What's in season in Australia in May
Provisioning in Sydney (Pittwater), the Whitsundays (Airlie Beach), Brisbane in May? Buy these local — they're at their best, usually cheaper, and keep longer aboard than produce that has travelled.
In season (37)
From Sustainable Table's Australian season guide.
- Apple
- Avocado
- Banana
- Basil
- Beetroot
- Bell pepper
- Broccoli
- Butternut / winter squash
- Carrot
- Celery
- Coriander / cilantro
- Cucumber
- Eggplant / aubergine
- Fresh chili
- Fresh ginger
- Garlic
- Grapefruit
- Green beans
- Green/white cabbage
- Leek
- Lemon
- Lime
- Mango
- Mint
- Mushrooms
- Onion
- Orange
- Parsley
- Potato
- Romaine lettuce
- Rosemary
- Spinach
- Spring onion / scallion
- Strawberries
- Sweet potato
- Tomato
- Zucchini / courgette
Probably imported this month (2)
Out of season locally — at the market these have most likely been shipped or flown in. Fine to buy; they may cost more and keep less well.
- Asparagus
- Raspberries
Galley recipes for May in Australia
The recipes that use the most in-season produce, and nothing imported.
- Bún chay — Vietnamese noodle saladVietnamese · 30 min · sea 4/5 · vegan
- Greek braised summer vegetables (briam-style)Greek · 55 min · sea 2/5 · vegan
- Ratatouille with riceFrench · 55 min · sea 2/5 · vegan
- Soft polenta with ratatouilleFrench · 55 min · sea 2/5 · vegetarian
- Thai peanut noodle saladThai · 25 min · sea 4/5 · vegan
- Vegetable cashew noodlesThai · 30 min · sea 2/5 · vegan
- Vietnamese mushroom & green bean rice potVietnamese · 45 min · sea 4/5 · vegan
- Yasai itame — stir-fried vegetables with riceJapanese · 35 min · sea 3/5 · vegan
Source: Seasonal Produce Guide — what produce is seasonally available in Australia (Sustainable Table (Australian not-for-profit, Carlton VIC)). Retrieved 2026-10-07. National guide by season (summer Dec–Feb, autumn Mar–May, winter Jun–Aug, spring Sep–Nov), published 11 April 2023; page text as shown in the browser on 2026-10-07. Australian-grown, so tropical fruit (from Queensland) counts as local nationwide. It only says what's in season, so it never flags imports. 'Pumpkin' is used for butternut squash, 'capsicum' for bell pepper, 'beans' for green beans, 'lettuce' for romaine; a lime counts where it's listed under fruit.