Waterwheel Orchards

Waterwheel Orchards is a small farm-gate berry orchard at Boolarra South in the Strzelecki foothills of Gippsland, best known for growing tayberries, a rare raspberry-blackberry cross that almost never appears in shops. Alongside them grow raspberries and blueberries, with jams and sauces made from the harvest.

What You Can Pick

• Raspberries and tayberries - December to February
• Blueberries - in season, subject to the crop

Activities

• Farm shop with frozen berries, jams and sauces year-round
• Strzelecki drive - the Grand Ridge Road and Tarra-Bulga National Park are nearby

Good to Know

Farm pick-up and picking visits are by appointment, so call ahead before making the drive, and bring your own containers. Prices are set each season. The farm's old website is gone; its Facebook page is the active channel for season updates. Tayberries carry a sharper, more aromatic flavour than either parent berry, which is why the small crop has a dedicated following among jam and dessert makers. The frozen berry supply runs year-round, making winter visits worthwhile for stocking up, and the jams and sauces are made on the property from the farm's own fruit.

Pro tip: tayberries are the reason to come; ask when they peak, usually around Christmas.