Summer Horticulture Work Opportunities

As we move into the Australian summer period, horticulture activity, particularly in the southern states starts to rapidly increase.

Travel across most state border is now freely allowed but check relevant State Health Department websites as the situation can change rapidly due to COVID19 outbreaks or developing hotspots.

If farm work or horticulture work is of interest to you, the Harvest Trail Information Service (HTIS) can be a very useful resource to consider. Operators hold a wealth of information on where certain work is available and what the work entails and what travel restrictions might be in place.

Not all horticulture areas across Australia need labour as many can source workers from the local community or from returning itinerant workers to meet their needs.

However, there are a number of areas across the country which, year after year, will require out of area labour to complete harvest of other horticulture activities.

For example in the coming Summer months of December, January and February:

Western Australia will require labour for the following:

Berry picking at Albany, Manjimup, Mount Barker, Pemberton and north of Perth at Carabooda / Wannaroo and Gingin,

Avocado picking at Gingin, Pemberton, Busselton and Manjimup,

Apple/pear, stonefruit and cherry picking at Donnybrook, Gingin, Manjimup, Mount Barker and Perth Hills,

Vegetable, potato and tomato picking at Lancelin, Carabooda/Wanneroo, Busselton, Gingin and Swan Valley,

Carnarvon is particularly busy with bananas, vegies, grapes, mangoes, melons and tomatoes all requiring labour.

Mango picking at Kununurra.

Northern Territory will require labour for mango picking at Katherine and also vegetable picking in the districts south of Darwin.

In Queensland, bananas are harvested all year round but is very physical work. Other opportunities during summer include:

In the north, vegies, citrus, lychees, mangoes, paw paws, pineapples at Atherton, Mareeba and Dimbulah,

Mangoes and melons at Ayr, Giru and Bowen,

Grapes and melons at Emerald,

Melons, vegies, avocadoes, citrus, longans and grapes around Bundaberg at Childers, Gin Gin and Mundubbera,

Berries at Chinchilla and Stanthorpe,

Vegetables and melons at Gatton, Boonah and Laidley, and

Vegies, stonefruit, melons and grapes at Stanthorpe, St George and Cunnamulla.

If in NSW, labour will be required for:

Berries on the north coast at Lismore, Ballina, Byron Bay and Coffs Harbour and south at Tumbarumba,

Bananas all year round at Coffs Harbour,

Stonefruit at Forbes,

Citrus at Narromine,

Grapes in the Hunter Valley,

Avocadoes and vegies in the Sydney Basin from Richmond down to Camden,

Citrus, vegetables, grapes and cherries in the Riverina in southern NSW at Griffith, Hillston and Leeton,

Cherries also at Young and Orange, along with grapes, berries and stonefruit,

Citrus vegies and grapes at various towns along the Murray  such as Tooleybuc, Euston and Wentworth,

And from February onwards, apples at Tumut.

In South Australia, work opportunities should exist for:

Citrus and stonefruit picking and packing in the Riverland at Renmark, Paringa, Loxton, Waikerie, Barmera, Berri and Cadell,

Grapes in the Riverland, Barossa Valley at Tanunda, Lyndoch and Nuriootpa, McLaren Vale and the Clare Valley,  

Vegies at Penola and Coonawarra,

Cherries and strawberries in the Adelaide Hills, and

Apples at Loxton.

Into Victoria and labour is generally required in the following areas:

Vegetables in Gippsland (Bairnsdale/Lindenow/Maffra/Koo Wee Rup) and also up north on the Murray at Mildura, Nangiloc, Robinvale and Nyah,

Citrus picking and packing in Cobram, Sunraysia and the Murray Valley areas,

Stonefruit also in Cobram, Shepparton and Nyah,

Apples/pear picking in the Goulburn Valley at Shepparton, Cobram and Myrtleford,

Tomatoes at Echuca and Shepparton area,

Cherries at Beechworth, Taggerty, Yarck, Cobram, Shepparton and the Mornington Peninsula,

Berries also on the Mornington Peninsula, and

Grapes at Mildura, Nangiloc, Robinvale and Nyah.

In Tasmania, it is all about berries, cherries and vegetables during summer.

Berry picking occurs at Ulverstone, Devonport, Deloraine, Launceston and Burnie in the north and at Huonville and New Norfolk in the south.

Cherry picking at Devonport, Launceston and Ulverstone and also at Huonville and Richmond.

Vegies at Deloraine, Devonport, Scottsdale and Richmond.

Remember to call the Harvest Trail Information Service (HTIS) on 1800 062 332 and utilise the expertise of these operators.