Where to Go Fruit Picking in Sydney with Kids

If you’ve been reading the Kid Bucket List for a while, you’ll know that we embark on fruit picking trips a few times a year. It is one of our favourite activities that the whole family loves to do as often as we can, preferably before the crowds converge. Picking fruit in Sydney is an adventure that always results in lots of laughs and much fun.

Fruit Picking in Sydney with Kids

These days, our society is built on convenience and instant fixes. Need a mango out of season? No problem, head to your local supermarket. 

Fruit today is likely to be on the shelf after being in cold storage since it was picked off the tree. For this reason, many kids today have no idea which fruit grows in which season, or even where fruit has been sourced. 

Fruit picking with kids is an incredible teaching moment, and if you’re in Sydney, I have the perfect places for you to head!

Fruit Picking Season | What Month to Get What

Our Fruit Picking Sydney resource provides a rough guide to the fruit-picking season throughout the year, based on the seasonal harvest. Depending on the weather, fruit can arrive early, and sometimes the season can end quickly. Keeping an eye on your favourite growers’ websites and social media will give you a good indication of what is available and when.

Fruit

Fruit Picking Farms

Allambie Orchard

Allambie Orchard is a family-run farm that caters exclusively to people who want to pick their own cherries. The orchard boasts many varieties of cherries to choose from, whether you prefer big, dark cherries or sour ones. Keep in mind that different varieties of cherries ripen at different times, so check their website to keep up to date, 

Address: 3725 Olympic Highway Wombat NSW 2587

Open: Mid-November through to the end of December. The first weekend in December is considered the best.

Website: www.allambieorchard.com

Distance from Sydney: approximately 363km or 3 hours 53 minutes by car

Anderson Farm

Anderson Farm is nestled on the banks of the Hawkesbury River and boasts an orchard brimming with mandarins, oranges and lemons. You can pick your own fruit, and enjoy a picnic with the orchard providing picnic tables and BBQs. 

Address: 968 Sackville Ferry Rd, Sackville North NSW 2756

Open:  Daily through Mandarin season

Website: https://andersonfarm.com.au/

Distance from Sydney: approximately 80km or 1 hour 15 minutes by car

Berrylicious Strawberries

Berrylicious Strawberries are very popular, and their bookings book out quickly. Head to their Facebook page to check in and book your session or you are likely to miss out. 

Address: 200 West Parade,  Thirlmere, New South Wales **shortly changing sites

Open: 9.00 am to 13.00 Monday to Friday. Some weekends. Must contact to book in.

Website: Berrylicious Strawberries Facebook page

Distance from Sydney: approximately 97.4 km or 1 hour 15 minutes by car

Bilpin Fruit Bowl

The Bilpin Fruit Bowl has been family-owned and operated by the Tadrosse family since 1985 and boasts a vast range of produce, including a wide array of apple varieties. Check their Facebook page for regular updates on opening times. The farm is open on weekends only and public holidays, strictly between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm. Entry to the farm outside these times is not permitted.

Address: 2093 Bells Line of Road, Bilpin

Open: 7 days a week from 8.00 am till 5.30 pm. Closed Christmas Day.

Website: www.bilpinfruitbowl.com.au

Distance from Sydney: approximately 88km or 1 hour 20 minutes by car

Bilpin Springs Orchard

Bilpin Springs Orchard is a small orchard in the Blue Mountains growing apples, stone fruit, pears and more. This orchard originally sent its fruit to the markets but transitioned to become a purely ‘Pick Your Own’ orchard in the 1990s. 

Address: 2550 Bells Line of Road, Bilpin, NSW

Open: Only open on Saturday and Sunday. Check the website for times

Website: www.bilpinspringsorchard.com.au

Distance from Sydney: approximately 110km or 1 hour 43 minutes by car

Canoelands Orchard

Canoelands is enormous and boasts not only fruit picking but tractor rides, animal petting and feeding, a café, a picnic area, and a small playground. They also grow a bumper amount of fruit, including nectarines, peaches, plums, blueberries, strawberries,  apples, pomegranates, tomatoes, eggplants, persimmons, figs, tamarillos, feijoas, mandarins, oranges, lemons, limes, and finger limes

Address: 27 Canoelands Rd Canoelands NSW 2157

Open: 9.00 am – 5.00 pm, 7 days per week.

Website: www.canoelandsorchard.com

Distance from Sydney: approximately 61km or 1 hour by car

Cedar Creek Orchards

Cedar Creek Orchard is a 45ha property just outside Picton. Estonian immigrant, Hugo Silm purchased the property in 1937, planting the orchard’s first trees in 1940. In 1980, Hugo’s sons returned to the farm after completing university and increased the orchard’s trees from 6,500 to 30,000 over the next decade. 

The fourth generation is now running the farm, and they grow apples, peaches, nectarines, and persimmons.

Address: 269 Mulhollands Rd, Thirlmere NSW 2572

Open: November – May. Bookings essential. See website for details.

Website: cedarcreekorchards.com.auDistance from Sydney: approximately 96km or 1 hour 13 minutes by car

Clyde River Berry Farm

Clyde River Berry Farm is nestled on the banks of the NSW South Coast’s pristine Clyde River in the middle of the Brooman State Forest.  They are open for Pick Your Own berries in December and January. Check their Facebook Page to stay up-to-date on their hours of operation. 

Address: LOT 22 The River Rd, Mogood NSW 2538

Open: December & January 10.00 am to 5.00 pm, 7 days a week  (Closed Christmas Day)

Website: www.clyderiverberryfarm.com.au

Distance from Sydney: approximately 261km or 3 hours 44 minutes by car

Fords Farm

This orchard was founded over 60 years ago by the Ford family. The farm is bounded by the Hawkesbury River and Marra Marra National Park. A great day out!

Fruit: Satsuma and Imperial Mandarins, Tahitian Limes and Cumquats.

Address: 1275 Singleton Road, Laughtondale (via Wisemans Ferry), NSW 2775

Open: Open every weekend from the end of May until all the fruit has been picked (approximately 6 weeks).

Website: www.fordsfarm.com.au

Distance from Sydney: approximately 87km or 1 hour 27 minutes by car

Glenbernie Orchard

One of our favourite orchards to visit, and we often start at the Apple Shack to grab some fresh produce. Glenbernie Orchard was developed by the Fahey family in 1939 and is still thriving, six generations later, boasting approximately 100 acres with 22,500 fruit trees planted.

The Glenbernie Orchard is on the Illawarra Escarpment, next to the Dharawal National Park. The orchards fruit picking season is from November to April. Nectarines and peaches begin mid-November, apples are from late January to – end of April. Bookings are essential.

Fruit: Apples, peaches, nectarines and persimmons. Apple cider apples and heritage apples are grown for use in cider making. Honey is harvested from within the farm and sold at the Apple Shack along with fresh fruit

Address: 259 Darkes Forest Rd Darkes Forest NSW 2508

Open: November to April

Website:  https://www.darkes.com.au/

Distance from Sydney: approximately 60km or 58 minutes by car

Kookootonga Nut Farm

Kookootonga Nut Farm is our favourite chestnut farm, and we head up every year to source a bag of chestnuts for our winter tummies. Kookootonga has been owned by the Scrivener family since 1897, and the first chestnuts and walnuts were planted over 100 years ago. Bill and Ruth Scrivener created the majority of the orchard during the 1950s and 1960s.

Fruit: chestnuts, walnuts

Address: 247 Mt. Irvine Road, Mt. Irvine

Open: March and April each year. Check the website for details

Website: www.kookootonga.com.au

Distance from Sydney: approximately 135km or 2 hours 9 minutes by car

Read about our visit to Kookootonga

Nutwood Farm

Nutwood Farm is spread over 20 acres and opens from mid-March to late April for the chestnut season. 

Address: 22 Danes Way Mt. Irvine NSW 2786.

Open: March and April each year.

Website: Nutwood Farm Facebook Page

Distance from Sydney: approximately 135km or 2 hour 10 minutes by car

Pine Crest Orchard

Pine Crest Orchard has been a family run business for over half a century!! John and Erica Galbraith raised their seven kids on the orchard and are now teaching their nine grandchildren all about growing fruit. John has taught horticulture at university and TAFE for a number of years, so if you spot him, make sure you ask him all your growing questions about the orchard!

Address: 2549 Bells Line of Road, Bilpin

Open: December – April

Website: Head to their Facebook page for the latest news

Distance from Sydney: approximately 92km or 1 hour 24 minutes by car

Watkins Family Farm

We love Watkins Family Farm and visit every year. You can read about our adventures here. Grab a bucket and fill it with mandarins. The kids can also enjoy petting and feeding the sheep. 

Address: 1006 Singleton Road, Lower Hawkesbury, Via Wisemans Ferry NSW 2775

Open: Open all weekend, weekdays by appointment, in-season

Website: watkinsfarm.com.au

Distance from Sydney: approximately 85km or 1 hour 23 minutes by car

Fruit Farms in Sydney | Fruit Picking Sydney Map

Important Information Before Setting Off

The fruit farms around Sydney are all privately owned, with most farmers making their annual income from the harvest and farm gate produce you are picking. When fruit picking in Sydney with your children, please be mindful of this and take your rubbish home with you.

As most locations are working farms, they don’t all have toileting facilities. We always stop at a public toilet before arriving at the fruit farms around Sydney, so we are prepared. 

It is key that you check the website or social media of the farms you are visiting, as some harvests are picked early, and you don’t want to drive out only to discover they are closed.

With all of these options, where will you be heading first?

Have we forgotten a great place? Let us know, and we will add it. Have we forgotten a fruit? Let us know too!

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Fruit Picking Around Australia

As we travel further around Australia, we are compiling additional resources for you, including fruit picking opportunities, throughout the country. We hope these help you plan your trip.

If you’re heading to Melbourne anytime soon, be sure to add the Mornington Peninsula Farm Gates to your experience. (The Peninsula Hot Springs are at the top of our list if you can squeeze them in!).

Fruit picking near Melbourne is a useful resource. Check it out if you don’t mind driving a bit outside the CBD for some fruit picking.

If you are in Western Australia, check out our guide to strawberry picking in Perth.