Fields of Work and Conditions

Dry OutbackBecause of the diversity of employers, Outback International is able to offer a wide variety of opportunities within the agricultural industry with some of the world’s largest private and corporate farming companies. Positions may include:

  • Irrigation and broadacre farming
  • Cotton
  • Grain
  • Viticulture
  • Horticulture
  • Beef Cattle

The opportunities are endless with positions in the following fields:

  • Trade qualified workers (eg Mechanics, diesel fitters, fabricators, heavy machinery operators – Combines, cotton pickers etc)
  • Truck Drivers
  • Sprayer operators/chemical experience
  • Plant operators
  • Tractor drivers
  • Irrigators
  • Agronomists

International workers must enter Australia under the condition of either a Holiday Work Visa or Sponsored Work Visa.

By working with Outback International, you have access to a database of 5,500 employer/clients in the Australian agricultural industry. Additionally, Outback International can provide assistance to workers in the areas of taxation, insurance, banking and superannuation.

Seasonal Opportunities

The diverse nature of farming in eastern Australia opens opportunities for agricultural work most of the year, with the exception of August to September which is mid winter.

Winter Crop Field Preparation (January to April)

Crops include cereals, canola and grain legumes and are located in Victoria , western New South Wales and southern and central Queensland. Most farms are in excess of 5,000 acres and many are over 20,000 acres. Duties may include operation of tractors up to 400hp with discs and cultivators up to 50 foot wide, and spray rig operators for broadacre spraying with rigs up to 24 metres wide.

Shifts are typically 12 hours, 6-7 days per week. Some very ‘high tech’ equipment is used in some situations; including satellite GSP based guidance systems.

Cotton Harvest (March to June)

Cotton Harvest commences in late March and continues to late May in most areas. Operators are required for module presses, boll buggies and pickers. The cotton harvest working hours are long often 16 hour days, 7 days per week. These conditions are an excellent opportunity to earn good wages in a short period of time.

Module press operators do not require high skill levels but the position is very demanding. Training is provided for those with combine experience to undertake the highly skilled operation of a Cotton Picker. After brief instruction and familiarisation, a tractor operator could successfully operate a boll buggy.

Winter Crop Seeding (April to June)

This work utilises equipment similar to the cultivation gear used for ground preparation of the crop. Operators of large 4WD tractors, air-seeders and sprayers are usually required. Shifts are typically 12 hours – cultivating, spraying and seeding.

Winter Crop Harvest (October to January)

This is one of the busiest seasons in the Australian agricultural industry. Experienced combine operators, grain cart drivers, swather operators and semi-trailer drivers are usually required. Positions are available with farmers (harvesting for 4-6 weeks then general farm work) and contractors (up to 3 months). Contractors usually start the harvest in Queensland in September/October and follow the harvest south as the season progresses.

Harvest positions during this time include:

  • Header Operation
    Mostly operating large US or European built machines, i.e. John Deer, Case IH, New Holland, Agco Gleaner etc. Usually there are 2 operators per combine and most machines have 30' or larger headers. All cereals and grain legumes are direct cut except Canola (OSR) which is usually swathed. Drivers are generally required to service the machine and operate shifts varying from 8 to 16 hours/day. In most cases the owner or manager will be responsible for setting up the machine for different crops. Some highly experienced operators are required to manage and maintain machines.
  • Grain Cart Driving
    Operating large tractors with grain carts hauling grain from the combines. Driving a large front wheel assist or articulated 4WD tractor. Similar hours and conditions to combine driving. Drivers may also alternate between the Combine and grain cart.
  • Swathing
    Mainly working for contractors operating self propelled windrowers in Canola, (OSR) some hay and straw. Usually starts in Northern NSW and moves south as the crops ripen. Operators may be required to maintain and adjust the machine. Usually 1 operator per machine and may be required to work very long hours on occasions.
  • Trucking
    Truck driving jobs are with both farmers and contractors and usually involve hauling grain to elevators or larger centralised storages. Driving conditions are variable with field roads and highway work. Most common configurations are:
    • Tandem rigid trucks, some with dog trailer
    • 6 axel semi-trailers
    • 9 axel "B" trains
    • 11 axel road trains

Truck drivers are typically expected to service the vehicle and operate for long hours. A semi-trailer or road train license is essential to drive in Australia.

Summer Crop Planting and Management (September to March)

Farmers require tractor drivers and irrigators for crops including cotton, sorghum, sunflower, soybean, maize and others. Equipment is typically large John Deere, Case IH or New Holland Front Wheel Assist tractors or CAT Challengers with 8 to 12 row cultivation and seeding gear. Typically 12 hour shifts.

Summer Grain Crop Harvest (February to June)

Harvest of maize, sorghum, sunflowers, soybeans and other summer crops commences in Queensland in February and moves south. Harvesting of maize concludes in some areas as late as June. Work is similar to harvesting of Winter crops.

Hay and Silage (September to May)

Machinery Operators are required for Lucerne hay production farms, and with hay and silage contractors. Operators would be required to operate mowing, raking, bailing (small square, big square and round) and silage wrapping equipment. Some irrigation work may be involved.

Beef Feedlot work

Beef feedlots are usually large scale operations up to 20,000 head capacity. Work usually involves operation of feeding and mixing equipment. Good stock skills, and experience operating loaders and mixers is needed.

Earthmoving

Positions are available most times of the year for plant operators - dozers, excavators and scrapers are most in demand. Top plant operators can expect to earn excellent wages if working in positions of responsibility.

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Outback International Management Pty Ltd
Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia
Telephone: (07) 4927 4300
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