In November, strawberry picking is in season near Melbourne. We list 11 farms within about 90 minutes of the city — compare seasons, prices and booking below, then call ahead to confirm what's ripe.
Strawberry picking within reach of Melbourne stretches from the Yarra Valley and Dandenongs through the Mornington Peninsula, Geelong's Bellarine hinterland and out into Gippsland, all sitting within about a 90-minute drive of the CBD depending on which cluster you choose. Victoria's season is a long one, generally October through to May, with December to February the sweetest stretch. Pricing splits fairly evenly between punnet-based entry fees and straight pay-by-weight, so it's worth asking at the gate. The Berry Dairy at Maffra in Gippsland keeps things simple for families, with a three-dollar entry fee (free under five) and punnets from six dollars, running from September through to May. Closer to the city, Yarra Valley farms like Jay Berries add tractor rides for a bit of extra fun on top of the picking itself.
| Farm | Status | Typical season | Entry / price | Booking | Kids | Drive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Hills Berries and Cherries | In season | Nov-Jan; Late Oct-Apr | — | Booking required | Yes | About an hour east of Melbourne |
| Hawkes Farm | In season | Occasional tractor-tour open days only (last: 4 Apr 2026) | Tractor tour $15 incl. a bag of carrots to pick; under 2s free | Booking required | Yes | About an hour south of Melbourne |
| Jay Berries | In season | Oct-Mar (varies by fruit) | Entry fee (approx $5-8 per person in older sources) includes tasting and picking containers; produce weighed and charged per kilogram; tractor rides for extra fee | — | Yes | About an hour east of Melbourne |
| Lomas Orchards | In season | Nov-May | Pick your own strawberries priced by weight (pay per kilogram picked). Cash only - no EFTPOS on site, nearest ATMs in Ocean Grove/Leopold. | — | Yes | Around Geelong, about an hour south-west of Melbourne |
| Macca's Farm | In season | Sep-Apr | Not specified in sources checked; containers provided or bring your own | No booking needed | Yes | An hour or more east of Melbourne |
| Rocky Creek Strawberry Farm | In season | Nov-Apr | — | No booking needed | Yes | About an hour south of Melbourne |
| Sunny Creek Organic Fruit & Berry Farm | In season | Dec-Apr; Feb-Apr | Farm gate entry $12/adult, $8/child (2-12); pick-your-own berries $20/kg | Booking recommended | Yes | An hour or more east of Melbourne |
| Surf Coast Strawberry Fields | In season | Oct/Nov-late Apr | Entry incl. punnet: adult $12 (600g) or $15 (1kg), child 3-12 $8, family $35, under 3 free | No booking needed | Yes | Around Geelong, about an hour south-west of Melbourne |
| The Berry Dairy | In season | Oct-May | Farm Pass needed for strawberry fields (includes a punnet); cafe free entry | No booking needed | Yes | An hour or more east of Melbourne |
| Tuckerberry Hill Berry Farm | In season | mid Dec-early Feb; Nov-Mar (weekends only) | Prices not published | No booking needed | Yes | Around Geelong, about an hour south-west of Melbourne |
| Yarra Valley Gateway Estate | In season | indoor, historically marketed as year-round | — | — | — | About an hour north-east of Melbourne |
11 farms
Silvan · Dandenong Ranges
About an hour east of Melbourne
Boneo · Mornington Peninsula
About an hour south of Melbourne
Wandin East · Dandenong Ranges
About an hour east of Melbourne
Wallington · Geelong & the Bellarine
Around Geelong, about an hour south-west of Melbourne
Glen Forbes · Gippsland
An hour or more east of Melbourne
Main Ridge · Mornington Peninsula
About an hour south of Melbourne
Trafalgar South · Gippsland
An hour or more east of Melbourne
Mount Duneed · Geelong & the Bellarine
Around Geelong, about an hour south-west of Melbourne
Maffra · Gippsland
An hour or more east of Melbourne
Drysdale · Geelong & the Bellarine
Around Geelong, about an hour south-west of Melbourne
Coldstream · Yarra Valley
About an hour north-east of Melbourne
All strawberry picking in Australia Strawberry picking in Victoria All pick-your-own near Melbourne
Choose a crop and location. We will email you when local farms begin opening.
Clusters exist in the Yarra Valley around Wandin, the Mornington Peninsula near Main Ridge, Geelong's Bellarine hinterland and further out in Gippsland around Maffra and Glen Forbes. All sit within about 90 minutes of the CBD, so most families pick whichever cluster suits their route.
The Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsula are both around an hour from the CBD in normal traffic, Geelong's Bellarine hinterland is similar, and Gippsland farms like The Berry Dairy at Maffra are closer to the 90-minute edge. Weekend traffic can add 15 to 20 minutes to any of these.
Melbourne-area strawberries typically run from October through to May, one of the longer windows nationally, with December to February the peak. The Berry Dairy at Maffra extends a little earlier, opening from September in a normal season, though it's worth calling ahead to confirm the patch is ripe before you drive out.
The Berry Dairy charges three dollars entry, free for children under five, with punnets priced from six dollars for a small size up to twenty dollars for a large one. Other farms vary: some charge purely by the kilo picked, so it's worth checking which pricing model applies before you start filling a container.
Most Melbourne-area farms don't require bookings and operate as walk-up visits through the season, though some smaller operations ask that you call ahead to check pricing and picking availability. A quick call also confirms which patches are ripe that particular weekend.
