It was one of those sun-drenched afternoons, with balmy weather, perfect sunlight and cool air. We took a long slow drive to Chittering Road, 45 mins outside of Perth, to Golden Grove. Golden Grove is reputed for its impressive range of citrus fruits. And best of all? It is a pick-your-own orchard.

Along the scenic route, we spotted many wild kangaroos perched on hills, which was quite a sight for Rene and Josh. That was the first time we've seen them in the wild. We drove really slow not because the speed limit was 60KM/HR but because the orchard is hidden on the side of the small road. You may miss it if you don't pay close attention.

By the time we arrived, it was quite late, at about fifteen minutes past four in the afternoon. We were worried that we might get turned away. Luckily, the friendly staff at the orchard obliged and told us we must return by five. So 45 minutes was all we had. She quickly showed us samples of the fruits available at the orchard, and provided us with an orchard map indicating locations for different types of oranges. We particularly loved the Red Rubies for their sweetness and size. They were large and looked quite like grapefruits. (Or were they actually grapefruits??)

We wasted no time and quickly marched up the hills with a big bucket in hand. On the way into the orchard, we came across plenty of wild macaws. They were dark blue in colour, and they were resting at the tops of the trees. Like us, we believe they were attracted to the sweet oranges. We were fortunate to be the only ones there, along with the macaws of course. We had the whole orchard to ourselves!

We found the Red Rubies and started to reach for them. The better looking ones were deeper into the orchard and mostly were higher up on the trees. We had to carry the kids in order for them to pluck the rubies. It was an amazing feeling to fill up our bucket with our own harvest.

They were heavy though! Josh was in charge of selecting the oranges to harvest. Rene was tasked to lug the bucket around, much to her difficulty. It was also our first time seeing the orange flowers, which actually looked a bit like jasmine.

While we picked our oranges, we also took time to admire the beautiful scenery around the orchard. You can see endless rows of orange trees across the rolling hills. The setting sun made the whole atmosphere warm and enchanting. It was a view we will always remember.

We ended up with half a bucket full of oranges, which weighed a hefty 7.5kg! The orchard charged AUD 4/kg so it was AUD30. That was all we paid. No admission fee whatsoever. We also got to drink freshly-squeezed orange juice.

It tasted so much better and fresher at the orchard. I imagine the whole environment and orchard experience played a part for that outstanding taste. We were extremely satisfied with our visit to the Grove. Before we left, Josh took a picture with the tractor and said goodbye to the chickens at the farm. It was literally a "fruitful" trip for us. We just need to finish up all the oranges we have picked.