Tasmanians answer the call of the wild as blackberry season bears fruit

TASMANIA’S wild blackberry season has peaked, with juicy fruit ripe for the picking.

Georgia Purton 15 of Burnie samples blackberries for the first time at Upper Burnie Contact Georgia 0448427443

TASMANIA’S wild blackberry season has peaked, with juicy fruit ripe for the picking on prickly vines along the side of roads, in vacant lots and on the edge of parks across the state.

Blackberries have been growing wild in Tasmania since the first settlers introduced the plant, and while some are sprayed to stop them taking over public land, others are left to bear fruit each year from late February to early April.

Those keen on bottling blackberry jam and other fruity delicacies are arming themselves with containers and heading to local wild fruit hot spots.

Burnie teenager Gerogia Purton had never sampled a wild blackberry before this week when she was tempted by a blackberry bush heavy with dark fruit.

She was pleasantly surprised by the sweet, juicy morsel she tried.

The blackberry not only tastes good, it is also good for you, with a high level of antioxidants.