• Official Information for Extending Your Working Holiday Visa
• Finding Work For Extending Your Working Holiday Visa
• Best State and Time of Year For Farmwork
• Minimum Wage for Farmwork
• Average Piece-rate Wages by Fruit/Vegetable
• The Best Farms to Complete Your Regional Work on
• List of Working Hostels around Australia
• Working Hostels to Avoid in Australia
• Tips About Farmwork

Official Information for Extending Your Working Holiday Visa

Essentials for extending your working holiday visa:

• To extend your first year 417 working holiday visa after the first year you need to complete 3 months (88 days minimum) working in specified work (Usually farmwork, although certain mining and construction jobs also count) in a regional area of Australia.
• To extend your second working holiday visa you need to complete 6 months (179 minimum) in a regional area during your second year- with the same work criteria as the first year. This is possible since July 1st 2019, and can start first from January 1st 2020.
• Each time you want to extend your visa, it costs $485AUD.
• You must be aged between 18 and 30 (Up until your 31st birthday is eligible; 18-35 for Canadians, Irish, and French passport holders)
• You need to do your farmwork in a regional area- everywhere outside the cities of Sydney, Woolongong, Newcastle, Canberra, Melbourne, Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Perth. This is everywhere outside the biggest cities in each state, and the entire states of South Australia, Tasmania, and Northern Territory.
• Applicable work is Plant and Animal Cultivation, Fishing and Pearling, Tree Farming and Feeling, and Mining and Construction

Here is the Government's official wording for the number of days you must work (Taken from the Australian government website):

"To meet the three months specified work requirement you must complete the same number of normal work days or shifts as a full-time employee in that role and industry would normally work in a three month (88 calendar day) period. You can do this in a variety of ways, for example:

working five days a week for a continuous period of three calendar months, including on a piecework rate agreement; or

working less than five days a week over a period longer than three calendar months, including on a piecework rate agreement;

working multiple short periods of work in any combination of full time, part time or on a piecework rate, which add up to the equivalent of five days a week over three calendar months."

If you are on a 462 Work and Holiday Visa you have different requirements than a 417 visa. Essentially it means you can work anywhere regional or above the Tropic of Capricorn, with hospitality work counting towards your working days- so outback pubs are possible as jobs, as are restaurant/bar/reception work.

Finding Work to Extend Your Working Holiday Visa

Harvest Trail

There are a number of services, the first I'd recommend is Harvest Trail. Harvest Trail is the government provided service to help farmers and workers connect. It's best to call Harvest Trail directly, and they will ask you a few questions to narrow down your search- Where are you, have you previous experience, when can you start, have you a car, etc.

While the farms they provide are usually applicable to extend your visa, double check to be sure- there is nothing worse than working and finding out it won't extend your visa. The quality of the farms can sometimes be suspect.

Online

Gumtree is Australia's go to website for finding anything online- from buying and selling cars, to finding jobs, to swapping items. There is huge competition here once someone posts a farm job- if your not within the first hour there's almost no point responding- It's always better to make your own add saying that your looking for work, give your location, say whether you have a car or not, and any experience you might have. Seek.com.au also works out sometimes.

Recommendations From Friends

Recommendations from friends/other travellers are the most reliable way to find a good place for regional work. Friends will have personal experience and will be able to tell you exactly how the work was, the advantages and disadvantages, as well as giving you direct contact with the farmers.

Facebook Groups

Facebook groups are another great shout, as sometimes you simply don't know anyone who has completed their farm work yet- even if you have found work, and you're unsure of how reliable your farmer is, ask for advice- other people can steer you towards them/away from them. Just remember, everyone experience and viewpoint is different. The most popular groups are Regional Farm Work Australia, 88 Days and Counting, and farm work Australia. For more cattle work, try Station Jobs Australia and Station Positions Northern Australia. There is also a page called Farm Work Australia, but groups are better as you can search posts easier, and people interact a lot more with experience/advice etc.

Working Hostels

Working Hostels are located all over Australia- these are hostels which tend to host long term guests, who help their guests to find work. Often they are a little more expensive than living on a farm, but they are great for finding a group of like minded travellers who are all going through the same experience- it can often create the best memories! We've put together a list of working hostels below.

Visit Farms in Person

Finally, just drive to farms in your area, or within 2-3 hours of where you are. Asking if they need help, or know anyone who might, is a great way to find work- Farmers appreciate actually seeing you, they'll know you have a car, and it shows you have initiative for working. Meeting someone in person is key, as online there is always an element of doubt- the person isn't real until you actually meet.

Best State and Time of Year For Farmwork

Northern Territory

All of Northern Territory is applicable for regional work- you can find cattle, watermelon, lemon, banana and vegetable farms throughout the state, often in remote towns near the border for Queensland, and around Darwin and Katherine. There is also lots of work around Alice Springs- great if you have the dream of seeing Uluru and the surroundings, and more off the beaten track places in the NT. You should also consider working in National Parks- it counts as regional work provided you're working in something related to production.

New South Wales

New South Wales has work pretty much all year around, although in different places. There are a variety of apple, cotton, cherry, nut and asparagus farms throughout the state, and if you like to surf, doing your farmwork along the coast is an excellent idea! Places inland include Dubbo, Griffith, Bathurst, Broken Hill, and Wagga Wagga- they give an excellent chance of experiencing a true Australian farm work.

Queensland

Queensland is probably Australia's most popular state for regional work. Banana, sugarcane, cotton, mango and avocado are all common types of farms to find in Far North Queensland, with seasons from December to February, and April to August, in general. There are also tons of lifestock farms around Rockhampton, Mackay, and Gladstone.

Strawberry, Pineapple, Berry picking are all popular along the Sunshine Coast and Bundaberg, from April- September, Gatton and the Lockyer Valley grow vegetables year around. South Queensland has good weather year round, and is near the coast for those who like beaches and surfing., and is full of strawberry picking work- especially in July and August.

Western Australia

In Western Australia there is work year round- in the Australian summer, Margaret River and around are great for vineyards and general vegetables. It's also an amazing part of the country to explore- definitely underappreciated and underexplored by most backpackers, who wait along the East Coast for their entire stay. From April to September, the area in the north west of the state, around Broome and Exmouth are the best places to search for work- you can find everything from vineyards to mangoes to pearl harvesting here. It's also high tourist season for them- and you can swim with whale sharks near Exmouth at this time.

Victoria

Mildura and Shepparton are Victoria's most famous fruit harvesting towns- they have lots of oranges, vineyards, and vegetable picking year round. Mildura has a somewhat bad reputation, but in more recent years the working conditions have improved a lot. Just be sure to vett whoever you are going working for- and check out the hostel reviews beforehand.

South Australia

As stated before, the entire state of South Australia is applicable for regional work- that means even in the Barrosa Valley just outside Adelaide, work counts towards your visa.Wine, oranges cherries, apples, peaches, wine and tobacco are all popular in South Australia, and the most popular areas are in the wine valleys, and Riverlands and the Adelaide Hills.

Tasmania

The island of Tasmania has a climate similar to Ireland and the United Kingdom- It's cold and wet during the Australian winter, but can have amazing summer days- not too hot, not too humid, but just perfect. This makes it the perfect place for apple and berry picking, during the months of November- April. There are also vineyards in the dryer parts of the island, and work can be usually found on them between January and April.

Minimum Wage for Farmwork

Regional and farm workers are entitled to the same minimum wage as anywhere else is Australia. Australia's minimum wage is $19.46 per hour, This is on a contract, with paid holidays and superannuation included, and penalty rates apply on weekends.

Most farm work is casual pay and is worth 25% in loading- or $24.33 per hour. With casual pay you have no fixed contract, and work can end at any time, which suits farmers who have irregular and unpredictable seasons.

The best jobs on a farm are driving the machinery, and working in the packing sheds, as these are generally paid per hour, and are less backbreaking than picking jobs.

If you are been underpaid, please contact Fair Work Australia, and document EVERYTHING.

However some work is based on a piece-rate agreement- this is based on how much fruit you pick, by weight or by container- the prices vary by season and fruit, but according to the law the average worker should be able to make 15% more than the minimum wage per hour. Piece-rate agreements like this are often dodgy, as in the average person gets extremely underpaid.

For example for me, on our farm, there was 3-4 people making above the casual loading wage (out of over 100 workers) and everyone else was under- some people were making as little as $10 per hour. I was making on average $17 per hour, and working as hard as possible. Remember though- you don't get paid for the travel between farms if you're on piece rate, while it usually counts if you are on hourly rates.

Average Piece-rate Wages by Fruit/Vegetable

This a a rough list of the piece-rate prices by the most popular fruits and vegetables- just so you know if you're been severely underpaid. Remember these prices vary by season- when there is less fruit you get better pay.

Oranges: $45 per bin minimum- any less and you'll struggle to make a decent wage.

Blueberries: $2.50-$3.50 per kilo.

Strawberries: Between $0.60 $0.80 per kilo, or roughly $2-$3 per tray. Definitely don't accept less, as this is backbreaking work.

Cherries: Aim for 200kg plus a day during high season- normally it's paid $1 per kilo.

Apples: Strip picking is generally $28-$35 per bin, colour picking is generally $33-$36, but for fragile varieties such as Golden Delicious it can be over $40 a bin. Less than $30 a bin is rare, and should be avoided. Expect to pick 3-4 bins a day when you start, and 5-7 on average after 1-2 months.

Pears: $36+ per bin, and aim for 3-4 bins per day if you are just starting. Experienced pickers average 5-6 per day.

Tomatoes: Can be up to $60 per bin, but you need to be careful not to bruise them.

Grapes: Piece rate varies per season and variety- Crimson SP is between $1.80 and $2kg for 4.5kg, Sweet Globe is $2.30-$2.50 per 4.5kg, BB is $2.50-$3 per 10kg, while Sweet Sapphire is $3 per 10kg.

The Best Farms to Complete Your Regional Work on

As mentioned earlier, anything that's not piece-rate is going to net you a fair amount of money(Unless your a machine, avoid piece-rate).

Dairy farms are great for getting a fair wage, and for doing the full 3 months with one employer, as you are guaranteed daily work, it takes a little time to get trained, and you are never going to be paid 'per cow'. They are usually remote, and the work involves early mornings and evening work (as farms will usually milk twice a day, at 10-14 hour intervals), but it is fairly paid and a true farm experience.

If you're from a farming background and have experience driving machinery, harvesting crops is a huge money maker- I've met people who've saved $30,000 in 3 months working harvesting. The pay is normal, but the hours are insane- 12+ hours a day, 6-7 days a week, you'll be rich by the end of it.

Solar farms are the ultimate place to complete your farmwork and save- earn roughly $32 per hour and work full time- you'll save a ton. However, places on solar farms are super competitive and you'll need your white card qualification.

List of Working Hostels around Australia

Queensland

Tolga Backpackers, Tolga.

Atherton Backpackers, Atherton- Clean and has friendly owners, great reviews.

Scotty's Mission Beach, Mission Beach- All YHAs are nice places to stay, and Scotty's works with banana farms in the area- however they limit the number of workers in the hostel to between 20 and 25 people.

Banana Barracks, Tully- Reliable for finding work in Mackay's, a little expensive. Also operates the caravan park in Tully.

Innisfail Budget Backpackers, Innisfail- Average, a scruffy, but they'll help you find work. Definitely not luxury.

Reef Lodge Backpackers, Townsville

Lazy Lizard Lodge, Ayr- The manager Sue is super friendly, and they have plenty of work between March and November.

Geckos, Mackay.

Farmgate Backpackers, Childers- Expensive for what you get, but the owner is very helpful with finding work. Also has a pool and free washing.

Mooloolaba Backpackers, Sunshine Coast- Lovely hostel with a pool and close to the beach, good for farmwork between July and September, although it does get dirty.

Gatton Freedom Lifestyle Park, Gatton/Lockyer Valley

New South Wales

YHA Yamba, Yamba- Incredibly nice town and family owned hostel. Farmwork can be hard to find in the area, but the owners will go out of their way to help you.

Central Backpackers, Coffs Harbour

Hoey Moey Backpackers, Coffs Harbour- Really nice hostel by the sea, with good food- work is entirely dependent on the farmers who contact them though, so you may have to wait.

Victoria

Mildura International Backpackers, Mildura- One of the few reputable hostels in Mildura, they're usually very honest about work- although you may have to wait a week or two when they are busy.

South Australia

Renmark International Backpackers

Working Hostels to Avoid in Australia

Queensland

PK Jungle Village, Cape Tribulation- Chonic underpayment/unpayment of wages

Tolga Lodge, Tolga- Currently under investigation

Ayr Backpackers, Ayr

Barnacles Backpackers, Bowen

Blue Dingos, Bundaberg- So many bad reviews you can't count them.

Sunrise Backpackers, Sunshine Coast - it involves methheads and pesticides.

Victoria

Dons Backpackers, Mildura

Mallies Inn Mildura

Bridges Hostel/Borderline Hostel/ Vicky's Hostel, Mildura

South Australia

Riverland Backpackers (Nomads on Murray)

Tips About Farmwork

• Keep Your Payment Slips- this is essential incase you get investigated by Immigration and asked for evidence.
• Keep receipts from area you work- such as bus receipts, grocery receipts, and whatever else you can, as they can also be used as evidence you were actually in the area.
• Take photos regularly just in case- same as above.
• Don't leave it until the last minute- it's rare you get 88 days done in a row.
• Check with others about the farm- some are terrible.
• Having a car is a huge plus in searching for farmwork.
• Working hostels can help- don't get stuck paying crazy high rents a week though.

• Fruit closer to the ground is much harder to pick- such as strawberries, lettuce, potatoes. There's easier work out there.

• The big money is in crop harvests, driving tractors/harvesters. You can make 30000+ in the 3 months. It's a lot of work, 70+ hour weeks at times, but excellent to save.

• Want to make a ton of money? Avoid the most popular areas- here there's so much competition it's hard to get the best paying jobs.
• Currently doing your farmwork and planning to travel? Or just want a discount off any tour or bus pass in Australia? Use the code FARMWORK2019 on checkout to get 10% off any bus pass or tour in Australia or New Zealand. Or contact us for more info.

Did we miss anything? Let us know here

Looking for other exploring guides around Australia?

How about:

1. Exploring Cairns
2. Exploring Magnetic Island
3. Exploring Airlie Beach and The Whitsundays
4. Between Hervey Bay and Airlie Beach
5. Exploring Fraser Island
6. Exploring Brisbane
7. Exploring Byron Bay