Bilpin Springs Orchard, 2550 Bells Line of Road, Bilpin

Reviews

• David Chen

  17.05.2018
  ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
  Visit here 4 days ago Saturday.
  
  I don't have many experience with fruit picking and Orchards, so this won't be a professional review.
  
  Finding the entrance was slightly confusing and easily missed, the connecting road immediate to the entrance was only large enough to only fit one car and can be easily mistaken for one directional exit.
  
  There is no admission fee, you only need to pay for what you pick. The price of the fruits and their varieties are displayed on a A-framed blackboard near the entrance.
  
  Visitors can't directly enter the orchard without a guide, so grabbed a plastic shopping basket and joined the existing group in the waiting area.
  
  Once the group was large enough, the guide (Orchard owner) took us into the orchard and explained where the different variety of apples are grown and how to tell if the fruit is ready for picking.
  
  The staff there was friendly and open to any questions you have.
  
  I've seen people walked off when the guide was trying to explain where the varieties are and having them come back after asking where a particular variety is, it must be frustrating but the orchard guide answered all the questions with patience.
  
  Taste testing is allowed, so it is best to sample each variety before deciding what to pick.
  
  Parking to the waiting area is only a minute or two, the waiting area is right next to the 'Pack and pay' area, the waiting area is also only a minute walk to the apple trees.
  
  Once you have done picking, take the fruit to the 'Pack and pay' area, they've also provided tables, free plastic bags and paper bags.
  
  They accept both cash and card payments.
  
  The reason I did' give 5 star is because:
  
  1. Most of the good looking apples are at the top of the tree and it is too high for visitors to pick, if you want, someone from the orchard can bring their equipment to pick it for you. But for me, that defeats the purpose of fruit picking.
  
  2. When paying for the fruit, we were charged as the $5 per kilo variety when we only picked the $4 ones, although they've refunded the difference, I would perfer them to ask or tell me the charge before putting it through the machine.
  
  3. They only opened till 12 noon, although they said it is not strictly enforced, would better if the hours are longer.
  
  I would say, if you only want quality, go to the supermarkets and only come if you want the experience.
  
  Overall, it was not a bad experience.

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