Cherry picking near Melbourne is dominated by the Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges, with further options on the Mornington Peninsula, giving you one of the biggest clusters of cherry orchards near any Australian capital. The season typically runs November through January, peaking in December, though a handful of Dandenongs farms stretch on into early February.
Most orchards sit under an hour from the city, through Silvan, Wandin East and Coldstream, or down to Red Hill on the Peninsula. CherryHill Orchards at Coldstream and Wandin East is a well-known standout, with more than 40 cherry varieties across its two sites, on-site cafes and a kids' play area, and its weekday-versus-weekend pricing structure is a useful guide to what similar orchards charge. Because so many farms cluster within a small area, it pays to check a couple of options before you commit, since some sell out on the busiest weekends before Christmas.
14 farms
Woori Yallock · Dandenong Ranges
About an hour east of Melbourne
Avonsleigh · Dandenong Ranges
About an hour east of Melbourne
Coldstream · Yarra Valley
About an hour north-east of Melbourne
Silvan · Dandenong Ranges
About an hour east of Melbourne
Silvan · Yarra Valley
About an hour north-east of Melbourne
Wandin East · Dandenong Ranges
About an hour east of Melbourne
Wandin East / Coldstream · Dandenong Ranges
About an hour east of Melbourne
Wandin North · Dandenong Ranges
About an hour east of Melbourne
Red Hill · Mornington Peninsula
About an hour south of Melbourne
Silvan · Dandenong Ranges
About an hour east of Melbourne
Details may have changed. Call before travelling.
Wandin East · Yarra Valley
About an hour north-east of Melbourne
Details may have changed. Call before travelling.
Wandin East · Yarra Valley
About an hour north-east of Melbourne
Details may have changed. Call before travelling.
Silvan · Dandenong Ranges
About an hour east of Melbourne
Details may have changed. Call before travelling.
Seville · Yarra Valley
About an hour north-east of Melbourne
Details may have changed. Call before travelling.
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The two main clusters are the Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges around Silvan, Wandin East and Coldstream, with another option at Red Hill on the Mornington Peninsula. This is one of the largest concentrations of cherry orchards near any Australian capital, so you have real choice on variety, price and crowd levels. Compare a couple of listings before you go, since busy weekends can sell out fast.
Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges orchards around Silvan and Coldstream are roughly 45 minutes to an hour east of the CBD via the Maroondah or Warburton Highway. The Mornington Peninsula option at Red Hill is a similar distance south. Both routes get busy on December weekends, so allow extra travel time and consider a weekday visit if your schedule allows it.
The Yarra Valley and Dandenongs cherry season generally runs from November to January, with December the reliable peak across most orchards. A few Dandenong Ranges farms continue picking into early February in a cooler year. The Mornington Peninsula follows a similar mid-November to end-of-January pattern. Because timing shifts with the weather, call the orchard the week before you plan to visit.
Many of the bigger, better-known orchards, including CherryHill Orchards, Cherry Haven and the Silvan cherry farms, recommend or require booking, especially for weekend visits in the December peak. Some smaller growers take walk-ins without a formal system. Given how popular this district gets over the Christmas period, booking ahead where it's offered is the safer bet.