The sign says it all – come follow the blossom trail and see the Hilltops region in full bloom. Photo: Ballinaclash/Facebook.
Spring is nigh in the Hilltops, bringing a brief but striking preview of what lies ahead in the fruit bowl of the NSW South West Slopes.
Right now, as winter gives way to warmer days, the vistas around Young are shifting into a unique vibrancy with cherry and stone fruit orchards cloaked in blossom, paddocks carpeted in lush green and canola stretching in golden sheets across the hillsides.
It’s a fleeting but spectacular season and one that locals reckon is best seen up close, walking among the rows of trees.
That chance comes with the return of the 2025 Cherry Blossom Festival.
After debuting as a one-day event last year, the festival will run across two Saturdays in 2025, 13 and 20 September, at the Mullany family’s orchard and vineyard just outside Young.
The Mullanys are no strangers to sharing their property.
Ballinaclash has been in the family for three generations, producing cherries, apricots and, since the late 1990s, wine from the Hilltops’ cool-climate vineyards.
The cellar door and farm shop have long drawn visitors for pick-your-own cherries, cherry ice cream, pies and jams, and their wines have picked up awards at regional and national shows.
But the Cherry Blossom Festival marks a newer chapter in how the family is opening its gates.
“We were really overwhelmed by the response last year,” Cath Mullany said. “People loved the chance to simply walk through the orchards and take it all in.”
The appeal is easy to understand. While thousands flock here in summer, bang in the middle of cherry season, spring in the Hilltops has long been considered one of the region’s best-kept secrets.
This year’s Cherry Blossom Festival program is designed to give visitors more ways to enjoy that setting.
There will be live music, food trucks and an outdoor Blossom Bar pouring Ballinaclash wines and a cherry spritz that proved popular last year.
Families can expect face painting, colouring-in activities and a petting farm for children, while adults can book into workshops ranging from pottery and “en plein air” art classes to yoga under the blossoms and cherry pie-making sessions.
The festival is also expanding its cultural offering.
Local craftsman Jeff Peady will present his Hand Signals solo exhibition of woodwork, bringing a different kind of artistry to the orchard setting.
It adds another layer to what has been the transformation of a working farm selling seasonal cherries, into a showcase of Hilltops creativity and produce.
Today, the orchard thrives as a family-run operation anchored by Peter and Cath and their children – Ned, Tom and Jack – each bringing their expertise.
Ned oversees horticultural practices, Tom handles marketing and sales, and Jack, who studied wine science and returned in 2021 with viticulture experience, supports vineyard management.
For Ballinaclash, the festival is as much about celebrating the fruits of their labour as it is about involving the community in welcoming visitors.
Many of the stallholders and musicians are local, and the event has quickly become a gathering for neighbours as well as newcomers.
The relaxed pace – be it wandering through blossoms with a glass of wine in hand, or stretched out on a rug listening to music – feels a world away from larger, commercial festivals.
As the Mullanys see it, the aim is to create something welcoming and authentic, not just another date on the events calendar.
The location makes it an easy getaway. Young is a two-hour drive from Canberra, Wagga or Orange, and four hours from Sydney.
That puts the festival within reach for a day trip, though many combine it with a weekend exploring local wineries, produce markets and historic towns across the Hilltops.
The 2025 Cherry Blossom Festival will take place on Saturday 13 and Saturday 20 September. Ballinaclash is located at 4321/4335 Olympic Hwy, Young. Tickets to workshops and reserved seating can be booked through the Ballinaclash website, though general entry is designed to remain accessible.
