Pick your own Oranges Dooralong

Pick your own Oranges Dooralong Welcome to our page. Scroll down for all the details about this year's Pick Your Own Oranges season. Many people ask us about the farm and the oranges.

People regularly tell us they're are the best oranges they've ever eaten, so don't miss out! This should answer your questions. The first 260 trees were planted on the property --164 acres—by the Daley family in 1907.In 1914 they were generating 100 pounds per acre for the fruit. You could buy a nice house in Sydney for 2.500 pounds, so they are a lot cheaper today than they were 100 yrs ago. Th

e Dittons purchased the farm in 1918.They had moved down from the Tamworth area by ox cart. The 3 sons helped their father expand the orchards, felling the trees and milling the timber on site. The Gosford and Wyong Times of March 1931 said that 4 Ditton family members played for the Dooralong cricket team. Les Ditton was a good cricketer and tennis player. He caught Sir Donald Bradman on the boundary of the Dooralong oval when Sir Donald toured the valleys with his team to raise money for charity. Les Ditton bought the farm from his parents. In 1953 he won a state wide competition for the best orchards between the ages of 18-29 yrs. In 1954 the Gosford Times had an article about the 4 million gallon dam being built in Dooralong by Les Ditton. This dam is still the main source of irrigation water. It is located 200m behind the trees to the west. The farm was purchased by the Harris family 30 yrs ago. It then numbered 7000 thousand trees on 30 acres consisting mainly of navel and Valencia oranges but also lemons and grapefruit. At that stage there was a packing shed near the old house. The boxes of oranges were sent to the Sydney markets. The Dooralong valley had always been a citrus and dairy area but the citrus industry was decimated when the juicers started importing citrus pulp from Brazil. This is still the case today, the cheap juice available at supermarkets is reconstituted juice from Brazil. There is of course Australian juice at a slightly higher price that tastes much better. The small dairies in the valley also closed over time. The valley properties were being purchased by hobby farmers and horse lovers and this is still the case. Jack and Kay Schlachter bought the 164 acres in 2011 and subdivided it into 3 properties keeping most of the orchards which are now the last in the valley. Although not knowing anything about horticulture Jack has managed to keep most of the trees alive. Some of the trees are thought to be 100yrs old and are succumbing to old age though still producing fruit. The trees are pruned immediately after harvest and it’s a big job. We have used WOOFERS (willing workers on organic farms) in the past but of course there are no backpackers at the moment. The trees are fertilized in August and February. Lime is spread annually. The weeds are sprayed with roundup. The trees and fruit are not sprayed at all. The trees are attacked by the New Zealand Lemon Borer (oemona herta) which bore into the branches. The branch dies and eventually so will the tree. The only control is to cut off the effected branch and to kill the borer. This is very time consuming. All this results in the fabulous oranges that you enjoy picking and eating or juicing. At first the oranges were sent to the juicers at Kulnura but this required help with the picking and was not profitable. 7 years ago we started to sell bags of oranges from 2 roadside locations with an honesty box and this proved to be very popular. 4 years ago we started the ‘Pick Your Own’ and that too has become more and more popular to the extent that we no longer sell from the roadside stalls. The fruit sweetens at different times from year to year so we do not have a predictable opening of the season. Always refer to our page—pick your own oranges Dooralong---for opening and closing times.

HELLO ORANGE LOVERSWE ARE NOW CLOSED UNTIL THE NAVEL SEASON STARTS IN JULY 2026Thank you for your support.We enjoy havin...
16/11/2025

HELLO ORANGE LOVERS

WE ARE NOW CLOSED UNTIL THE NAVEL SEASON STARTS IN JULY 2026

Thank you for your support.We enjoy having you on the farm and watching families having fun.It is one of the main reasons for doing it.
Until next year ,be well

From the team

HELLO ORANGE LOVERSLAST WEEKEND FOR ORANGE PICKING 15/16 NOVEMBERThere is still plenty of fruit and the juice is fantast...
13/11/2025

HELLO ORANGE LOVERS
LAST WEEKEND FOR ORANGE PICKING 15/16 NOVEMBER
There is still plenty of fruit and the juice is fantastic
Oranges still only $1.75 per KG and $2 for juicing
Rotary sausage zizzle on Sat and Sun
Ice cream and coffee van here on Sunday only
Honey stall .There is usually creamed honey and honey comb in addition to the local honey.
NO PONY RIDES
48 DITTONS RD DOORALONG

HELLO ORANGE LOVERS.BEAUTIFUL WEATHER FORECAST FOR THE WEEKEND.COME TO THE FARM AND ENJOY A FAMILY DAY OUT'Pony rides fr...
24/10/2025

HELLO ORANGE LOVERS.BEAUTIFUL WEATHER FORECAST FOR THE WEEKEND.COME TO THE FARM AND ENJOY A FAMILY DAY OUT'
Pony rides from 10.30am until 2.30 pm
Coffee and ice cream van
juice your oranges

BEAUTIFUL WEATHER FORECAST FOR THE WEEKENDCOME OUT TO THE FARM AND ENJOY A FAMILY DAY OUT
24/10/2025

BEAUTIFUL WEATHER FORECAST FOR THE WEEKEND
COME OUT TO THE FARM AND ENJOY A FAMILY DAY OUT

26/08/2025

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
The farm is open from 10am until 4pm. Please leave the farm by 4pm.
There is no entry fee
The oranges are $1.75 per kg
Follow the signs to the reception table where you can taste the oranges and find out where to pick.
Bring bags for your pickings or purchase our bags for 50c.
We have wheeled trolley tubs to save you having to carry the bags.
Payment by cash or card
Picnic chairs and tables are available on the field.
No picnics within the orchards please
No cooking by any means allowed
We do have oranges for tasting and you can have as many as you like but do not take knives or juicing machines into the orchards. The oranges are not a free meal.

Children must please behave , so no tree climbing or throwing or hitting oranges.Food is precious,do not abuse it.If another orange falls from the tree when picking please bag that one as well.

Dogs on leads are welcome.

It is easy to pick too many oranges.Ask friends, relatives and neighbours if they would like some.You need to pay for all the fruit that you pick.

Local honey is available
We usually have a coffee van on site.Rutherford Rotary club is here most weekends with a sausage sizzle barbecue.

Pony rides start at 10.30am and finish at 2.30pm
There are farm machines for climbing on and a large sandpit.

A visit to the farm is an enjoyable time for all ages.Families and friends arrange to meet here and there is a happy atmosphere.

There is a single lane road over the dam wall when entering the farm.Please drive slowly and allow any cars on the wall to leave it before you proceed across it.

Wear old enclosed shoes. this is a farm and there is a lot of kangaroo poo around.

Toilets are available.

Only Telstra mobile works out here but electronic payment does work , based on the information stored on your phone.

ALWAYS CHECK THIS PAGE BEFORE LEAVING FOR THE FARM TO CHECK THAT WE ARE OPEN

Send a message to learn more

Address

48 Dittons Road
Dooralong, NSW
2259

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