In September, flowers, strawberries and citrus are the strongest picks across Australia. We track 135 farms with at least one crop in season this month — browse by crop or state below, and call ahead before you travel.
September is the start of spring, and pick-your-own begins waking up nationally. NSW's Hawkesbury strawberry season starts again, joined by citrus, sunflowers and the first Illawarra lavender. Queensland stays busy with strawberries and citrus around Bundaberg, while mango season begins on the Atherton Tablelands and sunflowers and lavender start opening in the Lockyer Valley and Scenic Rim. South Australia's Adelaide Hills lavender season begins, and Western Australia's Swan Valley strawberries and Perth Hills citrus continue. The Northern Territory's mango season expands into Katherine as the Top End's dry-season crops carry on. Victoria's citrus season is winding down in the Yarra Valley, and Tasmania and the ACT remain quiet for another month or so.
Strawberry season starts again in the Hawkesbury and Bilpin, blueberries continue on the Coffs Coast, citrus is in its final month on the Central Coast and in the Hawkesbury, sunflowers keep going on the Central Coast, and lavender season begins in the Illawarra and Southern Highlands.
Citrus is winding down in its final month in the Yarra Valley, with mandarins and oranges still available but most other Victorian farms yet to open for spring.
Strawberries continue from the Scenic Rim to Bundaberg, citrus keeps going in Bundaberg, mango season begins on the Atherton Tablelands in the Far North, and sunflowers and lavender both start opening in the Lockyer Valley and Scenic Rim.
Lavender season begins in the Adelaide Hills this month, the first pick-your-own crop typically listed there since the quiet winter months.
Strawberries continue in the Swan Valley and Wanneroo, and citrus reaches its final month in the Chittering Valley and Perth Hills.
Tasmania still has no pick-your-own crops typically open in September; the state's berry and orchard season usually starts a little later in spring.
Canberra-region picking remains closed in September, with no crops typically listed as in season around Pialligo or the Young/Yass day-trip belt.
Mango season is now running around both Darwin rural and Katherine, alongside continuing melons, pumpkins, tomatoes, citrus and passionfruit across the Top End.
Melbourne — Melbourne's usual pick-your-own belt, the Dandenong Ranges, Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsula, is still closed for the season in September. Cherries, berries and stone fruit don't start until November, and Victoria's spring picking properly gets underway closer to summer. If you're near Melbourne in September, the honest answer is: not much is open yet — check back from November.
Sydney — Sydney has a genuine spread of things ripening in September. Citrus is in its last month at Watkins Family Farm in Laughtondale on the Hawkesbury. Berrylicious Strawberries in Thirlmere grows year-round under cover but hits its picking peak from September, and Southern Highlands Flower Farm in Penrose opens its ranunculus, anemone and poppy fields from September through October. Between the three, Sydney's picking mix turns over almost completely across the month.
Perth — Perth's Swan Valley strawberry season is properly underway in September. H&N Strawberries in Gnangara opens its rows for the new season this month, while Swan Valley Sisters in Henley Brook is picking its last citrus of the year alongside the strawberries starting elsewhere. Up in the Perth Hills, Carmel Cherry Farm in Carmel has loquats ready from September, well before its cherries later in the year.
Brisbane — Brisbane's strawberry season is in full swing in September. Chambers Flat Strawberry Farm, south of the city, has its pick-your-own rows open, and Oasis Berries in Caboolture times its picking to the local Strawberry Festival across September and October. North at Stanmore near Woodford, Curlew Ridge Flower Farm keeps its cut-flower fields open through spring for anyone wanting blooms rather than fruit.
The picking mix turns over noticeably across September. Early in the month, the last of the season's citrus is still going — Watkins Family Farm's citrus in the Hawkesbury and Swan Valley Sisters's oranges, lemons and mandarins in the Swan Valley both typically run through to the end of the month, while new-season strawberries are only just getting underway, with H&N Strawberries in Gnangara starting its Swan Valley season and the Hawkesbury and Bilpin strawberry farms restarting after winter. By late September, citrus has largely finished for the year in most regions, strawberries are properly underway, and the first spring flowers are opening, including ranunculus and anemones at Southern Highlands Flower Farm and lavender in the Adelaide Hills and Illawarra. It's a genuine handover month — pack for both citrus and strawberries if you're picking early, and expect flowers and berries to dominate by the back half.
For the months either side, see what's in season in August and what's in season in October, or check the fruit picking season calendar for Australia for the full year.
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| State | What's ripe | Where |
|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | strawberries, blueberries, citrus, sunflowers and flowers | Orange & Central West |
| Victoria | citrus | Dandenong Ranges |
| Queensland | strawberries, blueberries, citrus, sunflowers and flowers | Brisbane & South-East Queensland |
| South Australia | flowers | Adelaide Hills |
| Western Australia | strawberries and citrus | Swan Valley |
Gisborne · Macedon Ranges
Bilpin · Bilpin & the Hawkesbury
Landers Shoot · Sunshine Coast
Carabooda · Swan Valley
Herne Hill · Swan Valley
Sackville North · Bilpin & the Hawkesbury
Mountain River · Hobart & the Huon Valley
Stanthorpe · Granite Belt
Meadows · Adelaide Hills
Mount Charlton · Mackay & Whitsundays
Meadowvale · Bundaberg & Wide Bay
Thirlmere · Sydney Basin
Wagga Wagga · Riverina & South Coast
Bilpin · Bilpin & the Hawkesbury
Bilpin · Sydney Basin
Choose a crop and location. We will email you when local farms begin opening.
September is when spring picking properly begins. NSW's Hawkesbury strawberry season restarts, Queensland's Scenic Rim and Bundaberg strawberries continue, and mango season starts on the Atherton Tablelands and in the NT's Top End. Citrus is still available in several states, lavender opens in the Adelaide Hills and Illawarra, and sunflowers begin in Queensland's Lockyer Valley. Tasmania, the ACT and most of Victoria remain quiet.
Yes, in several states. NSW's Hawkesbury and Bilpin strawberry season typically starts up again in September, Queensland's Scenic Rim, Brisbane and Bundaberg farms continue their season, and WA's Swan Valley and Wanneroo keep going too. It's one of the better spring months for strawberry picking nationally, though it's still worth calling ahead to check individual farms are open.
Yes, September is early in the mango season for the northern regions that grow it. The Atherton Tablelands in Far North Queensland typically start in September, as does Darwin rural in the NT's Top End, with Katherine's season beginning around the same time. Full mango availability usually builds through October and November, so early September can still be patchy.
September marks the start of lavender season in the Adelaide Hills, typically the first pick-your-own crop of the year there after a quiet winter. It's worth calling ahead early in the month, as flowering can vary with weather, before other Adelaide Hills crops like berries and stone fruit begin later in spring and summer.
Many spring farms, especially new-season strawberry and lavender patches, take walk-ins, but booking is worthwhile on weekends or if you're travelling any distance, since early-season picking windows can be short and weather-dependent. Calling ahead also confirms which crops are actually ready, since some spring seasons start a little earlier or later than usual.
Swan Valley strawberry season is getting going through September, with farms like H&N Strawberries in Gnangara opening for the new season and Ti Strawberry Farm in Bullsbrook continuing from its August start. It's also the last month for some Swan Valley citrus, with Swan Valley Sisters in Henley Brook typically finishing its oranges, lemons and mandarins by the end of September. Up in the Perth Hills, Carmel Cherry Farm in Carmel has loquats ready, well ahead of its cherry season later in the year. It's worth calling ahead, since exact opening dates shift with the season.
In some regions, yes, but September marks the last month for several citrus farms. NSW's Watkins Family Farm in Laughtondale and WA's Swan Valley Sisters in Henley Brook both typically finish their citrus picking by the end of September. Not every farm closes this early, though — Meliora Farm at Peats Ridge on the NSW Central Coast keeps its citrus picking going into December, and Victoria's Yarra Valley citrus is only just entering its final month there. It's worth checking with individual farms, since citrus windows vary a lot by region and variety.
