Finding agricultural work in Australia

My online searches have been frustrating. The government website, Harvest Trail, has some opportunities, but most of them seem to cater to those working permanently in the agricultural industry and not to backpackers seeking to extend their visas.

Nonetheless, the Harvest Trail website is very useful in determining where what crops are being harvested at different times in the year. I've learned that most of the work in Sept, Oct, Nov is available in Queensland and that the best way to find work isn't to apply online ahead of time, but to get to Queensland and stay in a hostel where there are resources for finding farm work. I also learned that most jobs in Queensland don't require you to have a car or a license, whereas most jobs in NSW and SA do expect you to be able to drive.

The most reliable resource for finding and contacting farms in need of help is the National Harvest Labour Information Telephone Line at 1-800-062-332. Contact this phone number only when you are in the location where you are looking for work and when you are looking for work, then they can provide you with the names and contacts of farms looking for work in your desired area. The woman I spoke to on the phone was very helpful in explaining what to expect from certain jobs and was eager to help me better understand how to go about the experience.

I managed to find job listings on the following sites, by searching the farming/agricultural classification : (below, I have linked to the specific search query I found to be useful for each site)

www.seek.com.au
www.mycareer.com.au
www.workaboutaustralia.com.au
www.workstay.com.au

I also found a few listings of interest on the Traveller's At Work website, but they require you to pay 69$AUD/month in order to simply look at their listings. I spoke to a representative who claimed they weren't liable for not being able to find you work and said the membership generally gave you access to reading their listings and nothing more. I, personally, am very much against business schemes that function to make money and not to help others and would not recommend this option to anyone - there are other options!

Finally, I found a few intriguing opportunities at hostels that also provide farm work opportunities. At first, I was hoping not to have to pay for accommodations (since I have an apartment I'm paying for while away!), but my research led me to realize it can be difficult to find paid work that includes room and board.

I like the idea of living in a hostel with like-minded world travelers while committing to this challenge. The farm work itself is said to be arduous and tiring. If I had to work and live on a farm with little to no-one to connect with, it would make the experience all the more grueling!

Although the hostels can't guarantee work either (due to weather), they are usually located in regions where work is available all year-round. Here are the working hostels I was able to track down and contact, most of which I found on the Workstay website:

www.bananabarracks.com
www.barnaclesbackpackers.com
www.deltabackpackers.com
www.ayrbackpackers.com.au
www.griffithinternational.com.au