Farm Worker jobs

Farm jobs in Queensland: crops, horticulture and livestock

Farm jobs in Queensland cover horticulture such as fruit, vegetables and nuts, field crops such as sugarcane, cotton and grains, and livestock industries including beef, dairy and poultry. Business Queensland says the crop industries employ thousands of people on the land and along the supply chain. Register with CrossNation and upload your CV, and a recruiter reviews it as employers brief us. A listing is not a job offer.

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By CrossNation Editorial Team. Sources checked 6 October 2026.

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Open farm worker roles in Queensland right now: 0

No matching roles are open in Queensland right now. Create a candidate profile and upload your CV, and a recruiter reviews profiles against roles as employers brief us. A listing is not a job offer.

What to know

What to know before you apply in Queensland

What farm work exists in Queensland?

Business Queensland describes a horticulture sector producing fruit, vegetables and nuts and a field crops sector that includes sugarcane, cotton, summer and winter grains, fodder and pulse crops, and it lists livestock and animal industries covering beef, dairy, sheep, pigs and poultry. The state is large, so the work differs by district: tropical and sub-tropical horticulture on the coast and tablelands, sugarcane along the coast, grain and cotton on the Darling Downs and in the west, and cattle across the interior. Read each job advertisement for the exact crop or stock, because the machinery, the hours and the award can differ.

What do Wide Bay and the Darling Downs look like in the Census?

The ABS Wide Bay area had 307,745 residents at the 2021 Census and the oldest median age in our farm regions at 49. 14.8% of employed people were labourers, against 10.1% across Queensland and 9.0% across Australia. The Toowoomba area, which takes in the Darling Downs city and its surrounds, had a younger median age of 37 with 12.1% labourers and 10.7% managers. Labourers cover every labouring job, so these figures suggest a hands-on local workforce, not a count of farm workers.

How do hours, casual loading and minimum shifts work?

Hours differ between the two awards that cover most farm work. Under the Horticulture Award, full-time ordinary hours are an average of 38 a week, a casual employee receives a 25 percent loading and must be paid for at least two consecutive hours each time, and overtime from Monday to Saturday is 150 percent. Under the Pastoral Award, a casual is also loaded by 25 percent but the minimum engagement is three hours, overtime from Monday to Saturday is 150 percent for full-time and part-time staff and 175 percent for casuals, and Sunday work other than feeding and watering stock is 200 percent, or 225 percent for casuals. Check which award applies before you accept shifts.

Which tickets and licences matter on a Queensland farm?

There is no general farm work licence. The Horticulture Award's classification definitions describe Level 3 duties such as driving motor lorries, mechanical harvesters or forklifts and operating tractors over 70 kW, and Level 4 duties such as licensed operation of materials handling equipment. A forklift needs a high risk work licence, which the Western Australian Government notes is recognised in all states and territories. A driver's licence, tractor skills and first aid may appear in advertisements, so put the tickets you hold, with expiry dates, at the top of your CV.

How does CrossNation work with Queensland growers?

CrossNation is a recruitment agency serving employers across Queensland. We recruit staff who become the employer's own employees, and we do not supply seasonal crews. Year-round farm hand, machinery operator and supervisor roles suit that model. There may be no matching role open today. Register, upload your CV and say which districts suit you, and a recruiter can look at your profile when an employer briefs us.

What you could apply for in Queensland

Role types

Horticulture farm hand, picker, packer or irrigator on a fruit, vegetable or nut farm
Cane, cotton or grain farm hand and machinery operator
Cattle station hand or livestock hand working under the Pastoral Award
Dairy, poultry or piggery hand
Farm supervisor or packhouse team leader who coordinates a crew and records

Areas covered: Bundaberg, Hervey Bay and Wide Bay, Lockyer Valley, Darling Downs, Toowoomba, Atherton Tablelands, Bowen and Burdekin, Mareeba, Stanthorpe, Central Queensland.

Official data

Key facts from official sources

Queensland: horticulture

Queensland produces fruit, vegetables and nuts. Business Queensland says its horticultural industry has a reputation for high quality.

Source: Business Queensland: Crop and horticulture industries in Queensland (retrieved 6 October 2026)

Queensland: field crops

Field crops include sugarcane, cotton, summer and winter grains, fodder and pulse crops. The industry employs thousands of people on the land, in food processing and along the supply chain.

Source: Business Queensland: Crop and horticulture industries in Queensland (retrieved 6 October 2026)

Queensland: industry topics

Business Queensland lists livestock and animal industries (beef, cattle, dairy, sheep, pigs, poultry), crop and horticulture, food and beverage, fisheries and aquaculture, and forestry.

Source: Business Queensland: About Queensland's agriculture industry (retrieved 6 October 2026)

ABS Wide Bay: workforce

307,745 residents, median age 49 against 38 across Australia. 14.8% of employed people were labourers (10.1% across Queensland) and 11.8% were managers.

Source: ABS 2021 Census QuickStats: Wide Bay (retrieved 6 October 2026)

ABS Toowoomba: workforce

162,059 residents, median age 37. 12.1% of employed people were labourers (10.1% across Queensland) and 6.2% were machinery operators and drivers.

Source: ABS 2021 Census QuickStats: Toowoomba (retrieved 6 October 2026)

Pastoral Award: casual and overtime rules

A casual employee is paid a 25% loading and a minimum of 3 hours each time (clauses 11.3 and 11.5). Overtime Monday to Saturday is 150% (175% for casuals) and Sunday work other than feeding and watering stock is 200% (225% for casuals) (clause 35.2).

Source: Fair Work Ombudsman: Pastoral Award 2020 [MA000035] (retrieved 6 October 2026)

High risk work licence

A high risk work licence is required to operate forklifts and certain other high risk equipment, and a licence is recognised in all states and territories.

Source: Government of Western Australia: High risk work licensing (retrieved 6 October 2026)

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What are the main farm jobs in Queensland?

Horticulture work with fruit, vegetables and nuts, field crop work with sugarcane, cotton and grains, and livestock work with cattle, dairy, sheep, pigs and poultry. Each has its own season and machinery.

How many hours do farm workers work in Queensland?

Full-time ordinary hours under both awards average 38 a week, with overtime above that. Casuals can be rostered on different patterns, so ask for the roster in writing.

Do I need a licence to drive a tractor on a Queensland farm?

There is no general tractor licence in the awards. Employers set their own requirements and may ask for a driver's licence and experience. Forklifts need a high risk work licence.

Can I do farm work in Queensland on a working holiday visa?

Yes, working holiday makers can do farm work, generally up to six months with one employer, and regional plant and animal cultivation can count as specified work for a further visa. This is general information, not migration advice. Speak to a registered migration agent.

Is accommodation provided for farm workers in Queensland?

Sometimes. The Fair Work Ombudsman says you can choose where you live and that employers may only deduct accommodation costs with your written agreement where allowed. Ask before you accept.

Are farm jobs in Queensland listed with CrossNation today?

The live roles section above shows any matching Queensland role that is open. If there is none, register and list your district, tickets and start date, and a recruiter can look at your profile when a Queensland grower or station briefs us. A listing is not a job offer.