Nectarine picking near Melbourne isn't as common as berries or cherries, but there's a genuine choice within about an hour to 90 minutes of the city — the Yarra Valley at Woori Yallock and the Bellarine Peninsula near Geelong, at Drysdale and Wallington. The Yarra Valley season generally runs December through February, peaking January, while the Bellarine growers stretch their broader stone-fruit picking from November into March. Nectarines usually sit alongside peaches, plums and apricots on these orchards rather than as a single-crop farm.
Rayner's Orchard at Woori Yallock is the clear standout, growing named nectarine varieties among more than 450 fruit varieties across the property, with a guided tractor tour and tasting available alongside the picking. Pricing is typically pay-by-weight rather than a flat fee, and a couple of the Bellarine orchards are cash-only, so it's worth checking payment options before you drive out, along with current picking availability for the week.
3 farms
Wallington · Geelong & the Bellarine
Around Geelong, about an hour south-west of Melbourne
Woori Yallock · Dandenong Ranges
About an hour east of Melbourne
Drysdale · Geelong & the Bellarine
Around Geelong, about an hour south-west of Melbourne
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The main option is Rayner's Orchard at Woori Yallock in the Yarra Valley, which grows nectarines alongside peaches, plums, apricots and cherries. On the Bellarine Peninsula near Geelong, Tuckerberry Hill Berry Farm at Drysdale and Lomas Orchards at Wallington both pick general stone fruit that includes nectarines through summer, so check current availability before visiting either.
Woori Yallock in the Yarra Valley is about an hour east of the city via the Maroondah Highway. The Bellarine Peninsula orchards near Drysdale and Wallington are a similar distance south-west, close to an hour past Geelong. Both routes are straightforward day trips and can easily be combined with wineries or the coast.
The Yarra Valley nectarine season runs roughly December to February, peaking in January. The Bellarine orchards pick general stone fruit, including nectarines, from around November through March depending on the variety and the season's weather. Because stone fruit ripens unevenly year to year, it's worth calling ahead or checking a farm's social media for what's currently ready.
Rayner's Orchard requires booking for its guided tractor tour and tasting experience, which includes the u-pick component, so reserve ahead through their online booking system. The Bellarine orchards are more casual pay-by-weight visits without a formal booking requirement, though checking their Instagram picking updates first will save a wasted trip if fruit isn't ready.