Nectarine picking is between seasons across most of Australia in September. We list 15 pick-your-own nectarine farms nationally — see the season table below for when picking reopens in your state.
Nectarines share an orchard and a season with peaches almost everywhere in Australia, so the picking calendar follows the same summer pattern, generally November to February with a peak in December and January. Queensland's Granite Belt is typically first, picking from November into December, while NSW's Hawkesbury-Bilpin district and the Illawarra/Southern Highlands run November through February. Victoria's Yarra Valley and Bacchus Marsh orchards, along with the Perth Hills in WA, pick through December and January, and Canberra's Pialligo growers come in a little later, mostly January to February. Because nectarines and peaches are grown side by side at most orchards, a single visit often turns up both, along with plums and apricots depending on the farm. Picking is usually pay-for-what-you-pick by weight, sometimes with a modest entry or bucket-rental fee. Expect roughly $4.50 to $8 a kilogram, with entry fees, where they apply, around $5 to $8 per adult.
Nectarine season in Australia runs from around October through to May depending on the state, with the core picking window across most orchards falling between December and February. In New South Wales, Canoelands Orchard north of Sydney opens as early as October, while the Hawkesbury-Bilpin district — including Bilpin Fruit Bowl and TNT Produce — and Darkes Forest's Glenbernie Orchard pick from mid-November. Victoria's nectarine orchards pick from December, running through to February at Payne's Orchards in Bacchus Marsh and through to March at Rayner's Orchard in the Dandenong Ranges. Western Australia's Perth Hills orchards, including S&R Orchard and Tony's Summer Fruits, pick from December into March or April. Tasmania's season stretches furthest — Sorell Fruit Farm near Hobart lists stone fruit alongside apples and berries from December through to May. For the full month-by-month picture across every fruit, see the fruit picking season calendar.
Commercial orchards grow dozens of named nectarine cultivars, and few farms publish which ones they're carrying on any given weekend, so rather than list cultivar names we can't verify per farm, here's how the main types differ — useful to know when you're deciding what to pick.
| Type | Typical timing in the season | Where it's grown | Flavour and notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow-flesh, clingstone | Early to mid-season | NSW, VIC, WA | Firm, tangy-sweet flesh that holds onto the stone; often among the first nectarines available each season |
| Yellow-flesh, freestone | Mid to late season | NSW, VIC, WA, TAS | The stone lifts away cleanly once ripe; generally sweeter and softer than clingstone types, and the style most commonly offered for picking |
| White-flesh | Mid-season | Grown in smaller numbers across NSW and VIC orchards | Lower acid and very sweet; the skin bruises more easily than yellow-flesh types, so it's best eaten within a day or two of picking |
| Donut (flat) nectarine | Mid to late season | Occasionally grown alongside standard varieties | Flattened shape, mild and sweet; less widely planted than round varieties, so ask a farm before visiting if this is what you're after |
Sydney: The closest pick-your-own nectarines to the CBD are at Canoelands Orchard, about an hour north, where nectarines are priced by the kilo alongside plums. Further along the Hawkesbury-Bilpin district, Bilpin Fruit Bowl and TNT Produce both grow nectarines among a wide mix of stone fruit and vegetables. South-west of the city, Cedar Creek Orchard at Thirlmere lists nectarines from $4.50 a kilogram. See the full Sydney nectarine picking guide for opening times and current availability.
Melbourne: In the Dandenong Ranges, Rayner's Orchard at Woori Yallock runs guided tractor-tour picking that includes nectarines from December through to March, with tastings along the way. West of the city, Payne's Orchards at Bacchus Marsh charges a small entry fee and then prices fruit by weight. Further out towards Bendigo, The Orchard Keepers at Harcourt grows nectarines alongside cherries, apricots and plums. See the full Melbourne nectarine picking guide for exact dates.
Every farm named on this page comes from our verified directory, which currently confirms pick-your-own nectarines in New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia and Tasmania. Queensland, South Australia, the ACT and the Northern Territory don't have a verified pick-your-own nectarine listing in our directory at the moment. Western Australia's Perth Hills and Tasmania's south both have confirmed nectarine orchards — see the farm cards above — though neither has a dedicated city picking guide yet. Let us know if you're aware of a working farm we've missed.
Swipe to see all months. Peak and available windows are typical only and shift with the weather.
| State | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | Peak | Available | Available | Peak | Peak | |||||||
| Victoria | Peak | Available | Available | |||||||||
| Queensland | Available | Available | Available | Peak | ||||||||
| Western Australia | Peak | Available | Available | |||||||||
| Tasmania | Peak | Available | Available | |||||||||
| Australian Capital Territory | Peak | Available |
Bilpin · Bilpin & the Hawkesbury
Canoelands · Sydney Basin
Thirlmere · Sydney Basin
Darkes Forest · Illawarra & Southern Highlands
Bacchus Marsh · Macedon Ranges
Woori Yallock · Dandenong Ranges
Harcourt · Grampians & Ballarat
Drysdale · Geelong & the Bellarine
Walliston · Perth Hills
Carmel · Perth Hills
Sorell · Hobart & the Huon Valley
Cambridge · Hobart & the Huon Valley
Details may have changed. Call before travelling.
A ripe nectarine feels slightly soft near the stem end and releases from the branch with a gentle twist rather than a pull. Skip fruit that's still hard and deep green around the stem — it won't ripen well once picked. Nectarines bruise more easily than they look, so carry them in a shallow container rather than piled deep in a bucket. They'll keep a few days at room temperature or up to a week in the fridge, and soften further if picked slightly underripe.
Choose a crop and location. We will email you when local farms begin opening.
Nectarine picking generally runs from November to February, following the same calendar as peaches since the two are usually grown in the same orchards. Queensland's Granite Belt starts earliest, from November, with NSW's Hawkesbury-Bilpin district, Victoria's Yarra Valley and Bacchus Marsh, and the Perth Hills all picking through December and January. Canberra's orchards tend to run later, into January and February. Confirm with the farm before visiting, as timing shifts with the weather.
Most orchards price nectarines by weight rather than a flat fee, commonly around $4.50 to $8 a kilogram depending on the farm and season stage. Some charge a small entry fee or bucket rental on top, typically $5 to $8 per adult, with children often cheaper or free. A few farms run tasting or tour-style visits where picking is included, so it's worth asking what's covered when you book.
Yes. Canoelands Orchard, north of Sydney, and orchards in the Hawkesbury-Bilpin district, both about an hour to 90 minutes from the CBD, pick nectarines through the summer alongside peaches and plums. Cedar Creek Orchard in Thirlmere, roughly an hour southwest, is another option in the same window. Call ahead, since exact ripening dates vary year to year.
Yes, the Yarra Valley, under 90 minutes from the Melbourne CBD, has orchards growing nectarines alongside peaches, plums and apricots through December and January. Harcourt, near Bendigo, is a bit further out at around an hour and a half, and picks through a similar summer window. Both regions are worth combining with a stop for cherries or apples depending on the month.
Press gently near the stem end — ripe fruit gives slightly rather than feeling rock hard. It should come away from the branch with a light twist, not a firm pull, and often has a noticeable sweet smell up close. If the skin is still very green around the stem, leave it a few more days. Slightly firm fruit will keep softening once picked.
At some farms, yes. Canoelands Orchard charges $8 per adult and $5 per child (3-15) at the gate before nectarines are weighed at $6 a kilogram, and Payne's Orchards asks $5 per adult and $2 per child on top of pay-by-weight picking. Other farms, such as Cedar Creek Orchard, charge only for what you pick, from $4.50 a kilogram, with no separate entry cost listed. Fees can change between seasons, so confirm the current price when you book.
Yes — nectarines suit most temperate to warm-temperate Australian gardens, planted in full sun with free-draining soil, and many varieties are also available on dwarfing rootstock for pots or small backyards. They need a period of winter chill to fruit well and benefit from annual pruning to an open, vase-shaped canopy.
