There’s something genuinely magical about picking fruit straight from the tree or vine with your kids. Whether it’s the excitement of filling a bucket with juicy strawberries, the novelty of reaching up to pluck an apple, or the satisfaction of finding a perfectly ripe nectarine — pick-your-own farms are one of the best family outings you can do in NSW.
The good news is there’s fruit in season almost year-round across the state, and plenty of farms within a few hours’ drive of Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Sydney and the Central Coast. We’ve put together this guide covering everything from apple orchards in Bilpin and cherry farms near Mudgee to orange picking on the Central Coast and year-round strawberry picking at Port Macquarie.
Before you go: Always check the farm’s website, Facebook page or call ahead before visiting. Crops vary year to year, farms can sell out, and opening hours change based on weather and harvest conditions. Cash is often required for animal feed and some farms are cash only. Check what to bring — some farms supply bags and baskets, others ask you to bring your own.
- Find U-Pick Farm
- What Fruit is in Season in NSW?
- Fruit Picking in NSW by Month
- Apple Picking
- Blueberry Picking
- Cherry Picking
- Nut Picking
- Oranges & Mandarin Picking
- Peaches & Nectarines
- Strawberry Picking
- Tips for Fruit Picking with Kids
Find a U-Pick Farm Near Me – Map
What Fruit is in Season in NSW?
Here’s a quick guide to when different fruits are available for picking in NSW. Note that harvest times vary year to year depending on weather — always confirm with the farm before heading out.
- Strawberries — year-round at hydroponic farms; best season October–February
- Apples — late January through to May/June, depending on variety
- Peaches & nectarines — October to December
- Cherries — late November to mid-December
- Blueberries — December to January
- Chestnuts & walnuts — March to April
- Navel oranges — July to August
- Valencia oranges — October to December
- Mandarins — May to October (varies by variety)
Fruit Picking in NSW by Month
Not sure what’s available right now? Here’s a month-by-month breakdown of what you can pick and where to go. Always check with the farm before heading out — harvest times shift year to year depending on weather.
January
One of the best months for fruit picking in NSW. Apples are still going strong at Bilpin Fruit Bowl and Bilpin Springs Orchard, blueberries are at their peak at Brackenridge Berries and Bucca Valley Blueberries, and strawberries are available year-round at Ricardoes and Bilpin Fruit Bowl.
February
Apple picking continues at Bilpin with later varieties like Fuji and Pink Lady coming into their own. Strawberries are still excellent at Ricardoes near Port Macquarie. Stone fruit season is wrapping up, so if you haven’t made it to an orchard yet, don’t leave it too long.
March
Autumn signals the start of nut picking season. Kookootonga near Walcha and Nutwood Farm near Nundle both open for chestnuts and walnuts from around March — one of the most unique farm experiences you can do in NSW with kids. Apple picking may still be running at Bilpin depending on variety — check ahead.
April
Chestnut and walnut picking continues at Kookootonga and Nutwood Farm through April. A great school holidays activity if Easter falls late. Strawberries remain available year-round at Ricardoes.
May
The start of citrus season on the Central Coast. Ford’s Farm at Mangrove Mountain reopens from around late May for mandarins and oranges — a lovely autumn outing within easy reach of both Newcastle and Sydney. Strawberry picking at Ricardoes continues year-round.
June
Winter citrus is in full swing. Farmes are open for orange and mandarin picking. A great option for the school holidays — fresh air, easy picking for little kids, and stunning Central Coast hinterland scenery.
July
Peak navel orange season. Mangrove Mountain farms are the go-to — Ford’s Farm, Wyuna Farm and Watkins Family Farm are all typically open through July. Check each farm’s Facebook page for weekend availability. Ricardoes near Port Macquarie is open year-round if you’re heading up the coast.
August
Navel orange picking continues at Mangrove Mountain through August. Season starts winding down toward the end of the month, so don’t leave it too late. A good month to combine an orchard visit with other Central Coast activities.
September
A quieter month for pick-your-own in NSW as citrus wraps up and stone fruit hasn’t started yet. Strawberry picking at Ricardoes continues year-round if you’re looking for a farm fix. Check farm Facebook pages — some Valencia orange varieties may still be available.
October
One of the best months of the year for fruit picking. Stone fruit season kicks off at Canoelands Orchard and Roth Family Orchard in Mudgee with nectarines and peaches, Valencia orange picking begins at Cedar Farm on the Central Coast, and strawberry season hits its stride. A great school holidays activity.
November
Stone fruit is in full swing at Canoelands and Roth Family Orchard. Cherry picking opens in Young from late November — the season is short so don’t wait. Valencia oranges continue at Cedar Farm. Blueberries at Brackenridge Berries may open late in the month depending on the season.
December
The peak of summer fruit picking. Cherry picking near Young is in full swing but the season ends fast — mid-December is often the cut-off. Blueberries are at their best at Brackenridge Berries and Bucca Valley Blueberries. Stone fruit continues at Canoelands and Roth Family Orchard, Mudgee. Apple picking at Bilpin Fruit Bowl begins from late January, but the farm shop and strawberry greenhouse are open year-round.
Apple Picking in NSW
Bilpin Fruit Bowl, Bilpin
The most iconic fruit picking farm in NSW, Bilpin Fruit Bowl has been family-owned since 1985 and is the standout destination for apple picking near Sydney. You can pick Royal Gala, Fuji, Red Delicious and Pink Lady apples in season — with different varieties ripening at different times from late January through to May. The $20 adult/$10 child entry fee lets you eat as much as you like on the farm, paying only for what you take home. Beyond apples, Bilpin Fruit Bowl also offers strawberry picking year-round and vegetable picking in season — one of the only farms in NSW where you can pick your own vegies.
Season: Apples late January–May | Strawberries year-round
Admission: Adults $20 | Children (3–12) $10 | Under 3 free
Bookings: Not required for general visiting
Address: 2093 Bells Line of Road, Bilpin
Website: Bilpin Fruit Bowl
Facebook: Bilpin Fruit Bowl
Tip: Follow their Facebook page for weekly updates on what’s available to pick each weekend.
Bilpin Springs Orchard, Bilpin
A small family orchard on Bells Line of Road, Bilpin Springs grows apples, pears, stone fruit and more using traditional methods. The season typically runs from late January to June. There’s no admission fee — just pay for what you pick, with a minimum $5 purchase per adult. Bring your own bags or use the provided baskets (around 10kg capacity). Open Saturdays and Sundays from around 8am–1pm, but hours vary so call ahead to confirm.
Season: Late January–June
Admission: Free — minimum $5 purchase per adult
Bookings: Not required (except for schools and groups)
Address: 2549 Bells Line of Road, Bilpin
Website: Bilpin Springs Orchard
Phone: (02) 4567 1294
Canoelands Orchard, Canoelands
About an hour north of Sydney’s CBD, Canoelands is one of the most family-friendly pick-your-own experiences in NSW. Beyond fruit picking, the 81-acre property offers tractor rides, farm animals to feed, a playground, a cafe serving pies, sandwiches and coffee, and a picnic area. Apples are available in season, but the main harvest season runs from mid-October to late December featuring nectarines, peaches, plums, blueberries and strawberries. They also grow tomatoes, oranges, mandarins, pomegranates and more throughout the year. Open daily with bookings required for weekends and public holidays.
Season: Something to pick almost year-round; peak season October–December
Admission: Adults from $8 | Children (3–15) $5 | Under 3 free | Check website for current pricing
Bookings: Required for weekends and public holidays
Address: 27 Canoelands Road, Canoelands
Website: Canoelands Orchard
Phone: 0419 688 039
Tip: Combine with a stop at the famous Glenorie Bakery on the way.
Pine Crest Orchard, Bilpin
Pine Crest Orchard has been a family-run business for over 40 years and grows a great range of apple varieties from Tydemans and Akane in January through to Granny Smith and Pink Lady in late April. There’s no admission fee — just pay for what you pick at a very reasonable $5 adult / $2 child rate. Dogs on leads are welcome. Even though their fruit is limited this year, they encourage you to come out and enjoy a day in the orchard, experience their new Interactive Self Tour and check out what they have been working on over winter.
Season: Late January–May (weather dependent)
Admission: Adults $5 | Children (3+) $2
Bookings: Not required
Address: 2549 Bells Line of Road, Bilpin
Website: Pine Crest Orchard
Facebook: Pine Crest Orchard
Blueberry Picking in NSW
Blueberry Hills on Comleroy
Each summer, families are invited to experience the simple joy of picking fresh blueberries straight from the bush at Blueberry Hills on Comleroy. The blueberries are grown with care and patience — organic, chemical-free and untreated, just as nature intended. The blueberry trees themselves are over 40 years old, and are part of a farm that has been lovingly nurtured for generations. Blueberries may not be eaten while picking. Once you’ve paid for the blueberries in your bucket, they’re all yours to enjoy.
Season: November to January
Admission: Adults: $15 per person, $10 per child, Session duration: 1 hour
Bookings: Blueberry picking is pre-booked tickets only.
Address: 464 Comleroy Rd, Kurrajong
Website: Blueberry Hills on Comleroy
Bucca Valley Blueberries, Bucca (near Coffs Harbour)
Pick your own chemical-free blueberries at Bucca Valley Blueberries north of Coffs Harbour. It operates on an honesty system — fill a bucket, weigh them on the scale and leave your money. Buckets are supplied. Bring cash (small bills and change preferred) and your own containers to take berries home. A bonus: kids can feed the turtles and pat the horses while you’re there.
Season: December until berries run out
Admission: Free entry | Blueberries $10/kg
Bookings: Not required
Address: 416 Bucca Road, Bucca
Facebook: Bucca Valley Blueberries
Tip: Honesty system — bring exact change.
Cherry Picking in NSW
If you don’t mind a drive, head to Young, the cherry capital of Australia. It’s the home of the National Cherry Festival, held in early December. There are more than a dozen orchards in which you can pick your own cherries from mid-November onward until late December (weather dependent). Some of the orchards require bookings while others you can wander straight in and start picking or just buy a box of cherries. Check out the Young Visitor Information Centre for more details on individual orchards.
Roth Family Orchard
Season: Picking season to open 5 December 2025
Address: 108 Eurunderee Lane, Mudgee
Website: Roth Family Orchard
Facebook: Roth Family Orchard
Admission: From $5
Bookings required: Yes. Bookings open in mid-November
Feel like picking cherries? You can pick cherries during the summer at Roth Family Orchard in late November / early December with bookings opening mid-November 2026. They are open for pick-your-own cherries most mornings in season and recommend coming early in the morning before the heat sets in. You’ll need to make a booking. There are different varieties of cherries to choose from. You can pick the Merchants cherries early in the season while Simone cherries are the main crop.
Cherry Picking in Young
If you don’t mind a drive, head to Young, the cherry capital of Australia. It’s the home of the National Cherry Festival, held in early December. There are more than a dozen orchards in which you can pick your own cherries from mid-November onward until late December (weather dependent). Some of the orchards require bookings while others you can wander straight in and start picking or just buy a box of cherries. Check out the Young Visitor Information Centre for more details on individual orchards.
Nut Picking in NSW
Kookootonga, Walcha
A beautiful property in the New England region, Kookootonga offers pick-your-own chestnuts in autumn — one of the most unique farm experiences in NSW. The farm reopens for the chestnut season around March each year. Kids find the process of finding chestnuts in the leaf litter and extracting them from their burrs genuinely exciting (adults wear gloves — those spines are sharp). The property is also stunning in autumn colour.
Season: March / April. It is a short season, usually only lasting for about 5-6 weeks. CLOSED – Due to Mount Wilson Road being closed to general traffic due to escalating safety risks. Access is restricted to local residents only indefinitely. They had no choice but to close our farm gate for the 2026 season.
Address: 247 Mt Irvine Rd, Mt Irvine
Website: Kookootonga Chestnut & Walnut Farm
Facebook: Kookootonga Chestnut & Walnut Farm
Admission: Free admission. In previous years, chestnuts were $10 per kilo and walnuts $12 per kilo pick your own.
Bookings required: If you are arriving by car there is no need to make a booking.
Nutwood Farm, Nundle
Another excellent nut-picking experience in the New England region, Nutwood Farm grows chestnuts and walnuts and opens for pick-your-own in autumn. Nutwood Farm is open to the public for five to six weekends each year (March to April) during nut harvest season for fresh chestnuts and walnuts with no chemicals or fertilisers. They are open from 9am to 4pm on these weekends. The orchard is filled with more than 200 trees which are mainly chestnut trees and some walnut trees. They supply buckets but please bring your own gloves and tongs. A lovely outing to combine with a visit to the historic village of Nundle.
Season: Closed for the 2026 season. The farm will not open again until March 2027
Address: 22 Danes Way Mt Irvine
Facebook: Nutwood Farm
Admission: Free admission.
Bookings required: No
Orange & Mandarin Picking in NSW
Cedar Farm, Dooralong
Ford’s Farm
Ford’s Farm is a Pick Your Own citrus orchard specialising in Mandarins. Their first mandarin of the season is the Satsuma, a seedless variety, easy to peel, full of juice and very popular with children. Ford’s Farm is nestled on the banks of the Hawkesbury River, 15 minutes from Wiseman’s Ferry.
Established over 50 years ago by the Ford family, Ford’s Farm look forward to welcoming visitors in June each year to pick mandarins, oranges, lemons, limes. They close once all mandarins have been picked and re-open in July for cumquats. Bring scissors to cut fruit off the trees, gloves and bags to take your fruit away.
Watkins Family Farm
Season: Open for visitors fon 30 May 2026
Address: 1006 Singleton Road, Laughtondale via Wisemans Ferry
Website: Watkins Family Farm
Facebook: Watkins Family Farm
Admission: Free but minimum purchase required
Bookings required: No
You can pick your own mandarin oranges at Watkins Family Farm which features over 2000 fruit trees. It’s a scenic spot located in an enchanting valley near the Hawkesbury River. The farm will reopen for visitors in Winter 2026 and is open only during winter. As well as fruit to pick, kids can get up close to farm animals. There are chickens, sheep and lambs to pat and feed.
In 2025, there was no entry charge. However, there was a minimum purchase of one bucket of fruit for adults $20 large bucket or little buckets $10 which included the fruit. Cash only.
As well as mandarins, there’s also Ruby Red Grapefruit, Lemonades, Cumquats, Finger Limes, Kaffir Limes, Eureka Lemons, Tahitian Limes in season subject to availability. From Newcastle, you can go via Mangrove Mountain and use the vehicular ferry to cross at Wisemans Ferry. From Sydney, it’s a 90-minute drive northwest.
Peach & Nectarine Picking in NSW
Canoelands Orchard, Canoelands
About an hour north of Sydney’s CBD, Canoelands is one of the most family-friendly pick-your-own experiences in NSW. Beyond fruit picking, the 81-acre property offers tractor rides, farm animals to feed, a playground, a cafe serving pies, sandwiches and coffee, and a picnic area. Apples are available in season, but the main harvest season runs from mid-October to late December featuring nectarines, peaches, plums, blueberries and strawberries. They also grow tomatoes, oranges, mandarins, pomegranates and more throughout the year. Open daily with bookings required for weekends and public holidays.
Season: Something to pick almost year-round; peak season October–December
Admission: Adults from $8 | Children (3–15) $5 | Under 3 free | Check website for current pricing
Bookings: Required for weekends and public holidays
Address: 27 Canoelands Road, Canoelands
Website: Canoelands Orchard
Phone: 0419 688 039
Tip: Combine with a stop at the famous Glenorie Bakery on the way.
Pine Crest Orchard, Bilpin
Season: December to February each year
Address: 2549 Bells Line of Road, Bilpin
Website: Pine Crest Orchard
Facebook: Pine Crest Orchard
Admission: $2 per person
Bookings required: No
Everyone is welcome to Pick Your Own fruit at Pine Crest Orchard in Bilpin. Pine Crest Orchard grows delicious peaches, both white and yellow-fleshed varieties, which are available from December to February each year. Harvest times are only a rough indication of when the fruit will be ready. The orchard is usually open from 10am to 3pm on Saturdays and Sundays but check the Facebook page for confirmation.
Strawberry Picking in NSW
Ricardoes Tomatoes & Strawberries, Blackmans Point
Season: All year round
Address: 221 Blackmans Point Rd, Blackmans Point
Phone: (02) 6585 0663
Website: Ricardoes
Admission: Free
Bookings required: No
Tip: Get parents to pick the berries at the top of the vines while kids search for berries to pick lower at their height.
One of the most beloved farm experiences on the Mid North Coast, Ricardoes is a working tomato and strawberry U-pick farm about 10 minutes north of Port Macquarie. The strawberries here are picked year-round from a large hydroponic greenhouse. Kids find it incredibly satisfying and the quality is exceptional. Entry is free; you’re given a small bucket and scissors and pay by weight for what you take home.
The on-site Cafe Red is open for breakfast, brunch and lunch (closes 2pm for hot food) and serves scones with house-made strawberry jam, burgers, salads and great coffee. Dogs are welcome in the outdoor areas, and free guided farm tours run on weekday mornings at 11am.
Bilpin Fruit Bowl, Bilpin
Season: Varies
Address: 2093 Bells Line of Road, Bilpin
Website: Bilpin Fruit Bowl
Facebook: Bilpin Fruit Bowl
Admission: $20 for adults, $10 for children aged between 3 and 12. Free for children under 3 years of age. This entry fee allows you to eat whatever you want while on the farm and then only paying for what you take home with you.
Bookings required: Bookings limited to 200 people every 2 hours. Bookings are essential. Book early as these limited spots mean that they are taken early.
This is the largest Pick your own Strawberry farm in the Hawkesbury with just under 100,000 strawberry plants, and they are endeavouring to have it open every weekend all year round for strawberry picking. The strawberries are grown in a hothouse so it is an all-weather activity. BYO bags and scissors for strawberry picking.
Strawberry punnets will be paid for prior to entering the hothouse for picking. Cost will be $20/kg. When you have finished picking your strawberries you must return to the shed to have your punnet weighed and pay the difference. The farm is open on weekends only and public holidays strictly between the hours of 10am and 4pm. Hours vary during the school holidays.
Tips for Fruit Picking with Kids
Always check before you go. Crops are weather-dependent and farms can sell out or close at short notice. Check the farm’s Facebook page or website the day before — most farms post weekly updates on what’s available.
Bring cash. Many farms are cash only for animal feed and some for fruit purchases too. Bring small bills and change.
Dress for the farm. Closed-toe shoes are essential for nut picking (chestnut burrs are sharp). Bring hats, sunscreen and layers in cooler months for orchard visits.
Bring your own bags. Some farms supply bags and buckets, others charge for them or ask you to bring your own. Check ahead before you go.
Book ahead for popular farms. Bilpin Fruit Bowl limits sessions to 200 people per time slot — book online before you go, especially on weekends and during school holidays. Cherry farms also fill up fast in their short season.
Go early. At most farms, the best fruit is picked early — both in the day and in the season. An early morning visit before the heat sets in is best for stone fruit picking.