Berry tasty times at Tasmania’s pick-your-own farms

From summer’s abundance of berries to the seasonally evolving selection of other fruits and vegetables, Tasmania’s blessed with delicious produce. It tastes best freshly picked, and filling a bucket with friends or family is great fun too. Make a date at these pick-your-own farms – or even book a farmstay.

Strawberries and raspberries, blackberries and tayberries, The Berry Patch’s little balls of purple and red scrumptiousness await eager fingers through the warmer months. Fill a bucket out in the sunshine and fresh air, then treat yourself to the house-made berry ice-cream in the cafe or to-go from the shop (sometimes there’s even vegan coconut berry ice-cream). This farm is about 15 minutes’ drive from where Spirit of Tasmania docks in Devonport, so bring a cooler and take your fresh bounty home – because while you can’t bring fruit into Tassie, there’s no limit to how much returns with you.

Since opening in 2015, Coal River Farm near Hobart has become one of Tasmania’s favourite paddock-to-plate gourmet destinations. Dine at their restaurant, where the menu is driven by seasonal produce. Watch the master cheese- and chocolate-makers at work, and buy some yummy souvenirs, including jams and conserves made right on the farm. Best of all is getting hands-on picking strawberries, raspberries, loganberries, boysenberries, youngberries and orchard fruits such as peaches in season. Bliss!

Thanks to their clever farming methods, there are always berries to pick from November until April at this popular spot about 25 kilometres north of Launceston. In Hillwood Berry Farm’s big pick-your-own patch, find strawberries galore, two raspberry crops, in summer and autumn, blueberries and, from 2020, blackberries too. Low prices mean super savings that you can spend at the berry-centric cafe, and on foodie souvenirs like berry sauces and wines that will bring back happy memories for months to come.

From the portaloo to cash-only payment, it’s a humble affair for visitors to Crestview – except where it matters most, on the blueberry bushes. People from miles around start asking how things are coming along well before the season opens, usually in early January, until some time in February or March, because these blueberries are famously fat and juicy. Be sure to check ahead: even during the season this farm 30 minutes north of Launceston sometimes closes for a few days to build up fruit after particularly busy U-pick periods.

Expand the pick-your-own experience, from silvanberries to cherries, peaches to pears, at Sorell Fruit Farm. So much variety means there’s something to pick almost from the moment this fruity destination opens in October, right through April. Less than 30 minutes’ drive east of Hobart, it’s also home to a shop full of farm-made delights such as pickles and award-winning fruit liqueurs, and a cafe where sweet dreams range from berry smoothies to Devonshire tea – including Sorell’s own jam of course.

For a different kind of pick-your-own adventure, head to Cherry Top just north of Launceston. Take a guided tour around this family-run farm, then take what you want from the basket of goodies picked along the way, from mushrooms to asparagus. Want more? Go for another wander then pay low farmgate prices at the little shop, or even stay at Cherry Top’s private accommodation and cook up a feast in your own kitchen. Produce changes with the seasons, but there are always hazelnuts waiting to be cracked on the antique seed and grain crusher.

Information included in this blog is correct at the time of publishing. Please contact individual operators for further information.