There’s always fruit or veggies to harvest someplace in Australia. Like farm labour, Fruit Picking/Harvesting Jobs in Australia fruit picking is seasonal employment available to everyone. Because you don’t need any prior experience, it’s the perfect profession for people who wish to work in Australia while on a work holiday visa. These harvesting jobs are an excellent middle ground since you can save money before returning to the road because the season may run from a few weeks to a few months. One way to extend your Working Holiday Visa for another year or two is to go fruit harvesting. Every fruit has a unique harvesting season, depending on the state. Still, that’s not all! Collecting fruit requires a lot of effort since it has to be processed and packed, the plantations need to be cleaned, the trees need to be trimmed, and new trees need to be planted for the next year. This thorough guide on fruit picking in Australia addresses the fundamentals, the process, possible job locations, pay, and frequently asked questions.
The various kinds of employment
In Australia, selecting fruit is not the only meaning of the word “fruit picking.” Large fruit farms require various labour-intensive operations, from planting to canning fruits and vegetables. Selecting Fruit picking is a crucial agricultural occupation. It is a seasonal employment where you pick fruits straight from fields. Depending on the season and area, the task might involve selecting vegetables or other agricultural products or harvesting fruits like apples, cherries, and bananas. Fruit picking is a seasonal occupation since various fruits have distinct harvest seasons. This implies that the availability of jobs varies by season and place.
The many forms of fruit harvesting
Let’s start by discussing selective picking, which is choosing the crop based on factors like size or colour. Selecting only ripe fruit of a certain colour is known as “colour picking.” Selecting just fruit of a particular size is known as “size picking.” A sample of what the farmer wants you to choose will be shown.
Bulk picking is harvesting nearly all of the fruit that the tree produces. Only damaged fruit is removed from the crop. As a result, you choose fewer fruits than you would in a straightforward picking where every fruit is plucked. Remember that your pay will probably be affected by this.
Stowing
Fruits and vegetables must be sorted and packed in this process. Depending on the fruit or vegetable, you may work standing up or sitting down; otherwise, the working environment is the same as in a factory. The job is done on a line in a warehouse or shed-style facility, and the environment is frequently loud. Becoming proficient at this activity may take a few days because payment is sometimes based on performance. Packing has the major drawback of being an extremely repetitive chore that must be done inside, where time can drag on slowly.
Trimming
The trees must be trimmed at the end of the season when the harvest is completed to prepare them for the next crop. Pruning often occurs in the late fall or early winter when the weather is a little wetter and colder. You will be instructed to trim the trees to ensure that they have the optimal circumstances for regeneration. This is a highly compensated job.
Diminished
Emptying the trees before harvest season makes room for new fruits to develop. You can ask the farmer what size fruit to save. Thinning requires a keen eye and considerable patience.
Planting
Planting will vary greatly based on the type of fruit or vegetable. Most of the time, it is done by hand, but for larger trees, it occasionally becomes essential to utilize tractors. A shovel and pickaxe will become your greatest friends while planting young trees! You will be planting seeds in a shed or outside in the fields. This one will need more physical labour than other fruit farm jobs because you might have to plant larger trees.
Grasping
Weeding fields or vegetable gardens is part of this work. You will remove weeds using a spade, secateurs, or by hand. Be ready to work in challenging environments, be outside in the sun, and spend a lot of time walking or bending over. Depending on the area, a fly net will be your greatest friend if you want to avoid having flies adhere to your skin.
Other employment
You can work numerous tasks on a fruit farm as a Farm Hand! This versatile position may entail handling, fencing, work on crops or solar farms. If a farm has fruit harvesting and grain lines (temperatures, delivery, transfers, etc.), you could also have to handle these things! As an alternative, installing solar panels would be the primary duty of solar farms. They often also need truck or forklift drivers, electricians, and other workers. If you cannot find work harvesting fruit in Australia, these jobs may be an excellent alternative for you and are eligible for visa renewal.
varieties of fruits and vegetables
Australia has a vast array of fruits and vegetables that may be harvested all year round in each state. While some are found on trees, others are gathered from the ground. It’s simpler to choose some than others. A summary of the most popular fruits and vegetables is provided below
Sweets
It’s common knowledge that cherries are easy to harvest and pay handsomely for the job. Usually, you gather the cherries in buckets, which you then dump into wooden boxes. Fruit harvesting from trees might be more challenging since it frequently requires ladders.
Apples
All you need to do to select apples is to use your hands, but the method is more deliberate. After selecting them, you stuff them into a waist-length bag and discard them into the trash can when it is full. It’s normal to have sore shoulders during the first few days because your backpack might get heavy when packed! It’s common to go between the ground-level trees and climb ladders to get to and from the buckets where you dump your fruit bags. Be careful; some apples are especially prone to marking, and the farmer usually inspects the fruit before approving the load.
Fruits of the citrus
Once you have mastered the “twist” technique required to pick the fruit without pulling off the peel, picking oranges and lemons is quick. Depending on the farm, you will use bags or buckets before putting your load into bins. When harvesting mandarins, a little pruner is used to help cut the stem flush with the fruit. These trees typically contain thorns, so use caution!
Berries
Because strawberries are picked from plants on the ground, picking strawberries can be more taxing on the back. Nevertheless, the bicycles frequently utilized on these farms help make life easier. In certain farms, you’ll be sitting on your bike with your empty crates—which you fill along the way—arranged on a tiny table in front of you. To pick your strawberries while seated and without straining your back, pedal up and down the plant aisles. Clever, huh?
Peaches and mangoes
Because these trees emit an allergenic liquid that can induce responses in certain people, picking mangoes and peaches can be challenging. Possible symptoms include itching, zits, or even edema in certain areas (hands, face, shins, etc.). To protect yourself as much as possible, put on gloves and long sleeves or pants when working.
Bananas
Because bananas grow in bunches that can get very heavy, picking them is challenging. Additionally, you should avoid working as a banana picker if you have arachnophobia. Encountering little (or huge) creatures in these fields—snakes, specifically—is not unusual. Remember, these fruits are harvested using machetes, so be cautious not to cut yourself. Some of the produce picked from the ground includes watermelons, pumpkins, onions, peppers, and rockmelons, some of which can weigh a lot. Another thing that puts much strain on your back is that most of the work is done on your knees or squats. You could avoid this kind of agricultural labour if you have back issues before travelling to Australia.
Where can I work on a farm
Thousands of travellers look for work on farms around the nation every year. There are various ways to obtain a job picking fruit in Australia, but the best strategy is to use them all to increase your chances of success. Understanding the different harvest seasons in each location is crucial. You’ll be able to arrange your travel and arrive at the ideal moment, increasing your chances of landing a job! Employers can be contacted using various methods, including over the phone and in-person farm visits. The Australia Backpackers Guide provides a list of farms throughout Australia. Additionally, you will discover some crucial details on the various crops, seasons, and weather (such as the beginning of harvest season and crop losses resulting from inclement weather).
It also offers suggestions on how to make your job management better. Fruit picking is not a difficult task, but there are a few tricks you may use to increase your productivity. This is especially crucial because many businesses pay their workers based on performance rather than an hourly wage. A harvest calendar, which shows you precisely which places are harvesting when and in which season, is also included in the guide.
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FAQs
To obtain employment in fruit picking, do you require a car?
Having a car while looking for a farm job is helpful but optional. Traveling between farms is now easier, allowing you to explore and select your favorite farm. Better still, if you can sleep in your car—farmers value having their “own home.”
Which fruit has the highest payout
On the other hand, tomatoes or onions aren’t known for being simple to pick or well-paid. Nevertheless, if you are paid based on performance, it depends on your company, productivity, and drive. The fact that salaries differ from farm to farm and might fluctuate based on the season (good or bad harvest) makes it challenging to generalize.
In fruit picking, where is the greatest place to look for work
A town or location that is ideal for picking fruit isn’t there. However, certain agricultural districts are more well-known because they employ more people year-round. Backpackers frequently congest these places, which is a drawback. For instance, you may hear about places like Bundaberg, Shepparton, and Mildura. These areas often have lower earnings and a higher prevalence of fraud. Go away from the shore and stay away from very “popular” locations to locate a decent fruit-picking job. Certain areas have less employment, but workers are also in higher demand.
Verify that the type of employment and the area qualify for your second-year-year visa before beginning any job.
How To Apply
Applying for a job involves several steps that require careful attention to detail and a strategic approach.Fruit Picking/Harvesting Jobs in Australia First, you need to identify the job you are interested in. This involves researching various job listings on platforms like SEEK, Indeed, or company websites. Once you find a job that matches your skills and interests, the next step is to thoroughly read the job description and requirements. This will help you tailor your application to highlight the qualifications and experiences that are most relevant to the position. Next, you need to prepare your resume. Your resume should be a concise summary of your professional experience, education, and skills. It is important to customize your resume for each job application, emphasizing the aspects of your background that align with the job requirements. Use bullet points to list your responsibilities and achievements in previous roles, and quantify your accomplishments whenever possible. For example, instead of saying you “managed a team,” you could say you “managed a team of 10 employees, increasing productivity by 20%.” In addition to your resume, you will often need to write a cover letter. A cover letter is your opportunity to introduce yourself to the employer and explain why you are a good fit for the job. Start your cover letter with a strong opening that grabs the reader’s attention. Mention the job you are applying for and where you found the listing. In the body of the letter, discuss your relevant experience and skills in more detail. Use specific examples to demonstrate how you have successfully handled similar responsibilities in the past. Conclude your cover letter by expressing your enthusiasm for the position and your eagerness to discuss your application further in an interview.
Once your resume and cover letter are ready, you can submit your application. Many companies use online application systems, where you will need to upload your documents and fill out an application form. Make sure to double-check all the information you provide to avoid any errors. Some applications may also require you to answer additional questions or complete assessments. Take your time with these tasks, as they are often used to screen candidates before the interview stage.
- After submitting your application, it is important to follow up. If you have not heard back within a week or two, consider sending a polite email to the hiring manager to inquire about the status of your application. This shows your continued interest in the position and can help keep your application at the top of the employer’s mind.
- If you are invited for an interview, preparation is key. Research the company thoroughly, including its mission, values, and recent news. Practice common interview questions and prepare your answers, focusing on how your skills and experiences make you a good fit for the job. During the interview, be sure to dress professionally, arrive on time, and bring copies of your resume and any other requested documents. Answer questions clearly and confidently, and be sure to ask your own questions about the role and the company. This demonstrates your interest and helps you determine if the job is the right fit for you.
- After the interview, send a thank-you email to the interviewer. Express your appreciation for the opportunity to interview and reiterate your interest in the position. This small gesture can leave a positive impression and set you apart from other candidates.
- Throughout the job application process, it is important to stay organized. Keep track of the jobs you have applied for, the deadlines, and any follow-up actions you need to take. This will help you manage your time effectively and ensure that you do not miss any important steps.