Picking And Packing in Australia
I really liked working on farms during my trip to Australia, even if it wasn’t easy every day… That’s true, that picking and packing fruits require physically hard effort but I generally got used to it pretty quick! It’s also a really good way to quickly earn a lot of money if you can motivate yourself. Make sure to learn that!
Working outside, enjoying the good weather, the landscapes, and eating the delicious fruits, that’s all the reasons, I enjoyed picking fruits.
I worked in different places and picked blueberries, grapes, peaches, oranges, and mandarins. Here you will find some tips and general information about fruits harvesting in Australia.
Blueberries
I picked blueberries for 2 months. I got pay per kilos (usually low payment) but it was still worth it. I was pretty slow, I took my time, did some breaks and I was earning between 100 and 150 dollars per day (around 5 to 6hours a day). Some people did earn 400 dollars per day (Asian people crushed it, so impressive)!
TIPS for picking: Make sure to fix 2 buckets with a belt, not with a string on your waist, to make sure the buckets don’t move too much. Generally, the company gives you the buckets and the string (as I said don’t fucking use this string!!).
Then, put your hands under a cluster and barely tap the blueberries with your thumbs to pick them, pick only with your thumbs. Put the blueberries in the first bucket and empty it in the tray and do it again!
Ah yes, one more thing, we are not wearing gloves while picking the blueberries to preserve the white powder on them. So be ready to have plenty of spiders and insects on you! Uhhhh!!
Grapes
Depending on the farm, but generally, when they pay you per bucket (low rates), it’s not worth doing it!
I was sometimes earning 5 to 6 dollars per hour!! I just did it for few days while looking for new jobs to be able to pay my rent!
If the farm is paying you per hour, definitely go for it!! The grapes bushes are on the same level than your hands so that make them really easy to pick. No bending over or reaching to not reachable branches! You just have to cut the stem with a clipper and put the grapes in your bucket! Easy!
Oranges and mandarins
To pick citrus, you need to carry a bag which can be pretty heavy when it’s full. Generally, you can borrow one at the farm you work for.
The trees are high, so you need to use a ladder and a clipper to cut the stem of the fruits. Sometimes you can twist the oranges to pick them but the risk is to hurt the fruit.
I didn’t like picking oranges and mandarins. It was too hard for me because of the heavy ladder that you have to carry and of climbing all the time up and down… I’m a bit clumsy, I even would say completely clumsy!!!
Concerning the payment, generally, picking citrus is payed per bin. The rate isn’t really good but it will pay the bills sometimes!
Peaches
I was getting pay per hour. Unfortunately, it was the end of the season; so I was working only a few days. Picking peaches is so easy, honestly! You only need to twist the fruit to pick it!
You also carry a bag, smaller than the bags for picking citrus which make the job easier. The only problem with picking peaches is that it makes your skin feels really itchy! So the most important advice for you, wear long sleeves, gloves and don’t touch your face while working 😉
Packing Shed
For me, packing fruits is one of the best ways to earn quickly a lot of money. I give to you only 2 tips:
- Leave your brain at home
- Have a goal and give everything to reach it!
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT PICKING FRUITS
If you are traveling in Australia with a Working Holiday Visa, an easy way to extend it for the second year is to work 88 days (mostly farms which are signing you these days).
Here, you will find some information about the farm jobs in Australia with the types of fruits/veggies and the periods. Notice that with the climate change, the periods can also vary.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
|
HARVEST |
FRUITS-VEGGIES |
LOCATION |
|
January – March |
Dried Fruits, potatoes, corn… |
Riverland |
|
February – April |
Grapes, Peaches |
Riverland, Southern Vales, Barossa Valley |
|
February– August |
Apples, Pears, Brussels Sprout |
Adelaide Hills |
|
April- September |
Citrus |
Riverland |
|
October – February |
Strawberries |
Adelaide Hills |
TASMANIA
|
HARVEST |
FRUITS-VEGGIES |
LOCATION |
|
February – April |
Grapes |
Huon, Tamar Valley |
|
March – April |
Hops |
Scottsdale, New Norfolk, Devonport |
|
March – May |
Apples |
Devonport, Hunter Valley, Tasman Peninsula, West Tamar |
|
December – January |
Soft Fruits |
Channel District, Huon, Kingborough, Derwent Valley |
|
December – February |
Blueberries |
Burnie |
|
December – April |
Strawberries, Raspberries |
Devonport |
QUEENSLAND
|
HARVEST |
FRUITS-VEGGIES |
LOCATION |
|
January – April |
Pears, Apples, Grapes, Tomatoes |
Stanthorpe |
|
February – April |
Rockmelons |
St George |
|
February – April & July- September |
Ginger |
Sunshine Coast |
|
January – December |
Sweet potatoes, avocados, tomatoes, citrus, zucchinis, capsicums… |
Bundaberg |
|
April – June |
Citrus |
Mundubbera |
|
April – December |
Broccoli, lettuce, onions, tomatoes, pumpkins, corn… |
Lockyer Valley |
|
April – November |
Beans |
Mary Valley |
|
April – December |
Tomatoes, various vegetables |
Bowen, Ayr |
|
May – October |
Broccoli |
Toowoomba |
|
April – December |
Tomatoes, various vegetables |
Bowen, Ayr |
|
May – October |
Broccoli |
Toowoomba |
|
May – December |
Sugar Cane |
Ayr, Ingham, Innisfail |
|
November – February |
Avocados, Bananas, Mangoes, Lychees… |
Mareeba |
|
October – January |
Plums, Peaches |
Stanthorpe |
|
November – January |
Cotton |
Goodiwindi, St George |
|
November – March |
Cotton |
Toowoomba, Milleran |
|
December – January |
Bananas, Sugar Canes |
Innisfail, Tully |
NEW SOUTH WALES
|
HARVEST |
FRUITS-VEGGIES |
LOCATION |
|
January – March |
Stonefruits, prunes |
Young |
|
February – April |
Pears, Apples |
Orange |
|
February – March |
Grapes |
Leeton, Hunter Valley |
|
March – May |
Apples |
Batlow |
|
March – June |
Cotton |
Narrabri, Mooree |
|
September – December |
Asparagus |
Cowra, Gundagai |
|
September – April |
Oranges |
Griffith |
|
October – November |
Blueberries |
Corindi |
|
November – December |
Cherries |
Young, Orange |
|
November – April |
Oranges |
Leeton |
|
December – January |
Onions |
Griffith |
|
December – March |
Stone Fruit |
Tumut, Batlow |
|
December – April March – April |
Blueberries Grapes |
Tumbarumba |
VICTORIA
|
HARVEST |
FRUITS-VEGGIES |
LOCATION |
|
January – April |
Pears, Peaches, Apples, Tomatoes |
Cobram, Ardmona, Shepparton, Rochester |
|
February – April |
Grapes |
Lake Boga, Swan Hill, Nyah West, Ovens, King & Kiewa Valleys |
|
March – April |
Apples |
Buckland Valley, Stanley, Wandilong, Red Hill, Main Range |
|
September – November |
Asparagus |
Dalmore |
|
October – December |
Strawberries |
Silvan |
|
November – February |
Cherries, Berries |
Boweya, Glenrowan, Wagandary, Wandin, Silvan |
|
November – December |
Tomatoes |
Echuca, Rochester |
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
|
HARVEST |
FRUITS-VEGGIES |
LOCATION |
|
January – March |
Grapes |
Margaret River, Swan Valley, Mt Barker |
|
March – May |
Apples, Pears |
Pemberton, Donnybrook, Manjimup |
|
May – September |
Zucchini, Rockmelons, Bananas |
Kununurra |
|
April – December |
Melons, Wildflowers |
Coorow, Muchea |
|
June – December |
Melons, Tomatoes |
Carnavon |
|
October – January |
Mangoes |
Kununurra |
NORTHERN TERRITORY
|
HARVEST |
FRUITS-VEGGIES |
LOCATION |
|
September – November |
Bananas, Flowers, Mangoes, Melons, Vegetables |
Darwin |
|
October – December |
Mangoes, Citrus, Melons, Vegetables |
Katherine |
|
November – December |
Grapes |
Ti Tree |
Source: fruitpickingjobs.com
Have you experienced Farm Jobs from the list above? Share your tips with us!
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