October is mid-spring, and pick-your-own is waking up across the southern states while the north eases into the build-up. NSW and Western Australia are the standouts this month, with strawberries in full swing in the Hawkesbury-Bilpin district and the Swan Valley. Queensland's early strawberry crop from the Scenic Rim and Bundaberg is tailing off, but sunflowers and lavender are opening in the Lockyer Valley, and mangoes are just starting around Katherine in the Northern Territory. Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and the ACT are still quiet, with most berries and stone fruit weeks away from their summer peak. It's an early-bird month: pick strawberries up north while you can, or watch for the first spring flowers before the big December rush.
Strawberries are in full swing across the Hawkesbury and Bilpin, sunflowers are opening on the Central Coast, and blueberries are just starting there and on the Coffs Coast.
October is quiet for Victorian pick-your-own, with citrus in the Yarra Valley tailing off and the state's big strawberry and cherry season still a couple of months away.
Early strawberries from the Scenic Rim and Bundaberg are winding down, while sunflowers and lavender come into bloom in the Lockyer Valley.
Mulberries are ripe in the Riverland, and lavender is starting in the Adelaide Hills; most Adelaide Hills berries won't be ready until December.
Strawberries are at their best in the Swan Valley and Wanneroo, one of the more reliable picks going in October anywhere in the country.
Early strawberries are just beginning statewide, well ahead of the island's typical December-to-February peak.
October is quiet around Canberra, with the Young/Yass cherry season and other picking still a month or more away.
Mangoes are just starting around Katherine as the dry season continues, with citrus and passionfruit still ticking along statewide.
| State | What's ripe | Where |
|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | strawberries, blueberries, peaches, nectarines and plums | Riverina & South Coast |
| Victoria | strawberries and citrus | Dandenong Ranges |
| Queensland | strawberries, sunflowers and flowers | Brisbane & South-East Queensland |
| South Australia | strawberries, blackberries and flowers | Adelaide Hills |
| Western Australia | strawberries and blueberries | Swan Valley |
| Tasmania | strawberries | Hobart & the Huon Valley |
Stanthorpe · Granite Belt
Meadowvale · Bundaberg & Wide Bay
Thirlmere · Sydney Basin
Wagga Wagga · Riverina & South Coast
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
Applethorpe · Granite Belt
Wombat · Riverina & South Coast
Cudgen · Gold Coast Hinterland
Glass House Mountains · Sunshine Coast
Choose a crop and location. We will email you when local farms begin opening.
October is a two-speed month. NSW's Hawkesbury and Bilpin and WA's Swan Valley have strawberries in full swing, Queensland's early strawberry crop is tailing off, and Katherine's mangoes are just starting in the NT. Southern states — Victoria, SA, Tasmania and the ACT — are mostly quiet, with berries and cherries still weeks from their summer peak.
Yes, especially in NSW and WA. The Hawkesbury and Bilpin district in NSW and the Swan Valley and Wanneroo in WA typically have strawberries at their best in October. Tasmania has early strawberries starting too, but Victoria, SA and the ACT don't usually list strawberries until closer to December, so check before travelling south.
Generally yes. Cherry season typically starts around late November in most regions, with Victoria, SA, the ACT and QLD's Granite Belt usually peaking in December. October is too early to expect open cherry orchards, though some farms may start bookings for the coming season, so it's worth calling ahead if you're planning a December trip.
Katherine's mango season typically starts around October, joining ongoing dry-season crops of citrus and passionfruit around Darwin and Katherine. It's a reasonable month to combine a Top End trip with some picking, though the bigger mango volumes usually come a little later in the season.