What should a farm job ad include?

Five things, always: the pay rate, the actual town, the start date, whether accommodation is available or nearby, and whether the worker needs their own transport. Ads missing any of these get skipped, because seekers filter on exactly those details.

Do I have to state the pay rate in a job ad?

You are not legally required to show pay in an ad, but you should. Across our board, ads that show a pay rate consistently outperform ads that say competitive rates or award rates. The pay you offer must meet the award regardless, for casual horticulture work that is $32.18 an hour in 2026-27, so hiding it only costs you applicants.

How do I advertise for fruit pickers?

Name the crop, the town, the pay, the start date and the length of the season. Say whether the work counts for the 88 days, whether there is accommodation on farm or a working hostel nearby, and whether the picker needs a car. Post where farm work seekers already look: a dedicated farm job board, regional Facebook groups, and the working hostels in your area.

How to Write a Farm Job Ad That Gets Applicants (Template Included)

September 12, 2026/FWA Staff

The same job, in the same town, at the same pay can pull twenty applications or two. The difference is almost always the ad. We run a farm jobs board, we see what gets clicked and what gets scrolled past, and this page is that pattern written down.

What seekers actually click

Three things stand out across the listings on our board, consistently enough that we treat them as rules:

Pay shown beats pay hidden. “$32.18/hr + super” outperforms “competitive rates” every time. Seekers assume hidden pay is low pay. You have to pay at least the award anyway, so showing it costs nothing and signals you’re straight.

A named town beats a region. “Childers, QLD” beats “Wide Bay region”. Workers are planning travel, accommodation and fuel. A region is a research project; a town is a decision.

A start date beats “ongoing”. “Starts Oct 6” tells a backpacker whether it fits their visa clock and their route. “Start ASAP” works too if it’s true. “Ongoing” reads like the job may or may not exist.

The five details every farm job ad needs

Pay. The hourly rate, or the piece rate with what an average picker actually earns a day.
Town. The real one, plus the nearest big town if yours isn’t on the map.
Start date. And how long the season runs.
Accommodation. On farm, a hostel in town, or none. Nothing loses a good applicant faster than discovering there’s nowhere to live within 50 km.
Transport. Can they get there and to work without a car, or not. Say it plainly.

Everything else is optional. Those five are the filter every seeker applies before they read another word.

The template

Copy, fill in, done. Written for a picking role; swap the details for packing, pruning or farm hand work.

> Strawberry pickers, Sunny Flat Farm, Caboolture QLD. Starts June 2, runs to October.

> $32.18/hr casual + super, weekly pay. Piece rate option once you’re up to speed, good pickers clear more.

> 6 days a week in peak, 6am starts, outdoor work, you’ll be fit and reliable. No experience needed, we train you in a morning.

> Counts for 88-day visa work (postcode 4510). Payslips weekly, everything above board.

> No on-farm accommodation, but two working hostels in Caboolture and we can help you get a spot. You’ll need your own transport or a hostel with farm transport.

> Text Sam on 04XX XXX XXX with your name, where you are now, and when you can start.

Notice what it does: pay in line two, town and dates in line one, visa answer, accommodation answer, transport answer, and one clear way to apply. It also sets expectations honestly: 6am, six days, outdoors. Honest ads get fewer applicants who quit in week one.

Common mistakes

Vague pay. “Award rates” is technically information and practically nothing. Write the number. Our pay rates guide has the current minimums if you need them.
“Backpackers welcome” with no visa detail. If the work is in an eligible postcode and you pay legally, say “counts for 88 days” and watch the difference. If you’re not sure what makes it count, read hiring backpackers: an employer’s guide.
No phone number. Backpackers apply by text and WhatsApp. An email-only ad filters out half your applicants.
ALL CAPS AND URGENT!!! Reads like the scam posts that plague the Facebook groups. Calm and specific reads like a real farm.
A wall of duties. Nobody needs 14 dot points about a picking job. Five details, a sentence about the work, how to apply.

Where to post it

An ad this clear works anywhere. It works best where everyone reading it is already looking for farm work: see what it costs to advertise a farm job for the full price comparison, and how to find farm workers for every channel compared.

Or skip ahead: post your job on Farm Work Australia. $79 for 30 days in front of around 9,000 farm work seekers a month, relisted free if you get no applicants. Paste the template straight in.