We got a bit obsessive about it this season and drove out to five different farms across a few weekends, so this is what each one is genuinely like: what it costs, whether you need to book, and the small stuff nobody tells you (like which farms let you eat while you pick, and which ones will side-eye you for it).
Quick note before you plan anything: strawberry season runs roughly June to October, farms open their pick-your-own fields on their own schedule depending on the crop, and most of them only give a day or two’s notice on Facebook before opening. Bookmark their pages now, not the week you want to go.
Quick comparison
| Farm | Distance from Brisbane | Price | Entry fee | Booking | Eat while picking? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chambers Flat Strawberry Farm | ~40 min (south side) | ~$16/box | No | Book online ahead | Not mentioned either way — check on arrival |
| Rolin Farms, Elimbah | ~1 hr (north) | ~$16/box or priced by kg | No, but $ per head at entry | No, follow their Facebook | No |
| N&J Strawberry Farm, Wamuran | ~1 hr (north) | $30/tray, no weight limit | No | No | Yes |
| Oasis Berries, Caboolture | ~1 hr (north) | $40/box, no weight limit | No | No | Yes |
| McMartin’s Strawberry Farm, Bli Bli | ~1 hr (Sunshine Coast) | Priced by weight, get a bowl first | No | No | Not until you’ve paid |
Prices are what we paid on our visits — these do shift a little season to season, so treat them as a guide rather than gospel.
Chambers Flat Strawberry Farm — best if you’re on the south side
Most of the well-known farms are north of Brisbane, so if you’re coming from the south, this one’s the easy pick — about 40 minutes away. We went at a point in the season when a few other farms had already finished for the year, and Chambers Flat was still going strong with plenty of fruit left.
You’ll need to book online ahead of time rather than just rocking up — we booked the day before for a weekend visit and still got a spot, though it’s worth booking earlier if you can. It worked out to around $16 for a box, and the rule is simple: pick until the lid closes.
The berries we picked ourselves were noticeably better than anything from the supermarket — much stronger strawberry flavour — but they don’t keep, so plan to eat them within a day or two rather than stashing them in the fridge. It’s hot out in the field with zero shade, so a full box only took us about ten minutes to fill. Grab an ice cream on the way out — there’s also a small playground, which made it an easy sell for the kids, and most of the other families there that day had young kids too. The farm also sells eggs, honey and strawberry plants if you’re after more than just fruit.
Rolin Farms, Elimbah — the classic, and the furthest thinking
Rolin Farms is the name most people mention first, and it’s easy to see why — it’s well set up, does school excursions and birthday parties, and has been running for years. Follow their Facebook for opening updates; you don’t need to book, but you do need to actually check before you drive out, since they open based on how the crop is looking.
We paid around $16 a box, filled to the top, no headcount fee that we were charged (though pricing structures can vary by season — some visits are charged per kilo instead, with the box weighed at the register). It’s about an hour north of Brisbane, and a good one to pair with a trip further up to the Glass House Mountains or the coast if you want to make a full day of it.
A few things we picked up (pun intended) about actually picking well: skip the big, fully red berries sitting out in direct sun — they’ve lost their moisture and won’t keep, even though they look the most tempting. Check the underside of each berry too, since the side touching the soil can be overripe or starting to rot even when the top looks perfect. The best ones are about 90% red with a small white patch near the stem — still glossy and firm. Rolin’s strict on one thing: no eating while you pick, since it genuinely affects their income on a farm that runs on this alone. There’s a small sandy play area next to the field for younger kids, and a little farm shop selling strawberry jam, strawberry ice cream and small bottles of raw honey.
N&J Strawberry Farm, Wamuran — best value if your crew can eat a lot of strawberries
This one surprised us. No booking, no headcount limit, and — unusually — no rule against eating as you go. It’s $30 for a tray with no weight limit, and if you’re committed you can genuinely fill it with around 15kg of strawberries. Card and cash both accepted, and they’ll even let you bring the dog.
It’s smaller than Rolin and doesn’t sell any strawberry extras — no ice cream, no jam — so it’s a bit more bare-bones. But if what you actually want is to eat your fill and bring home more strawberries than you know what to do with, this is the best value of the five by a fair margin. As far as we can tell, N&J and Oasis Berries are the only two Brisbane-area farms that do this big-tray, no-weight-limit style, so if that’s the experience you’re after, those are your two options — and both only post their opening dates a day or two ahead, so keep an eye on Facebook.
One practical note if you go big: 15kg of strawberries is a lot to get through before they turn. Freezing a portion for smoothies, or turning the rest into jam, isn’t a bad plan for when you inevitably overestimate how much your family can eat.
Oasis Berries, Caboolture — the one with a game attached
Oasis is a big operation with two separate fields to pick from, and at $40 for an unlimited box, it’s the priciest of the five — but also the one that felt most like a proper day out.
Like N&J, you’re allowed to eat as you pick here. Bring disposable gloves and a small pair of scissors if you want to save your hands — an hour of picking adds up. It gets busy, especially during Queensland school holidays, so if you’re going on a weekend, get there early. Once you’re done, the strawberry ice cream and strawberry smoothie cups are the reward everyone’s been waiting for.
McMartin’s Strawberry Farm, Bli Bli — good if you’re already on the Sunshine Coast
McMartin’s is open Wednesday to Sunday, 9am to 4pm, roughly mid-May through to mid-October (closed Mondays and Tuesdays), and it’s about an hour from Brisbane if you’re heading up that way. There’s no entry fee — you just grab an empty bowl from the shop before you head into the field.
The one thing to know: because there’s no entry ticket, you can’t eat as you pick here — you pay for what’s in your bowl first, priced at the going market rate, and eat afterwards. Worth keeping that in mind before you let the kids go wild, since over-picking here can end up pricier than just buying strawberries at the supermarket. Last picking time is 3:15pm, so don’t leave it too late in the day. Once you’ve paid, their self-made ice cream is the highlight — including a dairy-free strawberry sorbet if anyone in your group is lactose intolerant.
What we’d tell a friend before they go
- Follow the Facebook pages now. Every farm on this list gives one to two days’ notice before opening for the season — there’s no way to plan around it otherwise.
- Know the eating rules before you start. Rolin and McMartin’s don’t allow eating while picking; N&J and Oasis Berries do. Getting this wrong mid-field is an awkward conversation.
- Dress for full sun. None of these fields have shade. Hats, sunscreen, and light clothing — you’ll be hot within ten minutes.
- Bring cash as backup, even at farms that take card, in case eftpos is down (it happens more than you’d think out in these paddocks).
- Don’t over-pick just because you can. A few of these farms run on tight margins from pick-your-own alone — leave the ones you won’t eat, and don’t waste what you take.
- Freshly picked strawberries don’t keep like supermarket ones do. Eat within a day or two, or freeze what you won’t get through in time.