Nectarine Season

Nectarines are in season in Australia from November through to April, with peak supply in January and February when Victorian orchards are at full production. They're essentially peaches without the fuzz. The same species (Prunus persica), just a smooth-skinned genetic variant. Outside the summer window you won't find Australian nectarines. This is one fruit where you get what the season gives you.

Nectarines are primarily a summer crop in Australia, with peak supply from November to March.

Nectarines need a cold winter to set fruit buds and a long, warm growing season to ripen, which is why virtually all commercial production sits in temperate southern Australia. Victoria's Goulburn Valley, Sunraysia and Shepparton districts provide the climate and irrigation water most of the crop depends on, per Bee Aware. Trees are self-fertile but honey bees are brought in to improve fruit set. Sustainable Gardening Australia notes two flesh types grown commercially. Yellow-flesh ripens to rich gold-orange and handles transport well. White-flesh is sweeter and more delicate but bruises easily, so it's more common at farmers markets than supermarket chains. Both types include freestone and clingstone varieties. A low-chill segment using Florida program varieties developed by Professor Wayne Sherman also operates in subtropical Queensland, NT and WA, producing fruit from October into December ahead of the main Victorian crop, per ISHS (Campbell et al., 1995).

Victoria dominates at close to 80% of national nectarine output, concentrated in the Goulburn Valley, Sunraysia (Mildura-Robinvale) and the Shepparton district. NSW (around 3%), South Australia (nearly 5%), Western Australia (3%), Queensland (around 3%) and Tasmania (under 1%, harvested November–December) account for most of the remainder, per DAFF (2025). The NT grows nectarines in small volumes using low-chill varieties suited to sandy loam soils and mild winters, as the NT Government notes. The subtropical low-chill industry in Queensland and WA has grown since the 1970s using Florida program varieties, acting as early-season supply ahead of Victoria's main December-to-March peak, per ISHS (Campbell et al., 1995).