Victorian Cherry season started a little early this year and it is a great season with delicious cherries hitting shelves for everyone to enjoy. And in exciting news, the Victorian Cherry Trail is open!
Seven orchards in the Yarra Valley, Macedon Ranges and Upper Goulburn Valley have opened their doors for visitors to buy farm fresh and four of the orchards also offer Pick Your Own – the perfect day out. The Victorian Cherry Trail typically runs until early-January.
Cherries are quite unique in that across the season there are different varieties of Victorian Cherries to enjoy as they ripen at different times. These varieties include Merchant, Bing, Regina, Lapin, Sweet Georgia, Sweetheart and Van – so the cherry eaten at the start of the season will be different to the one eaten at the end. All the more reason for people to visit different orchards and eat them all season long!
The Cherry Trail is the perfect excuse to drive out to the country, for families, couples and groups of friends, to meet and support Victorian farmers and enjoy the most delicious local cherries.
Victorian Cherry Trail:
- Yarra Valley Ranges
- Big Fella Cherries, 38 Boundary Rd, Coldstream
- Pick Your Own and buy farm fresh
- Open 9.30am-4pm, Thursday-Sunday (closed Christmas Day)
- Blue Hills Berries & Cherries, 27 Parker Road, Silvan
- Pick Your Own and buy farm fresh
- Open 9am-5pm (closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day)
- Cherry Hill Orchards, 474 Queens Rd, Wandin
- Pick Your Own and buy farm fresh
- Open 9am-5pm (closed Christmas Day)
- Wandin Valley Farms, 47 Hunter Rd, Wandin North
- Buy farm fresh
- Open 9am-5pm (closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day)
- Yarra Valley Cherries, 585 Victoria Rd, Seville
- Buy farm fresh
- Open 8.30am-5.30pm until Christmas (check website before visiting)
- Big Fella Cherries, 38 Boundary Rd, Coldstream
- Macedon Ranges
- Naturipe Fruits, 638 Bacchus Marsh Rd, Bacchus Marsh
- Pick Your Own and buy farm fresh
- Open 9am-5pm (closed Christmas Day)
- Naturipe Fruits, 638 Bacchus Marsh Rd, Bacchus Marsh
- Upper Goulburn Valley
- Koala Cherries, 6547 Maroondah Hwy, Yarck
- Buy farm fresh
- Open 9am-5pm (closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day)
- Koala Cherries, 6547 Maroondah Hwy, Yarck
Cherries are such delicious and versatile fruit, from being the perfect snack, eaten on their own while out and about, at home or at school, they are also a great cooking ingredient in both sweet and savoury dishes, adding flavour and richness to salads, salsas, sauces, dressings and desserts.
Victorian Cherries are an ideal gift too, especially around the festive season when they are in peak season and available in abundance. Cherries really are the Christmas fruit. And those self-picked are always even more rewarding and taste even sweeter!
Due to cherries not continuing to ripen once picked, snacking can begin immediately after visiting the orchard! They can be stored in the fridge in a bag or container for up to ten days, or simply de-stoned and frozen for up to six months.
Alison Jones, President of The Victorian Cherry Association said “We are so happy to be once again welcoming visitors back to the orchards on the Cherry Trail. We are so excited for this season and we love for Victorians and tourists to come to our beautiful orchards and enjoy our delicious cherries.
“The cherries this season are incredible tasting and we hope that people come with their friends and family and visit us all season long in the stunning Victorian countryside. It really does support our local growers and it is the ideal day out.”
Delicious Victorian Cherries are a summer staple, so everyone should ensure they are at the top of their grocery lists this season, and that the Victorian Cherry Trail is on the list of things to do!
