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Australia · October

What’s in season in Australia in October

In October in Australia, the fruit at its best includes avocado, orange, pineapple and mandarin, and the vegetables include asparagus, baby spinach, broad beans, broccolini, bok choy, radish and rocket. Just starting: honeydew melon and watermelon. Near the end of their season: broccoli, cauliflower, fennel, parsnip and swede. This is the cooler south; the tropical north has its own calendar.

Last reviewed 9 October 2026 · 19 items at their peak

Spring in full swing. Asparagus, broad beans, peas, snow peas and sugar snap peas are at their sweetest, with spring onions, radishes, bok choy and rocket alongside. Oranges, mandarins, avocados and pineapples are still good, and the first summer vegetables, including zucchini, tomatoes and sweetcorn, are starting to appear. Strawberries and blueberries are in, and watermelon is on its way.

Vegetables 19 at their best or changing

  • AsparagusAt its peak

    At its peak. Best from September to November. Starts a little earlier in Queensland, around August.

  • Baby spinachAt its peak

    At its peak. Best from August to November.

  • Bok choyAt its peak

    At its peak. Best from April to May and October to November.

  • Broad beansAt its peak

    At its peak. Best from September to November.

  • BroccoliniAt its peak

    At its peak. Best from March to October.

  • Globe artichokeAt its peak

    At its peak. Best from September to November.

  • Green peasAt its peak

    At its peak. Best from September to December.

  • RadishAt its peak

    At its peak. Best from April and October to November.

  • RocketAt its peak

    At its peak. Best from April and October to November.

  • Snow peasAt its peak

    At its peak. Best from September to December.

  • SpinachAt its peak

    At its peak. Best from April to May and September to October.

  • Spring onionAt its peak

    At its peak. Best from October to December.

  • Sugar snap peasAt its peak

    At its peak. Best from September to December.

  • BroccoliLast of the season

    The last weeks. Best was May to August.

  • CauliflowerLast of the season

    The last weeks. Best was May to August.

  • FennelLast of the season

    The last weeks. Best was April to August.

  • ParsnipLast of the season

    The last weeks. Best was May to August.

  • SwedeLast of the season

    The last weeks. Best was May to August.

  • TurnipLast of the season

    The last weeks. Best was May to August.

Also around, not at their best acorn squash, beetroot, cabbage, capsicum, carrot, celeriac, cucumber, garlic, ginger, kale, lettuce, mushrooms, onion, potato, red cabbage, shallot, silverbeet, sweetcorn, tomato, zucchini

Fruit 6 at their best or changing

  • AvocadoAt its peak

    At its peak. Best from May to December. Hass avocados run from May to January; Queensland Shepard fills the gap.

  • MandarinAt its peak

    At its peak. Best from June to October.

  • OrangeAt its peak

    At its peak. Best from June to October.

  • PineappleAt its peak

    At its peak. Best from September to February. Grown in Queensland all year, sweetest in spring and summer.

  • Honeydew melonJust starting

    New in the shops. Peaks December to February.

  • WatermelonJust starting

    New in the shops. Peaks December to March.

Also around, not at their best banana, blueberry, grapefruit, lemon, lime, mango, papaya, passionfruit, rockmelon, strawberry

Herbs 2 at their best or changing

  • CorianderAt its peak

    At its peak. Best from April and October to November.

  • ParsleyAt its peak

    At its peak. Best from April and October to November.

Also around, not at their best basil, chilli, chive, dill, mint, oregano, rosemary, sage, thyme

This guide follows the cooler south, which is where most Australians shop: Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra and Hobart. The tropical north runs on a different calendar. Queensland and Northern Territory mangoes, for example, start in September, and bananas, pineapples and chillies come from the north all year.

How we decide. Each item carries a score from 0 to 20 for every month of the year. We call 16 or more “at its peak” and 8 to 15 “around”. The scores were checked against Australian growers’ bodies, state government pages and the Sydney and Melbourne markets, and last reviewed on 9 October 2026. Seasons shift a few weeks with the weather and the state, so treat the edges as guides. Spotted something wrong? Tell us at [email protected].
General information only. These guides are not advice about how you should prepare, store or eat any food. Please follow the packaging and the official food-safety guidance from Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) and your state or territory food authority.