Australia's Best Kept Secret

[MannyT]

Hi

On Sunday, 25 November 2007 we went Cherry picking in the beautiful Adelaide Hills. Cherry harvest time in the Adelaide Hills ranges somewhere from early November through to the end of December/early January.

This is the third year in a row that we have ventured into the Adelaide Hills to pick our own cherries. On Sunday we decided to go to a cherry farm called Stella Creek in the Basket Ranges area of the Adelaide Hills. What a beautiful setting, lovely house, very, very neat grounds and gardens surrounded by cherry and apple trees and a dam teaming with Murray Cod.

The trip up Magill Road and then along the winding road through the hills on the way to Lobethal was just awe inspiring. The Hills at this time of the year are just beautiful with the apple and pear orchards, vineyards and cherry plantations laden with "young" and/or ripening fruit. All this a mere 15 to 30 minutes from the Adelaide CBD.

A friend of ours who visited Adelaide in 2005 (she owns a travel agency and tour company in Bergfliet/ Cape Town) told me when she was here that she thought that Adelaide, the Adelaide Hills, Barossa Valley, McLarenvale etc etc was Australia's best kept secret - the longer I live here the more I am enclined to agree with her (and this is from someone who did not like the place at all when we first arrived in Adelaide).

We will definitely be going back to Stella Creek in the next couple of weeks with Bronwyn and her family.

Enjoy!

Manny

Ps. Visit www.stellacreek.com.au.Good idea to phone the owner, Alan Mayne, to check best time and days to go picking cherries. 08 8389 8572

Edited November 27, 2007 by MannyT

[Marius]

Manny,

Thanks for the great info. We have been up that way a few times and every time we discover something new . This weekend we will try the cherry picking, sounds great. That is indeed a great part of the area up there, like life should be lived. The apples, pears and even strawberries etc you get out that way are indeed well worth the short drive.

[Bob]

. . but after all your hard work picking cherries or fruit, don't forget to treat yourself to a Devonshire tea some place in the Hills.

We like to sit outside on days like these at a cafe and enjoy the cuppa, the climate and the scenery.

[MannyT]

Hi Guys and Girls

It is that time of the year again.

The recent rains have however destroyed about 50% of the cherry crop

Watch the price of cherries rise........

Pick your own (PYO) cherries available at Stella Creek until the end of December 2009.

Enjoy!

Manny

[MannyT]

Hi Girls and Guys, it's that time of the year again - Cherry picking in the Adelaide Hills (multiple locations).

My favourite cherry orchard is still Stella Creek and the early varieties are available for "pick your own" experience from Saturday, November 21, 2009

Cherry season ends at the end of December so try and get there before then. Visit the Stella Creek website for details of best days and times to pick and how to get there.

See you there.

Enjoy!

Manny

[AdelaideAdi]

Hi Manny we are moving To Adelaide from Canberra in Jan 2010 and read your post re cherry picking (and more excitingly Murray Cod) I have tried to catch freshwater fish here a number of times in ACT and surrounds without much success. Look forward to moving back to the coast!