Fruit picking or maybe not?

Blonderer · Veteran Member

Fruit picking or maybe not?

Cee · Senior Member

Hi Blonderer,

I'm planning on working around oz as well in a few months.

I've found a few websites that are helpful. I've put a link up for the fruit picking if it's of interest to you.

http://jobsearch.gov.au/harvesttrail/default.aspx

http://www.workaboutaustralia.com.au/

Keep Smiling
smile

Happywanderer · The Master

We get a lot of backpackers here in Echuca at tomato picking time, that season would be coming up soon me thinks, not sure.

Cruising Granny · Guru

If you're fit and capable, fruit picking would be a viable option for seasonal work.
Bear in mind many of the orchards and gardens acquire their workers through websites and agencies, and they arrive by the bus-load. I believe it's hard to get into on a "pop-in", cold call, casual basis.
You could try planning a long time ahead to get into these places as the seasons progress around the country.
Southern Oz seasons are opposite to tropical seasons, although they can produce the same crops.
It's very hard work, often paid by the bucket, bag or piece(melons). The more you want to get paid, the harder you work. Very little is paid by the hour.
I used to cut apricots in the Barossa Valley and was paid by the tray.
There are so many crops to choose from, also bearing in mind machines do a lot these days.
Good luck in your search. Cheers

des37 · Member

Hi blonderer, Fruit picking is really hard yakka until you get the hang of it, starts in the Cobram areaanytime now, there is also work on small family orchards , either picking ,grading, packing , cherries are in at the moment, all along the river this year they will be looking for seasonal workers... i'm new to this also , so good luck des37
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Carista · Member

Thinking of picking citrus...just wondering if the pay will be worth it. How much could a reasonably fit person expect to earn in a week?

Annie

rockylizard · Guru

Gday...

I work intermittently doing harvest work.

I picked Navel Oranges and Mandarins in 2012 up near Gayndah and Biggenden QLD.

You will work on 'contract' rates which can vary from orchard to orchard. It is usual to pick the fruit into a bin, like this -

These bins hold about 450Kg.

The rates at the orchard I worked were $110/bin for Mandarins and $50/bin for Navel oranges. I know this is about middle of the average rate of what many orchards pay.

I could fairly easily pick a bin of mandarins in a 6 hour day, sometimes a bin and a bit. So that's about $110 gross per day by 6 days = $660 (about $570 after tax).

As Navel oranges are bigger, I was able usually to pick two and a half bins per 6 hour day. So that's about $125 gross per day by 6 days = $750 (about $650 after tax).

The work is not hard, but is tiring for the first week usually, as muscles become accustomed to climbing ladder and carrying the bag around the shoulders. If you are reasonably fit and active it is not a problem - in fact your fitness level increases during the season.

Hope that gives you some idea.

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Cheers - John

wendyv · Guru

We found that work was available in the mango packing sheds, in the mango season. It was not hard work, compared to picking of any sort. Paid fairly well, too.
The mango season starts around Sept/Oct around Darwin; gets a bit later further south - we have worked a shed at Giru, near Townsville, as late as Xmas.
If you are travelling away from the heavily populated areas, can get seasonal work in tourist operations, depending on your skills. Cleaning, reception that sort of thing. It is rare for these jobs to be advertised - you tend to pick them up on the spot as you go, by asking around, looking for notices in shop windows, and the like.
You can get certificates like Responsible Service of Alcohol; Food Handling etc to improve job chances. A fork lift ticket is really useful.

moblet · Senior Member

Roadhouses, cattle stations and remote motels often rely on itinerant workers and backpackers for customer service, cleaning, gardening and/or cooking duties. Some of it is advertised on gumtree, some advertise on their websites, some of it is found through the grapevine. If you land in a place that you wouldn't mind stopping and working in, ask.

There's also WWOOFing, although this is almost always unpaid part time work in exchange for food and accommodation.