Pick your own fruit farms in the ACT
Australian Capital Territory pick-your-own farms are between seasons in September. We list 5 farms across 1 region — check the season table below for when picking returns in your area.
The ACT's pick-your-own scene is small but distinctive, most of it clustered in the Canberra Region around Pialligo, just minutes from the city centre. It leans towards events and unusual harvests rather than orchard fruit: Beltana Farm at Pialligo and The Truffle Farm Canberra at Majura run guided truffle hunts through winter, Pialligo Harvest grows pick-your-own chillies and vegetables through the warmer months, and out at Majura families head to a sunflower maze and cut-your-own corn in late summer. Twyllo Flower Farm at Tharwa opens for a handful of ticketed dahlia-picking events, and in December Christmas Tree Keng in Canberra lets you cut your own tree. Pialligo Apples still grows apples and pumpkins on the Pialligo strip, though the orchard has changed hands and its pick-your-own is unconfirmed — for apples, pears and cherries you are usually better off crossing the border, where Wallaroo Cherry Farm near Hall picks cherries from about November into January and Asian (nashi) pears in March and April.
Regions in the ACT
Crops you can pick here
All farms
5 farms
| Farm | Region | Crops | Season | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Twyllo Flower Farm | Canberra Region | Flowers | Summer; pick-your-own events historically held Feb-Mar; Spring | In season |
| Beltana Farm (formerly Pialligo Truffles) | Canberra Region | Fresh produce | Jun-Aug (peak truffle season; specific event/hunt dates vary by year) | Closed for season |
| Majura Valley Farm | Canberra Region | Sunflowers and flowers | Mar (weekend event, dates vary yearly) | Closed for season |
| Pialligo Harvest | Canberra Region | Fresh produce | Jan-Mar (approx, closed outside season) | Closed for season |
| Pialligo Apples | Canberra Region | Apples and pumpkins | Call ahead | Unconfirmed · call ahead |
Farm experiences in Australian Capital Territory
2 farms
| Farm | Region | Experience | Access | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canberra City Farm | Canberra Region | Farm workshops & classes, Farm festivals & open days, Farm tours | Booking required | Currently offered |
| The Truffle Farm Canberra | Canberra Region | Farm workshops & classes, Farm tours | Booking required | Currently offered |
Explore Australian Capital Territory by area & crop
What the ACT is known for picking
The ACT's pick-your-own scene is genuinely compact — you're working with a handful of farms rather than a whole region's worth — but the crops are distinctive. Chillies are a local speciality: Pialligo Harvest at 19 Kallaroo Road grows around 15,000 plants across varieties including Bhutanese, jalapeño and cayenne, and describes itself as the largest chilli farm in the ACT region — the season reopens in January 2027. Truffles are the ACT's most unusual harvest: Beltana Farm in Pialligo runs guided truffle hunts with lunch through June to August and The Truffle Farm Canberra at Majura runs its own hunts with trained dogs, making Canberra one of the few capitals where you can hunt your own truffles without leaving the city limits. Sunflowers bring families out to Majura Valley in late summer for a timed-entry maze event with cut-your-own stems at $3 each. Apples and pears are the gap: the Pialligo strip east of the city has grown orchard fruit for decades, but we can't currently confirm a pick-your-own orchard operating there, so for apples and pears look just across the border. For the full picture across Canberra and the surrounding NSW belt — including cherry orchards just across the border near Hall and Royalla — see our fruit picking near Canberra guide.
Through the year near Canberra
Summer (December–February) opens with Christmas Tree Keng on the Federal Highway, where you can cut your own tree from 1–24 December, then transitions into cherries at Wallaroo Cherry Farm near Hall and chillies at Pialligo Harvest from January — call ahead for both, as the cherry season is short and the chilli farm operates seasonally.
Autumn (March–May) now centres on Majura Valley Farm, which typically holds its sunflower maze event in late March over a single ticketed weekend. Pialligo's orchards have historically picked apples, pears and nashi through this window, but Pialligo Apples has changed hands and we can't confirm public picking is still running — the surest autumn orchard visit is nashi pears at Wallaroo Cherry Farm near Hall in March and April.
Winter (June–August) sees almost no conventional fruit picking, but Beltana Farm in Pialligo fills the gap with guided truffle hunts and lunches on weekends through truffle season — a uniquely Canberra experience that books out, so plan ahead.
Spring (September–November) is the quietest season for ACT pick-your-own. Most Canberra families who want to pick in spring head north or south into NSW — Young's cherry orchards and the Snowy region's stone fruit farms are popular options covered in our fruit picking near Canberra guide.
Guides for picking in Australian Capital Territory
How to pick apples: a complete Australian guide
Why no two pick-your-own farms charge you the same way
Last verified 3 Sep 2026. We check listings against farms' own sources and re-verify regularly.
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Frequently asked questions
When is fruit picking season in the ACT?
There's no single season, and the ACT's calendar is thinner than the NSW districts around it. Sunflowers at Majura Valley Farm and chillies at Pialligo Harvest are late-summer crops, cherries have a short window from December to January just over the border, truffle hunts at Beltana Farm and The Truffle Farm Canberra run through winter, and Christmas Tree Keng opens for cut-your-own trees in December. There is no confirmed apple or pear picking inside the ACT at present — the nearest orchard fruit is nashi pears at Wallaroo Cherry Farm near Hall in March and April. Always check with the farm before you drive out.
Do I need to book to go fruit picking in the ACT?
It varies by farm. The ACT's headline experiences are all ticketed — Majura Valley Farm's sunflower maze, Twyllo Flower Farm's dahlia events and the truffle hunts at Beltana Farm and The Truffle Farm Canberra all need booking in advance, often well ahead. Pialligo Harvest and Pialligo Apples run casual farm-gate picking in season rather than taking bookings, but both publish limited information, so confirm opening days directly with the farm before you drive out.
Where can I pick apples near Canberra?
We don't currently list a confirmed pick-your-own apple orchard in the ACT. Pialligo Apples, just east of the city centre, has grown apples and pumpkins on the Pialligo strip for close to 40 years and remains on our list, but the property has changed hands and no recent source confirms that public picking is still running — ring before you drive out. If you want a certain autumn orchard visit, Wallaroo Cherry Farm just over the NSW border near Hall, about 15 minutes from the CBD, picks Asian (nashi) pears from roughly March to April at $3.90 a kilogram.
Can you pick cherries in the ACT?
Cherry picking in the ACT is limited and short-lived, with orchards in the Canberra region typically open from December into January. Many Canberra families instead drive north to Young, in NSW, where a much larger cherry harvest runs from November through to February. Whichever you choose, cherries are especially weather-sensitive, so call ahead to confirm the trees are still fruiting.
Where can I pick sunflowers or pumpkins near Canberra?
Majura Valley Farm runs a sunflower maze that typically opens in late summer, from February into March, with cut-your-own corn alongside it. Pialligo Apples grows pumpkins for picking later in the year. Both are family-friendly outdoor outings close to Canberra, but opening dates depend on the season and weather, so check the farm's page before you visit.
How much does fruit picking cost near Canberra?
Prices vary by farm and crop. At Majura Valley Farm's sunflower maze, entry is free and you pay $3 per stem (up to five per adult) for cut-your-own sunflowers. Wallaroo Cherry Farm — just over the ACT/NSW border near Hall, roughly 15 minutes from the CBD — charges $5 entry per adult (children under eight free) and $3.90 per kg for nashi pears. There is no confirmed apple or stone-fruit picking left inside the ACT itself, so those nashi pears are the closest thing to a pay-by-weight orchard visit; call ahead to confirm the current rate before visiting, as prices are set each season.
What is in season near Canberra through the year?
The ACT's pick-your-own calendar runs roughly as follows. Summer (December–February) brings cherries at Wallaroo Cherry Farm near Hall and chillies at Pialligo Harvest in Pialligo, which typically reopens in January. Autumn (March–May) is quieter in Pialligo than it once was — there is no confirmed apple or pear picking in the ACT now — but nashi pears are picked at Wallaroo Cherry Farm near Hall through March and April. There is little to pick in the ACT over winter, though Beltana Farm in Pialligo runs guided truffle hunts through June to August. Spring (September–November) is quiet for pick-your-own; Canberra families often head to nearby NSW farms for early strawberries and cherries. For a broader picture of what's in season across the greater Canberra area, see our fruit picking near Canberra guide.
What should I bring to go fruit picking in the ACT?
Closed-toe shoes are essential on uneven orchard ground, especially after rain. Bring a broad-brimmed hat, sunscreen and a refillable water bottle — Pialligo's orchards are exposed and mornings can be cool in autumn. A light jacket is worth packing earlier in the season. Carry cash as backup, since smaller farm gates don't always take cards. For a full checklist, see our what to bring fruit picking guide.