January sits at the height of the Australian summer, and it is the busiest month on the pick-your-own calendar almost everywhere except the tropical north. Berries are in full swing from the Adelaide Hills to the Yarra Valley and right across Tasmania, cherries are finishing their short, popular run in Orange, the Adelaide Hills and the Yarra Valley, and stone fruit — peaches, nectarines, plums and apricots — sits at its peak from the Hawkesbury to the Perth Hills. Early apples are just starting in a few cooler districts, with the main harvest still ahead in autumn. Up north the picture flips: tropical Queensland is past the best of its mango and lychee season, and Northern Territory picking options stay thin outside a handful of passionfruit farms. Expect crowds on warm January weekends, so check a farm's status and book ahead where you can.
Summer berries continue in the Hawkesbury and around Orange, cherries wrap up their short season in Orange and the Riverina, and stone fruit, figs and citrus are ripe from the Central Coast to the Bilpin fruit district.
Berry patches in the Yarra Valley and on the Mornington Peninsula are at their peak, cherries are finishing in the Dandenongs and Yarra Valley, and stone fruit is ripe from Bacchus Marsh to the Yarra Valley.
The cooler Granite Belt around Stanthorpe is picking strawberries and stone fruit through January, while the mango and lychee season further north is winding down and passionfruit keeps going in the south-east.
The Adelaide Hills are picking cherries, strawberries and blueberries through January, with sunflowers and lavender also open around Hahndorf and nearby.
Perth Hills orchards are picking stone fruit and early apples, while blueberries and raspberries continue in the South West around Manjimup and Pemberton.
Tasmania is at the peak of its statewide berry season in January, with strawberries, raspberries and blueberries ripe from Hobart and the Huon Valley to the north-west, alongside cherries and stone fruit.
Around Canberra, stone fruit and early apples are ripe at Pialligo, and cherries are still going in the nearby Young and Yass day-trip belt.
The Northern Territory has little dedicated pick-your-own on offer in January; passionfruit is about the only crop listed, grown around the Top End and Katherine.
| State | What's ripe | Where |
|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | strawberries, apples, cherries, blueberries and raspberries | Riverina & South Coast |
| Victoria | strawberries, cherries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries | Dandenong Ranges |
| Queensland | strawberries, peaches, nectarines, plums and sunflowers | Brisbane & South-East Queensland |
| South Australia | strawberries, cherries, blueberries, sunflowers and flowers | Adelaide Hills |
| Western Australia | apples, blueberries, raspberries, peaches and nectarines | Swan Valley |
| Tasmania | strawberries, cherries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries | Hobart & the Huon Valley |
| Australian Capital Territory | apples, cherries, peaches, nectarines and plums | Canberra Region |
Sackville North · Bilpin & the Hawkesbury
Stanthorpe · Granite Belt
Meadowvale · Bundaberg & Wide Bay
Thirlmere · Sydney Basin
Wagga Wagga · Riverina & South Coast
Bilpin · Bilpin & the Hawkesbury
Bilpin · Sydney Basin
Lorne · Coffs Coast
Brooklet · Northern Rivers
Kurrajong · Bilpin & the Hawkesbury
Bostobrick / Dorrigo · Coffs Coast
Bucca / Nana Glen · Coffs Coast
Chambers Flat · Brisbane & South-East Queensland
Mogood · Riverina & South Coast
Pickering Brook · Perth Hills
Applethorpe · Granite Belt
Choose a crop and location. We will email you when local farms begin opening.
January is peak summer picking across the southern states: strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries are widely available, along with the last of the cherry season in cool-climate areas like Orange, the Adelaide Hills and the Yarra Valley. Stone fruit — peaches, nectarines, plums and apricots — is at its best, and early apples are just beginning. In the tropical north, the mango and lychee harvest is tapering off.
Yes. January falls within the main strawberry window for most farms — the Hawkesbury and Orange districts in NSW, the Adelaide Hills, Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula and Tasmania's statewide season are all typically picking, plus Queensland's cooler Granite Belt. Individual farms can close early if hot weather or a wet spell affects the crop, so call ahead or check a farm's social media before you drive out.
It's ending. Most cherry orchards in Orange, the Adelaide Hills, the Yarra Valley and the Dandenongs run a short window from around mid-November to mid-January, so early January can still have fruit but picking is often finished by the third or fourth week. Tasmania's cherry season can run a little later. Call the orchard directly before visiting, as a good season can sell out fast.
In January the Granite Belt around Stanthorpe is Queensland's main pick-your-own destination, with strawberries and stone fruit like peaches, nectarines, plums and apricots ripe in its cooler climate. Further north, commercial mango and lychee orchards around Bundaberg and the Atherton Tablelands are past their peak, and passionfruit continues in the south-east. Queensland has less dedicated public picking than the southern states this month.
It depends on the farm, but January is a busy month, so booking ahead — or at least calling first — is a good idea, especially for popular berry and cherry farms on weekends and school holidays. Many farms use online booking systems or daily social media updates to show patch status. Smaller orchards may take walk-ins, but confirming hours before you drive saves a wasted trip.