Berry Farm and Pick Your Own Berries the Great Ocean Road
The first time I went to a berry farm and picked my own berries along the Great Ocean Road, I had no idea I’d spend half the day with strawberry juice on my fingers and a grin that wouldn’t quit. Out here between the Surf Coast and the Otway Ranges, berry orchards roll across green hills, dotted with paddocks, eucalyptus groves and the odd wind-bent gum.
I’ve led many a traveller down this stretch, and berry picking has become a crowd favourite. It’s not just about collecting fruit — it’s about slowing down, breathing in the coastal air and meeting the growers who turn paddocks into punnets. From Mt Duneed to Gellibrand, these farms offer real farm-fresh picking, farm-gate honesty and even a few scoops of artisan ice cream for the sweet-toothed.
A Tasty Coastal Escape
Forget the city’s polished delis and weekend markets — here it’s paddock to punnet. You’ll meet local producers who live and work among the vines, tending strawberries, blueberries and raspberries with the kind of pride you can taste.
Agritourism is booming across Victoria’s Surf Coast and Otway hinterland. Since 2018, visitor numbers to on-farm experiences have grown by 27% and the berry season is now a highlight for road trippers between Aireys Inlet and the 12 Apostles. Whether you’re a family looking for a fun day out or a foodie chasing fresh produce, berry picking along this coastline is as local as it gets.
- Support local farms and regional communities
- Taste fruit picked at its ripest
- Discover neighbouring stops like Apostle Whey Cheese, Otway Estate and Crucible Ciders for a proper farm-to-table trail
Stats That Sweeten The Story
Here’s how the numbers stack up — and why the Great Ocean Road is one of Victoria’s sweetest agricultural corridors.
| Statistic | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 12% | Share of Australia’s total berry farms located in Victoria | Agriculture Victoria, 2024 |
| 2,000+ tonnes | Annual berry production from the Otway and Surf Coast regions | Horticulture Innovation Report |
| $47 million | Estimated annual value of Victorian berry production | Australian Horticultural Statistics Handbook |
| December–March | Peak strawberry picking season | Victorian Farmers Federation |
| 18°C–25°C | Ideal growing temperature range for most berries | AgriFutures Australia |
These farms are alongside some of the Great Ocean Road’s most iconic landmarks — the Split Point Lighthouse at Aireys Inlet, Loch Ard Gorge and the Bay of Islands near Port Campbell. It’s the ultimate combo of coast, country and good food.
The Fun of Picking Your Own Fruit
There’s something special about crouching down among rows of glossy leaves searching for that perfect, ruby-red strawberry that’s just begging to be eaten. Kids love the treasure hunt. Grown-ups rediscover patience. And everyone leaves with sticky fingers and berry-stained smiles.
The fun isn’t just in the picking — it’s the unhurried pace. You slow down, breathe in that coastal air and realise this is what travel’s meant to feel like: connected, grounded and deliciously simple.
When I bring travellers here on day trips, I tell them to:
- Bring a hat and closed shoes (mulch and thorns have a way of finding toes).
- Weigh your punnets before and after — honesty boxes still matter out here.
- Taste responsibly — yes, you can snack, but remember you’re on someone’s livelihood.
Strawberry Fields – Mt Duneed
Just off the Surf Coast Highway, Strawberry Fields – Mt Duneed (also known locally as Surf Coast Strawberry Fields) has been a favourite with travellers since the 1990s. This family-run patch has turned a humble strawberry field into a full-blown community hub.
Here you’ll find:
- Pre-picked punnets for those short on time
- Pesticide-free strawberries for conscious eaters
- A breezy farm café serving artisan ice creams, milkshakes and berry smoothies
They even make a wicked strawberry liqueur — sweet, summery and best sipped slowly. After a morning’s picking, grab a table under the gum trees and devour a bowl of vanilla ice cream smothered in their own homemade coulis.
Berry World – Timboon
Down near Port Campbell and the Otway National Park, you’ll find Berry World — a happy, hands-on blueberry and strawberry farm that feels like stepping into a country postcard. It’s a short detour from the 12 Apostles and London Bridge, making it the perfect pit stop for road trippers exploring the Shipwreck Coast.
Berry World’s fields stretch across gentle slopes of volcanic soil, which produces the most vibrant, juicy berries. The on-site café doubles as an Ice Creamery churning out small-batch artisan ice creams made with fruit you can literally see being picked out back.
They’ve also started experimenting with frozen blueberries — perfect for smoothies or summer wine spritzers when you’re back home.
Best time to visit: Late November through February, before the summer heat bakes the fields.
Otway Blueberries – Gellibrand
Deeper inland, near Otway Fly Treetop Adventures, is Otway Blueberries — a family-run Blueberry Farm surrounded by eucalypts and birdsong. If you’ve been walking the rainforest boardwalk at Otway Fly or exploring nearby Cape Otway Lighthouse, this is the perfect reward: calm, shade and a bucket of fresh berries waiting for you.
Sue, the owner, grows organic farming varieties — mostly pesticide-free blueberries — and sells her crop through the Fresh Market Warrnambool and the farm’s rustic roadside stall.
You can pick your own or grab ready-to-go frozen packs. The blueberries here are plump, tangy and known for their long shelf life — a testament to the cool Otway Ranges climate.
Pennyroyal Raspberry Farm
Inland from Apollo Bay and a short hop from Deans Marsh, Pennyroyal Raspberry Farm is as close to storybook farm life as you’ll find. Established in the early 1980s, it’s home to pesticide-free raspberries, boysenberries and loganberries — all grown the old-fashioned way, hand-picked and sun-ripened.
Their café is a local treasure serving paddock to plate meals, raspberry wine and ice cream topped with fresh fruit. You can also browse shelves of Gourmet Cheeses from nearby Cheese World and Apostle Whey Cheese, ABEcketts Creek Beef jerky, Ciderhouse Café dry cider and handmade jams from Otway Estate.
If you time it right, they occasionally host workshops during strawberry picking season, showing kids how berries grow and how pollination keeps the harvest humming.
The Fresh Market Warrnambool
When you roll into Warrnambool, the Fresh Market at Lake Pertobe Park is where you can meet half the region’s artisanal producers in one go. It’s the sort of place where farmers chat about the weather over coffee and where you can buy everything from farm fresh berries to berry gins, Gourmet Cheese and homemade dry cider.
You’ll often find:
- Fresh berries from Timboon and Simpson farms
- Jars of Otway Blueberry jam and coulis
- Sweet treats from local farms near Apollo Bay and Port Campbell
If you are road tripping over a long weekend or public holiday, check the market calendar — it usually runs on the first Sunday of each month, weather permitting.
Garden Market – Local Produce And Community Vibe
The smaller Garden Markets in Colac and Aireys Inlet have that humble charm that city markets can’t fake. Here, the focus isn’t fancy branding — it’s the produce. Local families sell their excess berries, homemade pickles and even organic dry cider from neighbouring orchards.
You might find:
- Frozen blueberries from Gellibrand
- Gourmet cheese wedges from Timboon
- Summer wine and berry liqueurs from Otway micro-distillers
It’s part produce fair, part social catch-up, and it keeps the spirit of small-scale farming alive.
When To Visit
Timing is everything on the berry trail. The Surf Coast tends to ripen early, and the Otway Ranges extend the season into late March.
| Berry Type | Best Months | Where To Find It |
|---|---|---|
| Strawberries | November – April | Mt Duneed, Timboon |
| Raspberries | December – February | Pennyroyal |
| Blueberries | Late December – March | Gellibrand, Colac |
| Blackberries | January – March | Camperdown area |
| Boysenberries | Mid-summer | Pennyroyal Raspberry Farm |
Travel tip: Early mornings beat the heat and the crowds. Bring an esky for your berries — it’s a long drive between the Otway Fly and Teddys Lookout in Lorne, and those blueberries won’t thank you for sitting in a hot boot.
At Phillip Island Tours, we often include these berry-picking stops in our summer itineraries — fresh fruit with ocean views and local cheese tastings.
