A Complete Guide to Winter Fruits in Queensland

Winter might sound like the wrong season for fruit. It isn't. Some of the best Queensland produce of the year lands on our shelves between May and September, and if you only shop summer stone fruit and mangoes, you are missing the other half of the year.

Kuljinder picks our winter range from Brisbane Markets Rocklea every morning, so what we stock reflects what is peaking with Queensland growers right now. Here is the fruit that should be on your list.

Navel Oranges

Peak season runs June to September. Queensland Navels come mainly from the Burnett region around Gayndah and Mundubbera, and from Central Queensland around Emerald. Sweet, seedless, easy to peel, perfect for juicing.

You can tell a good Navel by weight. Pick it up. If it feels heavier than it looks, the juice content is high and the flavour will follow.

Mandarins

The mandarin season in Queensland has two waves. Imperials come in from May and run into July. Soft skin, easy peel, low seeds, kid-friendly. Murcotts follow from July onwards. Richer flavour, slightly firmer, a bit more complex.

If you are buying for school lunchboxes, Imperials win. If you want depth of flavour for an afternoon snack with cheese, go Murcott.

Kiwi Fruit

Australian kiwi fruit peaks in winter. This matters because local kiwi fruit has a better flavour and shorter supply chain than the imported stock that appears in supermarkets at other times.

Higher in vitamin C than an orange, gram for gram. Slice it into cereal, scoop it straight with a spoon, or add it to a fruit salad.

Pears

Three main varieties worth knowing:

• Packham: The classic green pear, sweet and juicy when ripe. Check the neck for a slight give.
• Beurre Bosc: Bronze skin, elongated shape, firmer flesh. Excellent for poaching or eating firm.
• Williams: Soft, aromatic, short season. Catch them when they turn yellow.

Store pears at room temperature until they give slightly at the stem end, then refrigerate. Our fruit storage guide covers the details.

Grapefruit

Ruby red and white grapefruit are winter staples. Tart, refreshing, great at breakfast. The ruby red has more sweetness. If you have not tried grapefruit with a sprinkle of sea salt, it sounds odd and tastes excellent.

Avocados

Hass avocados hit peak supply in winter. Shepard variety finishes up late autumn. To check ripeness, pop the little stem cap. Green underneath means ready to eat. Brown means overripe. No cap at all is a gamble.

Passionfruit

Late autumn into early winter is passionfruit season. Look for heavy fruit with wrinkled skin. Smooth skin means it is not ripe yet. Wrinkly and a bit dull on the outside means the inside is ready.

Apples

Apples are a year-round fruit because they store well, but winter is when new-season local apples land with the most flavour. Fuji for sweetness and crunch. Pink Lady for balanced tart and sweet. Royal Gala for a softer, milder apple. Granny Smith if you are cooking.

Eating seasonal actually saves money

When a fruit is in peak season, the supply is high and the price drops. Winter oranges and mandarins during the Queensland season cost a lot less than imported citrus in December. We wrote more about this here if you want the numbers.

If you are coming in to the shop this week, these are the fruits to prioritise. Ask the team what is looking especially good on any given day. The answer changes with the markets.