Vegetable, Fruit, Flower, Packing Shed and Farm duty workers Full Time

Locations: Southeast Victoria

Salary: Horticultural Award/Piece Rate

Work Type: Full Time

Tenancy: Temporary Position

Hours per Day: 8 – 10

Positions: 6

We are primary producers of fruit and/or vegetables in the Southeast Region of Victoria region which is where the work is located. We require 6 hardworking, fully committed workers primarily to harvest produce which may include pruning, cutting and harvesting fruit, vegetables and harvesting flowers and working within packing shed facilities. Experience in cutting/harvesting vegetables, fruit and/or harvesting flowers is advantageous. Other farm duties including weeding, market garden activities may also be required in lieu of harvest work as required. With the positions offered, the work will be paid at hourly rate or piece rate. In all cases, the work will be paid consistent with the Horticultural award 2020.

Travel between various properties will be required. Due to the nature of harvesting vegetables, fruit and flowers, particularly with some crops, frequency and regularity of work will be variable, predominately due to weather conditions.

Days worked per week are to be five (5) days, Monday to Friday. Work is estimated to be around mid to late November to mid to late August the following year where harvest volumes generally increase but are not guaranteed. Depending on the crop to be harvested, the work in its entirety will run approximately nine (9) months.

Starting times will also varying dependent on climate and temperature conditions. If it is anticipated that mild nights are to be experienced, earlier start times will be required – possibly 9.00pm to 1.00am. Therefore, it is a key requirement is that prospecting workers are very flexible in their availability for working hours and days due to this inconsistency.

The work is all manual labour, outdoors, in a range of weather conditions ranging from raining, windy, muddy soil to hot, dry conditions. To tolerate all conditions, applicants will need to be physically fit, and of sound health if applying. Further to this, candidates need to have the ability to work quickly and with accuracy as each asparagus spear is harvested individually whilst walking in a bent over position.

When packing shed work is required, this will be indoors, standing for the duration of the shift and sorting, selecting correct grades of produce where there will be a need to bunch, packed or tie the produce together.