88 days in Bundaberg

Queensland · one of Australia's busiest harvest towns for Working Holiday makers

Updated 1 November 2026 · Home Affairs, National Harvest Guide, Fair Work Ombudsman

Eligible

for the 88 days of your 2nd and 3rd visa · postcode 4670

32.18 $

minimum per hour (casual), even when paid per bin

≈ 15,400 $

gross for 88 days full time · ≈ 13,100 $ after tax

12/12

months with farm work · peak Jan, May–Aug

≈ 360 km

from Brisbane

5

main crops · strawberries, vegetables, tomatoes, macadamias, mangoes

Go to the farms early, from 7 am: many hire on the spot, without a CV.

If your employer wasn't registered, they withheld 30% instead of 15%. Work out your refund →

Month by month

Very highHighMedium
JFMAMJJASOND
Strawberries
Vegetables
Tomatoes
Macadamias
Mangoes
Harvest calendar for all of Australia →

Nearby harvest towns

Nothing in Bundaberg? These towns are close, as the crow flies.

Childers

≈ 42 km

active Jul–Nov

Gin Gin

≈ 42 km

peak May–Sep · active Apr–Nov

Maryborough

≈ 83 km

active Jan–Dec

Gayndah

≈ 113 km

active Jul–Nov

Mundubbera

≈ 133 km

peak Jun–Sep · active May–Oct

3 traps to avoid

Contractors who underpay

The most common complaint in farming regions. Get a written contract with the company's name and ABN.

Deductions you didn't agree to

Accommodation, transport, gear: only with your written consent.

Working hostels

You pay rent while you wait for a job. Ask how long the wait is before you pay.

Find farms in Bundaberg

The 88mates app maps the area and tracks your 88 days. With Premium:

  • The zone's employers with their contact details
  • An alert when farms start hiring
  • A follow-up of the farms you've contacted

Frequently asked questions

Does farm work in Bundaberg count for the 2nd year visa?

Yes. Postcode 4670 is in regional Australia as defined by Home Affairs for specified work, so planting, picking and packing fruit and vegetables there counts for your 88 days. You must be paid (unpaid days don't count since December 2015) and keep your payslips. Through a labour hire company, what counts is the postcode of the farm itself, not the agency's.

How much do you earn on a farm in Bundaberg?

At least 32.18 $ an hour for a level 1 casual since 1 July 2026 (Horticulture Award). When you're paid per bucket or bin, that hourly minimum is still guaranteed for every hour worked, and beginners get the same piece rate as everyone else. 88 days full time at the minimum come to about 15,400 $ before tax, 13,100 $ after the 15% Working Holiday tax.

When is the best time to find farm work in Bundaberg?

Farms need workers from outside the region all year, with a peak in January, May–August (strawberries, vegetables, and mangoes). Arrive one or two weeks before the peak, when beds and jobs aren't taken yet. Dates move by a few weeks with the weather.

How do you get there?

About 360 km from Brisbane by road. About 4 h 30 by the Tilt Train from Brisbane Roma Street, 5 to 9 hours by Greyhound coach, or about an hour by plane to Bundaberg airport.

Do I need a car?

It helps a lot. Farms are often 20 to 40 km out of town and some only hire workers who can get there on their own. Without a car, a working hostel with transport or carpooling with other backpackers are the usual options.

Sources