If you love cherries then you’ll love the cherry-picking experience at Cherryhill Orchards! A favourite summer event in our family is to head out to visit Cherryhill Orchards to pick the freshest, plumpest cherries for our friends and family.
This ultimate family activity is running at two locations in the Yarra Valley this year, which means there are double the opportunities to pick your own cherries. Here’s everything you need to know about the experience!
Cherryhill Orchards Cherry Picking Festival Melbourne
Cherry Picking Coldstream is running from 10 November until late December 2024.
There is also a location for Cherry Picking in Wandin that will run from 25 November until early January for the 2024 season.
Cherry Picking Melbourne
Cherryhill Orchards is Australia’s largest U-pick cherry orchard.
To pick your own cherries Melbourne residents and visitors must book a timeslot to visit the original Wandin East or new Coldstream location.
They are known to have over 3,000 people through the farm gate on busy weekends and tickets will not be available at the door.
Cherry-picking time slots are 2 hours, with additional time for getting in/out of the orchard and at the cafe.
Cherry-picking is particularly suitable for kids. The trees have lots of low-hanging fruit which are easy to remove from the stem.
The staff will direct you to the rows that are good for picking so there’s no real need to go ‘cherry-picking’ the best fruit as it’s all good!
You can also taste-test the fresh cherries to your heart’s content as it’s unlimited and free! :)
Note that depending on which rows you’re picking you will have to take a minibus to the location (and where a mask inside the bus) or you if you’re easily mobile and not too far away you can just stroll back to the main marquee/carpark.
Cherries that are picked and placed into your bucket are charged per kilo. To prevent going overboard, take note that each bucket fits about 5kg of cherries.
You can purchase a Grab and Go Box with your ticket, then pick to fill the box with no need to pay at the end. A large box (1.5kg) is $22 and a small box (500g) is $8.50.
After fruit picking head to the main site’s marquee for a coffee from the coffee van…
….some food from the food trucks….
…and maybe a tipple of something special.
Though you are not allowed to bring your own alcohol, you can buy alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages to be consumed on-site or bottled to take home.
Guests are welcome to pack a picnic to enjoy on the grounds.
Don’t miss their famous soft-serve frozen yoghurt or scoop ice cream (created through a collaboration with Yarra Valley Chocolaterie and Ice-creamery.
The froyo and ice creams are made with macerated pitted cherries, so there’s no wastage of cherries that aren’t absolutely perfect for the table.
Cherries + Cheese
Indulge in a delightful Cherries & Cheese day trip experience at CherryHill Orchards Coldstream this year!
Savour the perfect pairing of fresh, juicy cherries with artisanal cheeses in a picturesque orchard setting. This unique tasting journey thanks to Yarra Valley Dairy, offers a burst of flavours, making it a must-try for food lovers and a perfect outing with friends.
Cherries Wine + Dine Experience
Delight in the rich taste of freshly harvested cherries alongside a curated wine selection at this year’s Cherries Wine + Dine midweek experience. Immerse yourself in a beautiful outdoor setting, where gourmet meals meet the charm of nature, creating a truly memorable dining adventure.
Hot Air Balloon Yarra Valley
For a memorable, once-in-a-lifetime experience, join the Breakfast Ballooning & Cherries experience for a romantic hot-air balloon flight at sunrise followed by cherry-picking at Cherryhill Orchards Coldstream.
Designed for two people, the hot-air balloon experience begins at Balgownie Estate, Yarra Valley for approximately an hour and a half before sunrise and will take you to see the scenic sights of Yarra Valley.
Then after soaring the skies and taking in the breathtaking view of Yarra Valley, enjoy a delicious ala carte champagne breakfast at Balgownie Estate before taking a 15-minute drive to go cherry-picking.
Rochford Wines Lunch & Cherries
If you love wine and would rather stay on land, the Rochford Lunch & Cherries experience is just the thing for you.
Cherryhill Orchards is teaming up with Rochford Wines to bring you an afternoon of wine tasting, a two-course lunch with a glass of estate wine, and an hour of picking the best cherries at Cherryhill’s Coldstream Orchard.
For adults, the package is $90pp and consists of wine tasting on arrival, 2-course lunch, a glass of estate wine, 1 hour cherry-picking at CherryHill Orchards in Coldstream, and a 500g Grab & Go box of cherries.
For children, the package is $30 and comes with a 1-course kids meal, 1 hour cherry-picking at CherryHill Orchards, Coldstream, and a 500g Grab & Go box of cherries.
The experience is only available on week days with lunch seating at 11:30 am or 1:30 pm. As soon as you are done with lunch you can pop over to the orchard for some cherry-picking delight.
Buy Cherryhill Orchard Cherries
If you don’t have time to pick your own cherries Yarra Valley locals or visitors can stop by to pick up a box of cherries from Cherryhill Orchards without picking your own.
Click here for more things to do in the Yarra Valley with kids
For more fruit picking fun check out The Strawberry Forest in Bacchus Marsh and Tuckerberry Hill in Drysdale.
HOT Tips:
- Book your tickets online for your desired time slot.
- Take a hat, sunscreen and water. Book an early time slot to avoid the heat.
- Eat as many cherries as you like when you pick, take home picked cherries are charged per kilo. A bucket holds approx 5kg.
- Highly recommend the cherry ice cream!
- Consider booking the Cherries & Cheese day trip or Cherries Wine + Dine midweek experience at Cherryhill Orchards Coldstream;
- Keep an eye on young kids. The orchard can be a great hiding place!;
- Dogs are not allowed in orchards; and
- There are a few toilets blocks.
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