Australia has a lot to offer when it comes to winter escapes and following the winter harvest trail could be that next adventure you are looking for. To help point you in the right direction Harvest Trail has put together a little guide of areas with plenty of farm work between June, July and August.


Starting in the north, Queensland really shines during the winter harvest.  The coastal strip from North to South provides an abundance of horticulture work opportunities and tourist destinations to visit during your down time.  Click the links below for each region to discover a variety of things to see and do. Picking and packing ground crops such as vegetables and strawberries in multiple regions as well as orchard work on avocado, citrus and macadamia farms. Travellers with high risk work licences, and tractor driving and quality control experience are well sought after by growers.

Tropical North Queensland

Lakeland through to Tully – Bananas

Harvest Trail Service Provider: Quality Innovation Training Employment

Phone: 1800 354 414

Central Queensland  

https://www.queensland.com/au/en/places-to-see/destinations/capricorn

Ayr – Vegetable crops

Bowen – vegetables, tomato

Harvest Trail Service Provider: Quality Innovation Training Employment

Phone: 1800 354 414

Emerald – Citrus

Harvest Trail Information Service

Phone: 1800 062 332

Fraser coast/Wide Bay

Bundaberg – vegetables, berries, macadamias, tomato, citrus, avocado

Gayndah – Citrus, avocado

Harvest Trail Service Provider: MADEC

Phone: (07) 4339 3100

Scenic Rim

https://www.queensland.com/us/en/places-to-see/destination-information/p-56b25da02880253d74c450b6-boonah

Boonah – vegetable

Harvest Trail Service Provider: Best Employment Ltd

Phone: 1800 660 660

Lockyer Valley 

https://www.luvyalockyer.com.au/

Gatton, Laidley – Vegetables

Harvest Trail Service Provider: Best Employment Ltd

Phone: 1800 660 660

Moreton Bay/Sunshine Coast

https://www.visitmoretonbayregion.com.au/

Caboolture through to the Glasshouse Mountains – Strawberries

Harvest Trail Service Provider: MADEC

Phone: (07) 5294 7000


New South Wales offers contrasting landscapes from the Great Dividing Range flourishing with banana plantations and protected cropping systems for berries, and large scale irrigation farms with citrus orchards fed by the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area in Central NSW, across to the south West of NSW along the Murray River where there are large areas of citrus and grapes, particularly wine grapes.

North Coast

https://www.visitnsw.com/destinations/north-coast

Byron Bay – Avocado, Berries

Coffs Harbour – Avocado, Berries

Lismore – Avocado, Nuts

Harvest Trail Service Provider: MADEC

Phone: (02) 6648 2300

Central

https://www.visitnsw.com/destinations/country-nsw/orange-area/orange

Orange – grapes

Harvest Trail Service Provider: Acclaimed Workforce Pty Ltd Phone: (02) 7201 8888

Riverina

https://www.visitnsw.com/destinations/country-nsw/riverina

Griffith – citrus, grapes

Hillston – citrus

Harvest Trail Service Provider: MADEC

Phone: (02) 6963 2200

South West NSW

Tooleybuc – grapes, citrus

Wentworth – citrus

Harvest Trail Service Provider: MADEC

Phone: (03) 5021 3472


Why not head to Victoria’s own little oasis in the desert in the state’s North West over the winter months for some citrus and grape picking. The towns along the Murray River have a rich horticulture history dating back to the 1880’s and boasts the production of a major proportion of the nation’s wine grapes with plenty of vine pruning work available on these picturesque farms.

Mildura Region

https://www.visitmildura.com.au/

Mildura – citrus, grapes

Nangiloc – citrus, vine pruning

Harvest Trail Service Provider: MADEC

Phone: (03) 5021 3472

Swan Hill Region

https://www.visitthemurray.com.au/places-to-go/west/swanhill/

Nyah – citrus, vine pruning

Robinvale – grapes

Swan Hill – citrus, grapes

Harvest Trail Service Provider: MADEC

Phone: Swan Hill: (03) 5033 0025

Phone: Robinvale: (03) 5051 8080


South Australia produces more than 188,000 tonnes of citrus, including oranges, mandarins, lemons, limes, tangelos, tangerines and grapefruit. From May through to February the harvest areas require teams of pickers in the orchards with a peak in the season during the winter months requiring up to an additional 2000 pickers for the navel orange harvest. The added bonus for pickers working is having a late morning start during those cooler winter mornings

https://southaustralia.com/destinations/riverland

Citrus Harvest

Harvest Trail Service Provider: MADEC

Phone: (08) 8586 1900

Barmera

Berri

Cadell

Loxton

Paringa

Renmark

Waikerie


Further information on harvest work around Australia can be found by visiting the Harvest Trail website https://jobsearch.gov.au/harvest/

Not sure which provider to contact? You can call the Harvest Trail Information Service (HTIS) Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm on 1800 062 332 for advice.