What fruit is in season in April?

April is a peak apple and pear month nationally, with orchards busy from Bilpin and Orange to the Yarra Valley, Adelaide Hills and Perth Hills. Chestnuts start in the Blue Mountains, Dandenongs and WA's South West, pumpkins are ready in Victoria, and persimmons and early kiwifruit appear in the Perth Hills. Late strawberries and berries are still around in cooler pockets, but plants are past their best by April.

In some regions, yes, though April is very much the tail end. Late strawberries can still be found in the Hawkesbury and Orange in NSW, Queensland's Granite Belt, the Adelaide Hills, Tasmania and parts of Victoria, but yields are lower and windows can close quickly. Call the farm before you drive out to confirm the patch is still open and picking.

Yes, April is one of the strongest apple months of the year. Orchards in Bilpin, Orange and the Illawarra in NSW, the Yarra Valley, Dandenongs, Gippsland and Geelong in Victoria, the Adelaide Hills, and the Perth Hills and South West in WA are all in full swing, alongside Tasmania's statewide season and the ACT's Pialligo district.

Near Melbourne, April means apples at their peak in the Yarra Valley, Dandenongs and Geelong, pumpkins ready around Ballarat and Bendigo, and chestnut season starting in the Dandenongs. It's a good month for a mixed autumn picking trip, though it's worth checking with each farm what's currently ready, since patches move through their season at different rates.

April apple and pumpkin patches can get busy on weekends and school holidays, so book ahead where a farm offers it. Chestnut and olive picking is more niche and usually doesn't need a booking, but a quick call first is still worthwhile. As always, confirm opening hours and what's currently ready before you make the drive.