from other fruits and vegetables besides strawberries. Pick some fresh, luscious strawberries with your children, and you’ll leave with memories that will last a lifetime.
27. Gateway Estate
The Wandin Orchard offers Some of the best treats around, and It’s just an hour’s ride from Melbourne’s CBD. This farm is a must-visit for anyone looking for high-quality, locally-grown vegetables, even though it does not provide strawberry picking.
You should spoil yourself or someone special with a unique gift or hamper freshly prepared on the farm. Indulge in the farm’s sauces, jams, syrups, and vinegar, elevating your visit to the next level. The place is also popular for outdoor events such as picnics and special occasions.
This farm, which can be found near Wandin and is only an hour away from Melbourne, should be included in your travel plans if you want a memorable taste of the area.
28. Kookaberry
This exquisitely situated strawberry farm on the Mornington Peninsula is one of the favourites in Australia. The location provides visitors with breathtaking panoramas of the surrounding landscape and its undulating hills.
The berry farm opens on weekends, but visitors should call ahead to confirm this information. You can relax with an ice cream purchased from the ice cream cart on the premises or enjoy pastries and coffee in the recently remodelled café. Both options are available in addition to the gorgeous produce for sale.
If you like the countryside, this is an excellent location to take advantage of everything the hinterland offers. To guarantee that you get the best out of the experience, the crew that is there is very hands-on and will help you harvest the berries and point you to which ones to search for.
29. Rocky Creek
At Sunny Ridge near Geelong, you’ll find the best coastline strawberry picking in the region. This farm is great for families because it allows children to select their berries and has various fruits based on the time of year. The farm provides reuse punnets; you just pay for your chosen products.
After the fun of going berry picking, you can reward yourself with one of their delectable ice creams to chill off. Additionally available for buying are pre-packaged strawberry options and dips and preserves. This area is ideal for vacationers looking for a one-of-a-kind and entertaining activity suitable for everyone in the family because of its proximity to the Great Ocean Road.
30. Payne’s Orchards
This is yet another fantastic place to explore for a day trip if you are staying around or visiting the city of Melbourne. It is roughly 50 kilometres to the northwest of the city centre. Although it is not a berry farm in the traditional sense, this location offers, throughout the year, the chance to pick a variety of fruits, including summertime fruits.
This is done in 40-minute increments to guarantee that the feeling is enjoyable for all clients and that there is no excessive crowding. Buckets are available, and staff members are standing by to assist. A wonderful setting in which to instruct children in the cultivation of vegetables and fruits and in the many methods available for harvesting the fruits that are on offer.
This summer, take your children on a fun and nutritious adventure by taking them strawberry picking together in the great outdoors. At the end of May, just as the temperature rises, the beginning of their berry phase in the Midwest begins.
Strawberries freshly harvested have a flavour incomparably superior to any other variety of strawberries that can be purchased in a store. These strawberries are ideal for preparing sweets and jams and for eating independently.
How to Pick the Best Berries
Size does not indicate tastiness but rather the abundance of available options. According to Klein, a berry’s sweetness is determined by how long it stays on the plant before being picked. Once picked, it will no longer ripen, and its shelf life will decrease rapidly.
When are they ready to be picked? Try a sample if you encounter one at a farmer’s market and other similar events. Without such a feature, you must rely heavily on colour alone. A ripe, tasty strawberry will be a brilliant red colour. Green tips on top are preferable to brown or shrivelled ones.
Best Tips for Strawberry Picking With Kids
Before you take your children fruit picking, here is everything you need to know: what to bring, what to wear, when, and where to go. Here is everything you need to know.
1. Berry Farms Are Not the Supermarkets
Even if a farm near you has put its picking schedule online, you should always contact ahead to make sure. It’s not uncommon for places to be picked clean quickly due to an influx of visitors or because the weather has rendered previous predictions inaccurate.
A “berry hotline,” mailing list, or even a Facebook page may be in place on specific farms to provide regular updates. Make it known that you want to be informed when the fruits in the area are at their peak flavour.
2. Know When to Visit
To avoid overheating in the sun, it’s best to do it on a cool day or get an early start. If you like staying at home during the week, you can take advantage of this activity because it will be much less crowded than on the weekends, provided the farm is open throughout the week.
3. Consider the Weather
Sunscreen and hats are recommended because berries thrive in bright, sunny areas. Apply sunscreen early before getting in the car to travel to the farm. Therefore, you can enjoy your berries without worrying about the pesticide.
4. Have the Extra Carrier
Almost all pick-your-own farms give containers, but some charge extra for the container. Additional containers are helpful if you go with more kids than you have pints of berries to buy, as each kid will want their own. Transfer the berries to a second, lower container as one container becomes full. If not, it’s only a matter of time before your little one tosses everything out shortly after it’s full.
5. Bring supplies
Bring a towel or blanket to sit on, water, snacks, and maybe even a picnic lunch, if allowed by the farm management. It’s helpful to have carriers on hand for the youngest children, and it’s even better if you can effortlessly move them from the sling to a cool blanket.
Bring a few books (or peruse these berry-themed selections) if you’ll spend time with more than one kid. Some kids will get tired or even sick of picking, while others will be intensely focused on getting every last berry off the plant in their row.
6. Prepare your Kids
It’s best to go through the rules with your kids on the way to the farm rather than trying to get them to pay attention after they see all the beautiful berries. Excellent reminders: Expect to hear the command, “Raspberries and Strawberries ought to be red, while blueberries ought to be blue,” approximately two hundred times, with illustrative fruit.
Don’t strike at bees because they won’t sting if you don’t provoke them. Wait till you get the berries home and rinse them before eating them. Ask Mom to ask you before snacking on the berries. Or pick ten times as many as you can eat.
While stopping for a few berries is certainly part of the fun, be prepared to add a few dollars to your final bill if your kids go through a lot because everyone intends to assist regional agriculture.
7. Try Some Easy Kitchen Projects
Children enjoy using their harvest in the kitchen, and if you give them a basic tart recipe, you can hand over practically all of the reins. The least time-consuming and most convenient solution here is to use a store-bought pie crust, powdered sugar, and canned whipped topping.
Have the youngsters help you make berry tarts by folding in sugar and berries and whipping the topping into pie crust. Making ice smoothies and pops with fresh berries can also be fun.
8. The Berries Don’t Last Long
Likely, the picked berries won’t last long. Remember that these fruits will retain their beauty only if the rough-and-ready types you’ll find in the grocery store if your collectors are more meticulous than hungry.
Put it in the freezer: Simply wash the fruits, pat them dry with a paper towel, and then place them in the freezer for at least two hours. Then place them in a plastic bag that can be sealed.
9. Plan Your Next Fix
If you and the entire family had a good time, write down the projected date of the next picking session. Research the best time for growing a berry plant in the garden, or encourage your child to try a new fruit the next time you go grocery shopping. You’ve shown them how delicious berries can be.
10. Bond Over a Berry Book
Reading can easily be worked into any excursion, and there are always new books to discover. Whether before, during, or after the activity, studying these books on berries is a great way to integrate the excitement of hands-on training with the delight of reading.
How to Preserve Cut Strawberries
To save time, you can cut the strawberries before preserving them and use the best methods to protect them from going bad. Wrapping them firmly in plastic wraps or aluminium foil is another option. Remember that once strawberries have been cleaned and chopped, their shelf life in the fridge drops to about three to four days, far shorter than it would be for whole, unclean berries.
Storing Strawberry Purée
Strawberries that have been left over can be made into a delicious purée. Use the purée as a topping for ice cream, oatmeal, or a yoghurt parfait, and keep it in the fridge for up to five days in an airtight container.
The purée can be frozen for three months. The purée can be used immediately after defrosting in the refrigerator overnight or heated for 20-30 seconds in the microwave.
How to Store Fresh Strawberries
Putting your freshly picked strawberries in the refrigerator can allow you to lengthen how long they can remain fresh after being purchased. The most effective method is to place them in an airtight bag in a single layer and follow the instructions below.
- Strawberries should be washed right before eating. Mould grows quickly on fresh berries, so it’s best to avoid washing them until after you’ve eaten them. Keep unclean berries in the fridge and rinse them shortly before eating.
- It’s best to preserve the berries whole. Whole strawberries have a longer shelf life than strawberry parts that have been chopped up. Leave the green tops on the fruits and vegetables in the basket as you found them in the farmer’s market.
- Use paper towels to line the inside of a container made of glass or plastic. Because they absorb water, the paper sheets prevent mould from growing on your berries.
- Strawberries should be arranged in one layer in the storage container. It’s far more convenient to store your berries in a single bucket. Be bold with multiple storage containers to maintain that single layer. Strawberries can be stacked, which promotes rapid mould growth over the entire batch. Paper towels can be used as a barrier to keep moisture and contact to a minimum in between layers.
- Put the container in the fridge after you have sealed it tightly. Berries can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week if dried and stored in an airtight container. However, you should eat them earlier than that for the finest flavour.
In Conclusion
Going strawberry picking in Australia is a wonderful outing that provides entertainment and information for the whole family. Kids will have a great time learning about where their food originates and the value of backing local farmers when they can pick and sample fresh strawberries from the farm.
You may take your kids on a fun and safe outing on the weekend or during a school break by visiting one of Melbourne’s many strawberry farms. Gather the kids, pack a picnic, and go to the strawberry orchards for fun and education.