Top 7 Places for Cherry Picking Near Melbourne

by Gayle Beveridge-Marien (subscribe)

Cherry Picking Season is Here!

Cherry season is well under way in Victoria, having started in mid-November 2022. It runs until early to mid-January 2023. A couple of the U-Pick sites have already exhausted their harvest but take heart, you haven't missed out. There are still plenty of places where you can pick your own fresh cherries.


Cherry picking is a fun family activity. Most places allow you to eat as much as you like while you pick and include this as part of the entry fee. Prices per kilogram vary from place to place and you might want to check these out before you choose where to go.

Succulent fresh cherries are a delight to snack on, and good for you too. But don't stop there; think of all the wonderful things you can make with cherries. Cherry pie. Black Forest cake. Cherries jubilee. Cherry ice-cream. Cherry strudel. Cherry cobbler. I could go on, but why don't you head off to one of these orchards near Melbourne, pick some cherries and make your own mouth-watering desserts.


1. Archerri Estate in Silvan

Situated in the beautiful Yarra Valley, the Archerri Estate grows ten varieties of cherries, two white cherry varieties and eight red varieties. Your cherry pick pass allows for three hours of cherry picking and all the cherries you can eat while you are in the orchard. Your take-home cherries are paid for by weight.


Where: 40 Graham Road, Silvan
Website: https://www.archerriestate.com.au/
Email: info@archerriestate.com.au
Opening times: 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm, mid-November 2022 to early January2023. Usually closed Mondays and Tuesdays, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day.
Session Times: 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm


Costs: Adult $14, Children 3 to 18 years $3, Children under 3 for free. Your cherry pick pass allows for three hours of cherry picking and all the cherries you can eat while you are in the orchard. Your take-home cherries are paid for by weight at $20.00 per kilogram
Bookings: Bookings can be made on-line at https://www.archerriestate.com.au/online-booking where you will find a calendar showing the opening days.
Facilities: Public toilets

2. Big Fella Cherries in Coldstream

Pick your own succulent and plump Big Fella Cherries straight off the trees in the cherry orchard.

Where: 38 Boundary Road, Coldstream, around an hour's drive from the Melbourne CBD on the Maroondah Highway.
Website: https://www.facebook.com/Big-Fella-Cherries-365408946973785/
Phone Number: 0425 774 649
Email: bigfellacherries@hotmail.com


Opening times: 9am to 4:30 pm mid-November 2022 to early January 2023 excluding Christmas Day. Check their Facebook page for specific opening days.
Session Times: 9am to 4:30 pm.
Costs: $17 Adult (Saturday to Sunday), $14 (Monday to Friday), Child $7.50 Children under 5 for free. Your take-home cherries are charged at $16.50 per kilogram. There is no time limit on your entry pass.
Bookings: Bookings are not required, just come on over.

3. Blue Hills Berries and Cherries in Silvan

Blue Hills Berries and Cherries is run by the Chapman family. The family has a long history in the area dating back to 1894 and has a wealth of knowledge in growing quality fruit. Pick your cherries straight from the tree. Your cherries are paid for by weight but your entry pass includes all you can eat while you are in the orchard, the free hire of a picking bucket and a picking demonstration.


Where: 30 Chapman Road, Silvan and 55 George Road, Silvan. Additionally, there is an in-season Farm Gate shop at 7 Parker Road, Silvan is just one hour's drive from the Melbourne CBD.
Website: https://www.upickberries.com.au/
Phone Number: (03) 9737 9130
Email: info@upickberries.com.au
Opening times: Chapman Road - 28th and 29th December 2022, 9am to 4pm. Additional opening dates as cherries become available. Check their website. In early January 2023 both picking sites will be open seven days a week depending of cherry availability; Chapman Road from 9am to 4pm and George Road from 9am to 4.30pm.


Session Times: 9am—11am, 11.30am—1.30pm, 2pm—4.30pm
Costs: Weekdays: Adults $15, Children 5 to 14 years $7.50, Concession $13.50 and children under 5 years enter for free. Weekends: Adults $18, Children 5 to 14 years $9, Concession $16.50 and children under 5 years enter for free. Your cherries are paid for by weight at $15.00 per kilogram on exit, but your entry pass includes all you can eat while you are in the orchard, the free hire of a picking bucket and a picking demonstration.
Bookings: Bookings are required and can be made online https://www.upickberries.com.au/online-shop/ Gift vouchers are available.
Facilities: Public toilets, car and bus parking and EFTPOS facilities.
Near-by: The orchards are only a twenty minutes' drive from the Puffing Billy Railway and are close to the Silvan Reservoir where there are picturesque picnic areas.

4. Cherry Haven U-Pick in Wandin East

Cherry Haven is owned and run by Rod and Christine White, and Naomi and Jordan Lawton, and specialises in U-Pick. Taste the different varieties of cherries but please pick only those you mean to purchase.


Where: 470 Queens Road, Wandin East, at the end of Cherry Lane. (Enter Cherry Lane in Wandin East in your GPS.) Detailed directions can be found at www.cherryhaven.com.au/index.php/location
Website: www.cherryhaven.com.au/
Phone Number: 0408 805 359
Email: cherryhaven@gmail.com


Opening times: 9am to 5pm. Check the website for opening days which are dependent on cherry availability.
Costs: Adults $18, Children 4 to 13 years old $9, Children under 3 for free. Your take-home cherries are $14 per kilogram.
Bookings: Bookings are not required but check the website for opening times.
Facilities: EFTPOS available for purchases over $10

5. Cherry Hill Orchards in Wandin East and Coldstream

The Cherry Picking Festival 2022/23 is on at Cherry Hill Orchards from 14th November 2023 to early January 2023. This is a cherry picking site on steroids with not only two picking sites but the addition of dining facilities and even hot air ballooning packages. Cherry Hill Orchards is a third-generation family business which began in 1940.


Where: 474-480 Queens Road, Wandin East, and 739 Maroondah Highway, Coldstream. Both sites are around an hour's drive from the Melbourne CBD.
Website: https://cherryhill.com.au/
Phone Number: 1300 243 779
Opening times: 9am to 3pm. Coldstream 14th November to 31st December 2022. Wandin East 1st December 2022 to January 2023.
Session Times: Sessions are for 2 hours of picking plus 30 minutes for administration and exit.


Costs: Weekdays Adult $19.50, Children 4 to 13 years $10.50, Family (2 adults and 2 children) $55 and Children under 3 for free. Weekends and public holidays Adult $22.50, Children 4 to 13 years $12.50, Family (2 adults and 2 children) $60 and Children under 3 for free. Eat as many cherries as you like in the orchard. Your take-home cherries are charged by weight.
Bookings: Bookings are essential and can be made on-line for both sites at https://cherryhill.com.au/select-your-pick-your-own-cherry-location/
Facilities: On-site café or food trucks.
Dining: Both sites have dining facilities; Luxe Lounge in the Orchard at Wandin East and Rochford Lunch and Cherries in Coldstream.
Hot Air Ballooning: They also offer Ballooning Breakfast and Cherries for $880 per couple.

6. Natureripe Fruits in Bacchus Marsh
Natureripe Fruits grows white, red and sour cherries across six hectares. It is a family business of over twenty years standing.


Where: 638 Bacchus Marsh Road, Bacchus Marsh. Bacchus Marsh is around fifty minutes from the Melbourne CBD on the National Highway.
Website: https://www.naturipe.com.au/
Phone Number: 0419 340 363
Opening times: Open on select days from 9am to 5pm through December 2022 and January 2023 depending in the availability of fruit. Check the website for updated days.
Costs: Adults $8, Children $5. Take-home cherries $13 per kilogram.
Facilities: Fresh and gourmet fruit sales.

7. Ripe 'N' Ready Cherry Farm in Red Hill
Ripe 'N' Ready practises sustainable farming. They have their own bee hives, as well as pasture fed chickens and ducks.


Where: 52 Arkwells lane, Red Hill, Mornington Peninsula.
Website: https://www.ripenreadycherryfarm.com/pick-your-own
Phone Number: (03) 5989 2578
Email: mrcherryfarmer@gmail.com
Opening times: 9am to 5pm daily, mid-November 2022 to mid-January 2023 depending on weather and the availability of fruit. Check their website and Facebook page for updates. Last entry for picking is 4pm. They may close earlier on busy days.

Costs: Adult $20, Children 3 to 15 years $10, Children under 3 for free. The entry pass includes all you eat while you are in the orchard. Your take-home cherries are charged at $15 to $20 per kilogram.
Bookings: Bookings are not required
Facilities: Farm shop.

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Why? Cherry picking is a tasty and fun family activity

When: Mid-November 2022 to early to mid-January 2023 dependent on fruit availability. Chek the websites for updates.

Phone: Contact details are shown throughout the article

Where: Addresses are listed

Cost: There are entry costs and your take-home cherries are paid pre kilogram. Prices vary so check these out before deciding where to go.

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