Sweet, plump and picked with your own hands: in the warmer months, a number of berry farms open their orchards to visitors. Grab a punnet, or a bucket, and head to these farms just outside Melbourne for a kilo of berries straight from the vine.

Blue Hills Berries & Cherries, Silvan

The Chapman family has owned and operated Blue Hills Berries & Cherries since the late 1800s, and opened the farm to the public in the 1970s. Located in Silvan, on two separate farms overlooking mountain ranges, Blue Hills consists of a 20-acre berry orchard and two cherry orchards. The huge acreage means plenty of different berries: strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, boysenberries and cherries. Cherry-picking is open seven days a week, whereas berry-picking is open Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Pickers are encouraged to read the daily fruit report on its website the night before coming to check fruit availability.

There is a $16 entry fee for adults and $8 for children (or $19 and $9.50 on weekends, respectively), with all-you-can-eat in the orchard; cherries cost $16 per kilo.
upickberries.com.au
27 Parker Road, Silvan

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Rocky Creek Strawberry Farm, Main Ridge

From November to April, Rocky Creek Strawberry Farm opens its farm in picturesque Main Ridge on the Mornington Peninsula. The Gallace family established the farm in 1964 (originally as an apple farm, but due to the length of time it took for the fruit to appear, they turned to fast-growing strawberries). The farm, originally known as Sunny Ridge, was sold in 2016. After six years, the same family bought it back and started operating under a new name.

Adult entry is $12 and includes a 500-gram punnet of strawberries; entry for children costs $6, which includes a 250-gram punnet. A family pass (two adults, two children) can also be purchased for $30. There’s also a cafe to relax in after an afternoon in the field. Open seven days a week.
rockycreek.com.au
244 Shands Road, Main Ridge

The Bramble Farm, Langwarrin

Bramble Farm owners Mark and Di Benson don’t use big tractors or chemicals. The farm opened in 1985 with 60 blackberry vines and has grown to 10,000 vines of brambleberries and 28,000 canes of raspberries. The season runs from late November to April, with a summer and autumn crop of raspberries. Di makes jams, conserves and marmalades from the berries, and Bramble Farm also produces its own honey, which is available at their store.

The farm is open seven days a week for U-pick. Harvested berries are $25 per kilo and there is an entry fee of $10 for adults, or $5 for children aged six to 15. Entry is free for kids under five years old.
bramblefarm.com.au
25 Lyppards Road, Langwarrin

Cherry Hill Orchards

First opened in 1940 by George Riseborough, the Yarra Valley farm is now owned by third-generation grandsons, Glen and Stephen. Customers are encouraged to pack a picnic and make a day of it. Staff demonstrate how to pick the freshest cherries, then pickers can enjoy an “all-you-can-eat” experience of whatever they pluck from the tree. Cherry Hill Orchards’ homemade cherry ice-cream and cherry drink are also on offer.

The farm is open from November through January, seven days a week. Entry for adults is $21.50 and $12 for children (or $25 and $15 on weekends, respectively). The price includes all-you-can-eat cherries in the orchard. Cherries cost $17 per kilo to take home.
cherryhill.com.au
474 Queens Road, Wandin East; 739 Maroondah Highway, Coldstream

This article was originally published on December 19, 2016. It has been updated to reflect new information and remove out-of-date details.