Fruit picking, and other seasonal work, is a great way for young travellers to earn money whilst backpacking in the more rural parts of Australia on a working holiday visa
Once the harvest season starts, it is possible to move around, finding fruit picking working along the way, as many backpackers do. You find quite often travellers using fruit picking as a way of funding there trip, will follow similar routes around Australia following the harvests.
Harvest Seasons and Fruit Picking around Australia
Any backpacker thinking of using fruit picking to fund there travel will find the list below useful when looking for fruit picking / harvest work at different times of the year.
New South Wales
November to April is the busiest period for seasonal work, with the main harvest reaching a peak in February. Fruit picking work can be found around the central eastern district around Bathurst. Main produce includes orchard fruits, cotton, onions and asparagus.
In northern coastal areas of New South Wales, near Coffs Harbour, bananas are grown all year round.
Seasonal Harvest work Victoria
Seasonal work, from November to April peaking in February is the main season for fruit picking jobs in Victoria. Work is to found in central northern areas of Victoria around Shepparton, also a good area to look for work is along the Murray River, places such as Mildura and Swan Hill often required seasonal workers. Main harvests include orchard fruits, tomatoes, tobacco, grapes and soft fruits.
Picking fruit and seasonal harvest work in Queensland
Seasonal fruit picking work from December to March. Work is usually available around Warwick. Harvest includes stone and orchard fruits, grapes.
May to December, on the Central Coast of Queensland near Bowen, lots of different fruit and vegetables grown, especially mangoes at the end of the year.
May to November, the northern coast around Ayr and Ingham, usually work available picking sugar cane, bananas and tobacco. All year round, work is available on the southern central coast around Bundaberg and Childers, most types of fruit and vegetables are harvested.
Tasmania
Seasonal work, from December to March. Orchard and Soft fruits, grapes.
South Australia
February to April Seasonal work is usually available around The Barossa Valley picking grapes.
All year round Around the Riverland area, picking citrus and soft fruits.
Seasonal work in Western Australia
October to June: Seasonal fruit picking jobs in South-Western Australia, including harvesting grapes and orchard fruits.
March to November fishing and processing work available for crayfish, prawns and scallops available on the West coast of Australia between Fremantle and Carnarvon.
May to October fruit and vegetable picking and packing jobs available in the northeast, around Kununurra.
Fruit picking jobs Australia: Visa requirements
You cannot do fruit picking in Australia on a normal tourist visa, as tourist visas prohibit any earnings.
If you are between 18 and 30 years of age (35 for Irish & Canadian Passport holders) can travel, study and work around Australia for up to 12 months by applying for an Australian Working Holiday Visa