Big Day Out: Kookootonga Nut Farm

After we picked apples at Shield's Orchard and rode up and down the Zig Zag Railway our final stop on our Big Day Out was Kookootonga Nut Farm.  At Kookootonga you can pick walnuts and sweet chestnuts from mid March to late April each year.

Its situated in the divine Mt Wilson / Mt Irvine area - which is quite simply, one of the most beautiful spots in the Blue Mountains. Somewhat off the beaten track, the environment there is cool and wet, like a little slice of Tassie amid the harsh dry Aussie bush.  Perfect for growing the two English classics, Walnuts and Chestnuts.

Of course, we met our nemesis, the Chrysler Car Club on the way.  But thankfully their convoy had broken up somewhat, and they were no longer attempting to drive other cars that cut into their line, off the road.  Small mercies.  Lovely people, no really.

Of course turning up to pick chestnuts with two tigers in tow caused some speculation!  But we got our buckets and were shown where to find the chestnuts and left to our own devices.  The place was heaving, with bus groups and families, but the place is huge and you can easily find your own tree or three to forage under.

Tigers going up to hill with our buckets

 Chestnuts littered the ground. You don't pick them off the tree, they fall when they are ripe and you pick them up.

A beauty

They have incredibly prickly shells, and the best method is to tread on the shells, so they split open, and then gingerly get the nut out.  Sensible people had gloves.  We did not.

Stamping on chestnuts

Prickly Chestnut shells

Being the epitome of organisation I only had $12 in my wallet.  But that still got us this many chestnuts (about 2kgs I think).

The haul

Then it was finally time to head home.  It took us about two and half hours to get back from Mt Irvine to the Upper Upper North Shore.  But the traffic was heavy until we got to Windsor on the other side of the mountains, so mid-week, non school holidays you could easily do it in two.

Cannot wait to go again next year :)