Fruit Picking Near Melton: Bacchus Marsh Strawberries And Cherries
Late spring is when the farms along Bacchus Marsh Road wake up. Strawberries start at the end of October, cherries follow in November, and the stone fruit and apples carry the season through summer. From Strathtulloh, the closest pick-your-own paddocks are only about a quarter of an hour's drive away, which makes fruit picking one of the easiest, cheapest and most genuinely fun outings you can plan from Melbourne's west over the next two months.
Key Takeaway
Bacchus Marsh is one of the best-known pick-your-own areas around Melbourne, and its main farms sit on Bacchus Marsh Road, the road known as the Avenue of Honour. From Strathtulloh it is roughly 15 to 20 minutes by car. Naturipe Fruits opens for strawberries first, Payne's Orchards reopens in November with booked sessions, and both depend on how the fruit is ripening, so always check the farm's latest update on the morning you go.
Before You Drive Out
Fruit farms are working farms, not theme parks. A few quick checks make the difference between a great morning and a closed gate.
1Check the farm notice: Early-season hours can be short and some farms close once the ripe fruit is picked out.
2Book if required: Payne's Orchards runs pre-booked sessions; Naturipe posts its own opening times.
3Plan for the dog: Naturipe asks visitors to leave pets at home, so decide who minds the dog before you go.
Build The Day Around Three Easy Choices
A good picking day is short and relaxed. Give it one main farm, one Bacchus Marsh stop and one easy finish back at base.
1One farm: Strawberries at Naturipe in late October, or cherries once the season opens in November.
2One town stop: The visitor centre, the heritage trail or the 1000 Steps in nearby Darley.
3One slow afternoon: Wash the fruit, cook something with it and let the group rest.
Why Fruit Picking Is The Easy Spring Win From Strathtulloh
Strathtulloh sits on Melbourne's western edge beside Melton, with the open country running out towards Bacchus Marsh. That position is the whole point of this guide. While most Melbourne families have to give up half a day to reach a pick-your-own farm, guests staying in Strathtulloh can be in a strawberry paddock in about the time it takes to drive across a few suburbs.
Moorabool Shire Council describes Bacchus Marsh as known for its fresh fruit and vegetables and building a reputation as the best place in Victoria to pick your own fruit. The town has a long history as a market garden area, and the farms that remain along Bacchus Marsh Road still sell straight from the paddock and the packing shed.
Fruit picking also suits the season. October and November in Melbourne's west can swing between warm days, blustery afternoons and the occasional cold change. A picking session is short, flexible and easy to move to whichever morning looks best. It works for small children, grandparents, teenagers who claim they are not interested and then fill two punnets, and adults who mainly want good fruit at farm prices.
From Strathtulloh, the strawberry paddocks are closer than most of Melbourne's inner suburbs.
When Each Fruit Is Ready: The Spring And Summer Calendar
The single most useful thing to understand before booking a picking weekend is that every fruit has its own window. Moorabool Shire's fruit picking guide gives this general calendar for the area, and the farms' own websites line up closely with it.
Strawberries
Council guide: November to April. Naturipe says late October signals the start, with peak production typically around mid-November.
Cherries
Council guide: November and December. Naturipe's Bacchus Marsh main farm lists cherry season as starting early to mid November.
Peaches and nectarines
Council guide: December to February. Naturipe lists December to January for its stone fruit.
Apples
Council guide: January to May, with Naturipe listing February to May.
For the next two months, that gives a simple rule of thumb. A stay in mid to late October is a strawberry trip, and an early one, so expect shorter hours and smaller yields. From early November, strawberries build towards their peak and cherries should begin, which makes November the sweet spot for groups who want both.
None of these dates is a promise. Rain, heat and cold snaps all shift ripening by days or weeks, and the farms say plainly that picking times and fruit availability can vary daily. Treat the calendar as a guide for choosing your dates, then rely on the farm's own update for the day itself.
Naturipe Fruits: Where The Strawberry Season Starts
Naturipe Fruits is one of the best-known names in Bacchus Marsh pick-your-own. Its website lists two Bacchus Marsh locations on Bacchus Marsh Road: the main farm at 638 Bacchus Marsh Road and a strawberry farm at 534 Bacchus Marsh Road. It also runs a third farm near Ballarat at Leigh Creek, which is too far for an easy morning from Strathtulloh.
From Strathtulloh, the main farm is roughly 15 kilometres away, around 15 minutes by car in normal traffic. That is close enough to go out first thing, pick for an hour and be back before the day warms up.
In early October the farm's website showed the strawberry farm opening on weekends from 8.30am until sold out, with a warning that it may close early each day because production is still low at the start of the season. It also noted that peak production typically arrives around mid-November. Earlier listings for the farm have shown daily 9am to 5pm opening across the main season, so expect the hours to widen as the fruit comes on, but check before you leave.
Naturipe's published pick-your-own strawberry prices at the time of writing were:
Adult (16+)
$10, which includes 500g of strawberries.
Child (5 to 15)
$5, which includes 250g of strawberries.
Extra strawberries
$14 per kilogram beyond the included amount.
Because the entry price includes fruit, a strawberry visit is easy to budget. A group of four adults and four children, for example, would pay $60 in entry on those prices and walk away with three kilograms of strawberries before anyone pays for extra. Prices can change during the season, so confirm them on the day.
Early season means early startsWhen a farm opens "until sold out", the best fruit goes in the first hours. Arrive near opening time, especially on weekends and public holidays.
Cherry Season: What To Expect In November
Cherries are the fruit many people really want, and they have a shorter window than strawberries. Naturipe's site said its Bacchus Marsh main farm cherry season starts early to mid November, while its Ballarat farm normally starts in late December. Moorabool's council calendar gives November and December for cherries in the area.
Naturipe's published cherry prices at the time of writing were $8 entry for adults, $5 for children, and $13 to $15 per kilogram for the cherries you pick. Unlike the strawberry entry, cherry entry does not include fruit, so budget for the weight you take home as well.
Cherry picking is a different experience from strawberries. You are working at tree height rather than kneeling at a row, which many adults and older guests find easier on the back and knees. Small children may need a lift or a lower branch, and it is worth keeping an eye on how much is being eaten versus picked.
Later in summer, Naturipe lists free entry for peach, nectarine and apple picking, with peaches and nectarines at $4 per kilogram and apples at $3.50 per kilogram. That is beyond the next two months, but it is a good reason to come back in the new year.
Payne's Orchards: Booked Sessions On The Avenue Of Honour
Payne's Orchards is the other well-known name on Bacchus Marsh Road, at number 372. It sits a little further along the road towards town, roughly 18 kilometres or about 17 minutes from Strathtulloh by car.
At the time of writing, the orchard's website showed it closed for winter with a note that it would next open in November. Its pick-your-own season runs from November through to June as each fruit ripens and the weather permits, covering cherries, berries, apricots, peaches, nectarines and apples across the year.
The big difference from Naturipe is that Payne's works by pre-booking. Picking runs in 40-minute sessions starting on the hour, and entry is booked through the orchard's TryBooking link. Its listed 2026 entry prices are $5 per person aged 12 and over and $2 for children aged 3 to 11, and you then pay for the fruit you pick by the kilogram. Buckets are supplied.
Booked sessions suit groups well. You know your start time, you are not competing with a queue at the gate, and 40 minutes is long enough to fill buckets without children losing interest. The trade-off is less flexibility on a morning when the weather turns, so check the orchard's terms before you book.
Payne's also sells fresh produce from its sheds, with seasonal stone fruit, cherries, berries and apples, and occasionally preserves and smoking wood. If someone in the group would rather buy than pick, the shed covers them.
Book Payne's as soon as November sessions appearIf a cherry morning is the centrepiece of your stay, watch the orchard's website and book once sessions open rather than waiting until you arrive.
The Avenue Of Honour And The Farm Gates
Bacchus Marsh Road, which runs into town from the east, is also known as the Avenue of Honour. Moorabool Shire describes it as commemorating those who served in World War One, and it is the road you will travel on to reach both Naturipe and Payne's from Strathtulloh.
Council's fruit picking guide points visitors to the Avenue of Honour as the place to go, with farm-fresh produce available from roadside stalls and farm gates as well as farms that let you into the field to pick your own. That makes the drive part of the outing. Go slowly, look for signage and pull in where it is safe if a stall catches your eye.
Farm gates and roadside stalls tend to open with the produce rather than with a fixed timetable, so treat them as a bonus rather than a plan. If a particular stall matters to you, the Bacchus Marsh Visitor Information Centre is the best place to ask what is open that week.
How To Pick Well: Timing, Heat And Farm Manners
Morning is almost always the best time to pick. The fruit is cooler and firmer, the paddocks are calmer, and on early-season days the ripe fruit may be gone by the afternoon. Spring in Melbourne's west can also deliver a hot, windy afternoon with little warning, and strawberry rows offer no shade.
Naturipe asks guests to follow a short set of rules, and they are good manners at any farm:
1Only pick what you will take home: Fruit picked and left behind is wasted.
2Pay for and wash fruit before eating it: Tasting as you go is not part of the deal.
3Keep children with you: Children should be supervised at all times.
4Leave pets at home: Dogs are not part of a picking visit.
5Take rubbish with you: Leave the paddock as you found it.
Pick gently and follow any picking tips the farm staff give you on arrival. Fill containers loosely so the bottom layer is not crushed on the drive home, and put the fruit somewhere shaded in the car rather than on a sunny seat.
Wear closed shoes that can get muddy, a hat and sunscreen, and bring water. After rain, rows can be wet and slippery, so old clothes and a spare pair of socks in the car are worth the space.
Fruit Picking With Kids
Fruit picking is one of the rare outings that works for almost every age. Toddlers love the hunt for red berries, school-age children like the challenge of filling a container, and teenagers will often take charge of the cherry trees.
Keep the session short and the expectations simple. Forty minutes to an hour is plenty for most children. Give each child their own small container and a clear job, such as finding only the fully red strawberries, and stop while everyone is still having a good time.
Talk about the rules before you get out of the car: no eating in the rows until the fruit is paid for and washed, stay with an adult, and walk carefully between the plants. Naturipe asks for children to be supervised at all times, and that matters on a working farm.
Bring snacks and drinks for afterwards rather than relying on the fruit to fill hungry stomachs. One practical note: Naturipe has been listed as a farm where picnics are not allowed, so plan to eat elsewhere. A Bacchus Marsh park, a café in town or simply heading home for an early lunch all work.
Bringing The Dog: A Plan That Works For Everyone
Plenty of guests travel with a dog, and the honest answer is that pick-your-own farms are not a dog outing. Naturipe asks visitors to leave pets at home, and working farms with open fruit and food handling rarely make exceptions. Check Payne's own conditions before assuming otherwise.
That needs a little planning when you are away from home. If you are staying somewhere pet-friendly, read the house rules about leaving pets alone before the trip. Some stays ask that pets are not left locked inside while the property is unattended, and a hot car is never an option in spring sunshine.
The simplest solution is to split the group. One or two adults take the dog for a walk while the others pick, then everyone meets afterwards. In Bacchus Marsh, Moorabool Shire lists the 1000 Steps trail in Darley as dog-friendly on leash, which turns the swap into a proper outing for the walkers.
Make A Half-Day Of It In Bacchus Marsh
Bacchus Marsh sits close to the farms and turns a picking session into a fuller morning. Start at the Bacchus Marsh Visitor Information Centre at 215 Main Street. Council lists its hours as 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 4pm on Saturday and Sunday, with closures on some public holidays including Christmas Day and Good Friday. It is the place to ask about farm gates and what is in season.
The town's heritage trail is a gentle way to see the older side of Bacchus Marsh. Moorabool's trail highlights include the Courthouse from 1858, the Chicory Kiln built in 1885 to dry, grind and roast local chicory, and the Railway Station from 1887. Download the trail map from Moorabool Shire's website and choose a section that suits the group; it makes a good contrast with an hour in the paddocks.
For more energetic guests there is the Bacchus Marsh 1000+ Steps, which starts at Ramsay Crescent in Darley and climbs Bald Hill. Council describes it as more than 1000 steps and about 1.9 kilometres one way, with an elevation gain of around 300 metres, typically taking 30 minutes to an hour. There are rest stops, benches and a water fountain at the halfway point, and accessible parking, toilets and rest areas at the summit. Council also warns walkers to stay alert for snakes in the warmer months.
If the group wants a bigger nature day, Werribee Gorge and Long Forest are covered in the separate WTP guide to walks near Melton, so this guide keeps the focus on the fruit.
Pick first while it is cool, then let Bacchus Marsh fill the rest of the morning.
Timing A Stay Around The Melbourne Cup Long Weekend
Melbourne Cup Day falls on Tuesday 3 November 2026. Business Victoria lists it as a public holiday across Victoria, unless a non-metropolitan council has arranged an alternative local holiday. For many Melbourne households that turns the first weekend of November into a four-day break.
The timing lines up neatly with the fruit. By early November the strawberry crop should be building towards its typical mid-November peak, and cherries may be just starting at Naturipe's main farm. A Saturday to Tuesday stay gives you several mornings to choose from, which matters when hours depend on the crop.
Long weekends also bring crowds. Expect busier farm gates, earlier sell-outs and more cars on Bacchus Marsh Road, especially if the weather is fine. Go early, have a second farm or a town plan ready, and accept that the first fine morning of a holiday weekend will not be quiet.
What To Do With The Fruit Afterwards
Bringing home a few kilograms of fruit is part of the fun, but it pays to have a plan. Strawberries are at their best within a day or two, so sort them as soon as you are back: eat the softest first, keep the firmest for later and refrigerate them unwashed until you are ready to use them.
A full kitchen turns the haul into the evening's entertainment. Strawberries can go into breakfast bowls, a simple sponge, a pavlova or a batch of quick jam. Cherries are best eaten fresh, but they also work in a crumble or tossed through a salad. Older children can help hull, wash and chop, which keeps them busy on a slower afternoon.
Before heading home, pack fruit in a cool bag or esky and keep it out of the sun. A long drive in a hot car is the quickest way to turn a punnet of perfect strawberries into jam you did not plan to make.
Why Willows Arena House Suits A Bacchus Marsh Fruit Picking Weekend
Willows Arena House is a private whole-home stay in Strathtulloh, on the western side of Melbourne, which puts the Bacchus Marsh farms within a short drive rather than a day trip. That makes it easy to be at the farm gate near opening time, which is exactly what early-season picking needs.
The current listing shows a single-level home with four bedrooms, two bathrooms plus a powder room, and room for up to eight guests. It describes step-free access and a lit path to the entrance, which helps when grandparents or small children are part of the group.
The kitchen is the useful part after a morning in the paddocks. The listing describes a large island bench, gas cooktop, oven, rangehood, walk-in pantry, dishwasher, microwave and fridge, so there is space to wash, sort and store the fruit and cook something with it. There is also a laundry with a washing machine and utility sink for muddy picking clothes.
Guests have the whole home, with smart-lock self check-in, free on-site parking and an EV charger available on the premises. Garage access is not available during stays.
Pets are welcome with prior approval. The house rules ask guests to keep pets off bedding and furniture, not to keep pets locked up inside while the property is unattended, and to clean up after them, so plan who minds the dog while the others pick. Check the live Willows Arena House listing for the latest details before booking.
About this stay
Where Willows Arena House fits a fruit picking weekend
Willows Arena House is a single-level, four-bedroom home in Strathtulloh for up to eight guests, about 15 to 20 minutes from the strawberry and cherry farms on Bacchus Marsh Road. That is close enough to reach the farm gate near opening time, which matters early in the season.
Back at the house, the large kitchen with island bench, gas cooktop, oven and walk-in pantry gives you room to sort, store and cook the haul, and the secure backyard and second living area help the group unwind. Pets are welcome with prior approval, so plan who minds the dog while the others pick.
A picking weekend has a natural rhythm: an early start, a busy hour at the farm, then a slow middle of the day. The house setup suits that well. With four bedrooms, the early risers can head out without waking everyone, and two living areas give the group somewhere to spread out in the afternoon.
The listing describes sliding doors opening to a secure backyard with artificial turf, garden edging and a paved patio area connected to the home. That makes a handy spot for children to run off energy after being careful in the rows, and a place to sit outside with a bowl of cherries on a mild evening.
The open-plan kitchen, dining and living area keeps the cooks connected to everyone else, which matters when the afternoon plan is jam, pavlova or a long family dinner. With two bathrooms and a separate powder room, getting a group of eight cleaned up after a muddy morning is far less of a queue.
A Relaxed Two-Day Picking Weekend
Day One: Arrive, Settle And Check The Farms
Arrive, unload and take stock of the kitchen. Check Naturipe's latest update and, from November, whether Payne's has sessions available. Pick up breakfast supplies so the next morning can start without a detour.
If the dog is coming, agree the plan for tomorrow now: who picks, who walks and where you will meet.
Day Two Morning: Pick Early
Leave Strathtulloh in time to reach the farm near opening. Strawberries come first in late October; from November, add cherries if the season has started. Keep the session to about an hour.
Afterwards, drive into Bacchus Marsh. Stop at the visitor centre, walk part of the heritage trail or let the energetic members of the group tackle the 1000 Steps in Darley.
Day Two Afternoon: Cook And Rest
Head back to Strathtulloh before the day warms up. Sort and refrigerate the fruit, have a late lunch and leave the afternoon open. A simple dessert or a small batch of jam is enough of a project.
Optional Day Three: A Second Farm Or A Slower Morning
On a longer stay, try a different farm or fruit, buy from a farm shed on the way home, or skip the farms entirely and enjoy a quiet breakfast with the fruit you already have. If rain, wind or heat rules out picking, a farm shed can still supply fresh fruit, and the house becomes the plan for a slower day.
What To Pack For A Picking Weekend
Pack closed shoes that can get muddy, hats, sunscreen, water bottles and a light layer for cool mornings. Old clothes are best, because strawberry juice and wet soil both stain.
Bring a cool bag or esky and a few flat containers for the trip home, plus wipes or a small towel for sticky hands. Payne's says buckets are supplied, but your own containers help keep the fruit from being crushed in the car.
Bring cash and a card, a charged phone for bookings and farm updates, and snacks for after the session. For the kitchen, consider sugar, lemons and jars if you plan to make jam.
Before Leaving Home: Your Picking Weekend Check
1Season: Check which fruit each farm currently has, and whether it is opening on your dates.
2Hours: Confirm opening times on the morning you go, as early-season farms can close when sold out.
3Bookings: Book Payne's sessions through its TryBooking link once they are released.
4Prices: Check current entry and per-kilogram prices on each farm's website.
5Pets: Plan who minds the dog, and confirm the stay's pet approval and house rules.
6Weather: Check the forecast and any warnings, and pick the coolest morning available.
FAQs About Fruit Picking Near Melton And Bacchus Marsh
When does strawberry picking start in Bacchus Marsh?
Naturipe Fruits says late October signals the start of strawberry picking, with peak production typically around mid-November. Moorabool Shire's general guide lists strawberries and other berries from November to April. Early-season hours can be short, so check the farm's update before you go.
When is cherry picking season near Melton?
Naturipe's Bacchus Marsh main farm lists its cherry season as starting early to mid November, and council's guide gives November and December for cherries. Payne's Orchards' website said it would next open in November. Exact dates depend on the crop each year.
How far is Bacchus Marsh fruit picking from Strathtulloh?
Naturipe's main farm at 638 Bacchus Marsh Road is roughly 15 kilometres from Strathtulloh, around 15 minutes by car, and Payne's Orchards at 372 Bacchus Marsh Road is roughly 18 kilometres, around 17 minutes. Allow extra time on busy weekends.
How much does strawberry picking cost at Naturipe?
At the time of writing, Naturipe listed adult entry (16+) at $10 including 500g of strawberries, child entry (5 to 15) at $5 including 250g, and extra strawberries at $14 per kilogram. Check the farm's website for current prices.
Do I need to book fruit picking in Bacchus Marsh?
It depends on the farm. Payne's Orchards runs 40-minute sessions by pre-booking through TryBooking. Naturipe publishes opening times on its website, so check there for any changes on the day.
Can I bring my dog fruit picking?
Naturipe asks visitors to leave pets at home. Plan for someone to mind or walk the dog while the others pick. The Bacchus Marsh 1000+ Steps trail in Darley is listed by council as dog-friendly on leash.
What else is there to do in Bacchus Marsh after picking?
Visit the Bacchus Marsh Visitor Information Centre at 215 Main Street, follow the heritage trail past the 1858 Courthouse, the 1885 Chicory Kiln and the 1887 Railway Station, or climb the 1000+ Steps up Bald Hill in Darley.
Is Melbourne Cup Day a good time to go fruit picking?
Melbourne Cup Day is Tuesday 3 November 2026, a public holiday across most of Victoria, and the long weekend falls as strawberries build and cherries may be starting. Expect crowds and early sell-outs, so arrive near opening time.
How many guests can Willows Arena House sleep?
The current listing shows four bedrooms, two bathrooms plus a powder room, and room for up to eight guests in a single-level home in Strathtulloh. Check the live listing for the latest details.
Is Willows Arena House pet-friendly?
Pets are welcome with prior approval. The house rules ask guests to keep pets off bedding and furniture, not to keep pets locked up inside while the property is unattended, and to clean up after them.
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