April is mid-autumn, and it's one of the best months of the year for pick-your-own across the southern states. Apples and pears are at or just past their peak from Bilpin and Orange to the Yarra Valley, Adelaide Hills and Perth Hills, chestnuts start in the Blue Mountains, Dandenongs and WA's South West, and Victoria's pumpkin patches are in full swing. Persimmons appear in the Perth Hills alongside the first kiwifruit, and olive picking begins in both NSW's Central West and Western Australia. Late strawberries and other berries are still trickling through in NSW, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria, though plants are well past their best. It's quieter up north, where the Granite Belt carries most of Queensland's calendar and the Top End's dry-season crops are only just getting going.
Apples and pears remain at their best from Bilpin to Orange and the Illawarra, late strawberries and figs linger in the Hawkesbury and Orange, and olive picking gets underway around Orange.
Apples are at their peak in the Yarra Valley, Dandenongs, Gippsland and Geelong, pumpkins are ready around Ballarat and Bendigo, and chestnuts start in the Dandenongs.
The Granite Belt around Stanthorpe stays busy with apples, pears and table grapes, with the last of the strawberries still around and olives continuing in the Scenic Rim.
Apples are at their best in the Adelaide Hills, with the last of the season's strawberries and figs still trickling through and lavender still on offer.
Apples and pears are ripe across the Perth Hills and South West, chestnuts and persimmons come into season, and the first kiwifruit and olives appear in the Perth Hills and northern suburbs.
Apples, pears and hazelnuts take over statewide as the last of the berries wind down.
Apples and pears are at their peak around Pialligo, and chestnuts begin at Hoskinstown.
The dry season is just starting, with passionfruit and citrus the main pick-your-own crops across the Top End and Katherine.
| State | What's ripe | Where |
|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | strawberries, apples, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries | Riverina & South Coast |
| Victoria | strawberries, apples, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries | Dandenong Ranges |
| Queensland | strawberries, apples, pears and citrus | Brisbane & South-East Queensland |
| South Australia | strawberries, apples, figs and flowers | Adelaide Hills |
| Western Australia | apples, pears and figs | Swan Valley |
| Tasmania | strawberries, apples, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries | Hobart & the Huon Valley |
| Australian Capital Territory | apples and pears | Canberra Region |
Sackville North · Bilpin & the Hawkesbury
Stanthorpe · Granite Belt
Meadowvale · Bundaberg & Wide Bay
Thirlmere · Sydney Basin
Wagga Wagga · Riverina & South Coast
Bilpin · Bilpin & the Hawkesbury
Bilpin · Sydney Basin
Lorne · Coffs Coast
Brooklet · Northern Rivers
Kurrajong · Bilpin & the Hawkesbury
Bostobrick / Dorrigo · Coffs Coast
Bucca / Nana Glen · Coffs Coast
Chambers Flat · Brisbane & South-East Queensland
Mogood · Riverina & South Coast
Pickering Brook · Perth Hills
Applethorpe · Granite Belt
Choose a crop and location. We will email you when local farms begin opening.
April is a peak apple and pear month nationally, with orchards busy from Bilpin and Orange to the Yarra Valley, Adelaide Hills and Perth Hills. Chestnuts start in the Blue Mountains, Dandenongs and WA's South West, pumpkins are ready in Victoria, and persimmons and early kiwifruit appear in the Perth Hills. Late strawberries and berries are still around in cooler pockets, but plants are past their best by April.
In some regions, yes, though April is very much the tail end. Late strawberries can still be found in the Hawkesbury and Orange in NSW, Queensland's Granite Belt, the Adelaide Hills, Tasmania and parts of Victoria, but yields are lower and windows can close quickly. Call the farm before you drive out to confirm the patch is still open and picking.
Yes, April is one of the strongest apple months of the year. Orchards in Bilpin, Orange and the Illawarra in NSW, the Yarra Valley, Dandenongs, Gippsland and Geelong in Victoria, the Adelaide Hills, and the Perth Hills and South West in WA are all in full swing, alongside Tasmania's statewide season and the ACT's Pialligo district.
Near Melbourne, April means apples at their peak in the Yarra Valley, Dandenongs and Geelong, pumpkins ready around Ballarat and Bendigo, and chestnut season starting in the Dandenongs. It's a good month for a mixed autumn picking trip, though it's worth checking with each farm what's currently ready, since patches move through their season at different rates.
April apple and pumpkin patches can get busy on weekends and school holidays, so book ahead where a farm offers it. Chestnut and olive picking is more niche and usually doesn't need a booking, but a quick call first is still worthwhile. As always, confirm opening hours and what's currently ready before you make the drive.