Winter fruits in Australia
June to August. 15 fruits are harvested somewhere in Australia across those three months, and 8 reach their peak.
Winter is citrus season. Mandarins, navel oranges, grapefruit and lemons all reach their best between June and August, at the point in the year when southern orchards have almost nothing else to pick.
Most of the other winter fruit comes from further north. Queensland and Western Australian growers pick strawberries through the cold months, the New South Wales north coast starts its blueberry season, and custard apples, avocados and bananas keep coming out of Queensland.
Stored fruit is not winter fruit
Apples and pears fill the shelves in July, but they were picked in autumn and kept in cold storage. They are still good buying. At a farmers market, ask the grower which of their varieties has kept best.
Winter fruits list
★ Mandarin- Queensland: May to September
- Victoria: June to August
- New South Wales: June to September
Queensland's Central Burnett grows about half of the country's mandarins. Imperials start the season in autumn and Murcotts finish it in late winter.
★ Grapefruit- New South Wales: June to September
- South Australia: April to October
- Queensland: May to October
A winter citrus from the New South Wales Riverina, South Australia's Riverland and Queensland.
★ Orange- New South Wales: June to February
- South Australia: June to September
- Victoria: July to October
Navels are the winter orange and Valencias the summer one. The New South Wales Riverina grows the most of both.
★ Avocado- Queensland: March to September
- New South Wales: July to October
Queensland picks through autumn and winter and Western Australia takes over in spring, which is why avocado never quite feels seasonal even though each region's crop is.
★ Strawberry- Queensland: June to November
- Western Australia: June to November
The one that surprises people: Queensland grows strawberries through winter, so the southern summer berry and the Queensland winter berry are two different seasons rather than one long one.
★ Lemon- Queensland: February to August
Queensland grows the largest share of Australian lemons, with the main crop from late summer through winter.
★ Banana- Queensland: All year
- New South Wales: February to November
- Western Australia: All year
Queensland grows over nine in ten Australian bananas and picks them all year. Lady fingers are the smaller, sweeter variety worth looking for from autumn to spring.
★ Blueberry- New South Wales: June to February
The mid north coast of New South Wales grows most of the country's blueberries and starts picking in winter, well before Victoria and Tasmania pick in summer.
Watermelon- Northern Territory: June to July
Northern melons are a dry season crop, so Kununurra and the Northern Territory pick through the middle of the year while the southern states pick in summer.
Honeydew melon- Western Australia: June to September
- Northern Territory: July to August
Queensland melons come in spring, Western Australian and Northern Territory crops through the dry season, and New South Wales in summer.
Custard apple- Queensland: March to August
- New South Wales: June to July
Grown only in Queensland and northern New South Wales, from late autumn into winter. Handle gently: the skin bruises and browns easily.
Raspberry- New South Wales: April and June to October
- Queensland: June to October
Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales pick raspberries in summer, and Queensland grows a winter crop.
Papaya- Queensland: All year
Papaya and pawpaw are grown almost entirely in far north Queensland and picked all year, with the sweetest fruit in spring and early summer.
Passionfruit- Queensland: December to August
Queensland and northern New South Wales grow most Australian passionfruit, from summer into autumn.
Pineapple- Queensland: February to November
Queensland picks pineapple for most of the year, with autumn and spring peaks. Summer fruit is noticeably sweeter.
★ At its peak in at least one state this season.
Month by month
June
July
What each state picks in winter
A farmers market only sells what is grown within a drive of it, so the winter list in Hobart and the one in Brisbane have less in common than you would expect.
- Victoria (3): mandarin, grapefruit, orange
- New South Wales (8): mandarin, grapefruit, orange, avocado, banana, blueberry, custard apple, raspberry
- Queensland (11): mandarin, grapefruit, avocado, strawberry, lemon, banana, custard apple, raspberry and more
- Western Australia (6): mandarin, grapefruit, orange, strawberry, banana, honeydew melon
- South Australia (3): mandarin, grapefruit, orange
- Northern Territory (2): watermelon, honeydew melon
Where to buy winter fruits
A farmers market is where winter produce turns up within a day or two of picking. Every market listing carries its real trading days.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What fruits are in season in winter in Australia?
- Winter runs from June to August, and 15 fruits are harvested somewhere in Australia over those months, including mandarins, grapefruit, oranges, avocados, strawberries, lemons, bananas and blueberries. What you will find at a market depends on your state.
- Which fruits are at their best in winter?
- Mandarins, grapefruit, oranges, avocados, strawberries and lemons reach their peak in at least one growing state during winter.
- Do winter fruits differ between states?
- Yes, often by months. In winter, lemons, watermelons, papayas, passionfruit and pineapples come mostly from Queensland and the Northern Territory. Oranges and blueberries come mostly from further south. Your state's in season page lists what is being picked closest to you.
- When does winter start in Australia?
- Australia uses meteorological seasons, so winter starts on 1 June and runs to the end of August.
Harvest months from our own research across Australian growing regions and national production figures.