Bellevue Farm Gate

The Russo family has been growing apples and pears at Bellevue since 1953, on an orchard first planted in the early 1900s. Pink Lady, Granny Smith, Bravo, Kanzi, Fuji, Beurre Bosc, plus a separate run of cider apples — variety-specific juices pressed on site under the Summer Snow label that started after a January 1998 hailstorm destroyed an entire crop. The farm gate sits in what used to be the orchard workshop and runs as a weekend stop: tasting paddles of cider and juice, a food van doing burgers and seasonal plates, barista coffee, frozen juice slushies for kids. Autumn you-pick sessions bookable through the website. About 50 minutes south-east of Melbourne on the Princes Highway corridor.