Apple picking is an autumn tradition across most of Australia, running roughly January to July depending on climate zone and variety. Early varieties like Granny Smith and Gala start ripening from January in warmer growing districts such as Perth Hills and parts of the Sydney basin. The main season across the Hawkesbury, Illawarra, Southern Highlands, Adelaide Hills, Yarra Valley, Dandenong Ranges and Tasmania runs February to May, peaking March-April as later varieties like Pink Lady, Fuji and Sundowner come on. In cooler pockets such as Gippsland and Perth Hills, picking can stretch into June or July. Most orchards let you fill a bag or bucket and pay by weight, sometimes with a small entry fee added on top. Typical pricing sits around $4 to $5 a kilogram, plus an entry fee of roughly $5 for adults and $2 for children at some orchards, though a number of farms don't publish exact rates online and prefer you ask on the day.
Swipe to see all months. Peak and available windows are typical only and shift with the weather.
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| New South Wales | Available | Peak | Peak | Peak | Available | |||||||
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| Australian Capital Territory | Available | Available | Peak | Peak | Available |
Bilpin · Bilpin & the Hawkesbury
Bilpin · Sydney Basin
Borenore · Orange & Central West
Bilpin · Bilpin & the Hawkesbury
Wallington · Geelong & the Bellarine
Woori Yallock · Dandenong Ranges
Moorooduc · Mornington Peninsula
Three Bridges · Dandenong Ranges
Applethorpe · Granite Belt
Pozieres · Granite Belt
Lenswood · Adelaide Hills
Lenswood · Adelaide Hills
Forest Range · Adelaide Hills
Details may have changed. Call before travelling.
Pickering Brook · Perth Hills
Walliston · Perth Hills
Donnybrook · South West WA
Pickering Brook · Perth Hills
Dilston · Tamar Valley & Launceston
Sorell (Tasman Peninsula gateway) · Hobart & the Huon Valley
Sorell · Hobart & the Huon Valley
Pialligo · Canberra Region
Details may have changed. Call before travelling.
Pialligo · Canberra Region
Details may have changed. Call before travelling.
A ripe apple should come away from the branch with a gentle upward twist rather than a hard pull — if it resists, it's not ready. Colour alone isn't a reliable guide since varieties differ; a firm apple with no green shoulders (on red varieties) is a better sign. Handle picked apples gently to avoid bruising, and store them in the crisper drawer of the fridge, where most varieties keep well for several weeks.
Choose a crop and location. We will email you when local farms begin opening.
Apple picking generally runs from January through to May or June, depending on region and variety. Early varieties like Granny Smith start in January in warmer growing areas, while the bulk of orchards peak February to April as Pink Lady, Fuji and other later varieties ripen. Some cooler districts, including parts of Perth Hills and Gippsland, keep picking into June or July.
Most orchards charge by weight, typically around $4 to $5 per kilogram, sometimes with a small entry fee of about $5 for adults and $2 for children added on. A few festival-style orchards charge a flat entry price instead. Not every farm lists pricing online, so it's worth a quick call before you visit if budget matters.
Yes. The Hawkesbury district around Bilpin is Sydney's classic apple-picking area, about 60 to 90 minutes from the CBD, with a season typically running January to May. The Illawarra and Southern Highlands, roughly 90 minutes south, also have pick-your-own apple orchards over a similar window. Check ahead, as exact dates shift with the season.
Yes. The Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges, about an hour from the Melbourne CBD, run apple picking from roughly February to May. Gippsland orchards extend into June, and there are also pick-your-own apple farms around Geelong and the Mornington Peninsula. Always confirm the current picking window with the orchard before driving out.
Pick-your-own orchards commonly grow Granny Smith, Gala, Pink Lady, Fuji, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious and Sundowner, with some larger orchards offering eight or more varieties that ripen in sequence across the season. Exactly which varieties are ready changes week to week, so ask the orchard what's currently being picked when you call to check opening times.