Seasonal jobs in Queensland: regions, harvests and practical checks

Choose the region within Queensland

Queensland has two distinct strawberry seasons. The coastal winter crop is concentrated around Moreton Bay, the Sunshine Coast and Bundaberg, while the higher Granite Belt around Stanthorpe supplies a summer crop. A state-wide “strawberry season” label misses this change in location.

Mango harvest moves through Bowen/Burdekin and Mareeba/Dimbulah at different times. Tropical tourism is another search option: Tourism and Events Queensland describes May–October as Cairns and Great Barrier Reef dry-season travel time. That is a visitor-season indicator, not evidence of a particular employer’s vacancy.

Sources: Queensland Strawberry Growers Association · regions and seasons · Australian Mango Industry Association · regional season calendar · Cherry Growers Australia · state growing regions and harvest seasons · Tourism and Events Queensland · Cairns and Great Barrier Reef seasons · Queensland · labour hire licensing and public register

Use the right seasonal window

These are typical harvest or visitor-season windows from government and industry sources, not a forecast of vacancies. Weather, varieties and the employer’s roster can change the actual start and finish. Confirm a real placement before paying for travel or accommodation.

Sources: Queensland Strawberry Growers Association · regions and seasons · Queensland Strawberry Growers Association · regions and seasons · Australian Mango Industry Association · regional season calendar · Cherry Growers Australia · state growing regions and harvest seasons

Confirm the employer, room and journey

Ask for the legal employer, worksite, duties, supervisor contact, expected hours and written pay. If a labour hire provider is involved, keep its name separate from the host business and check any applicable licence. Accommodation and transport should have clear prices and terms, including what happens when work is interrupted.

Check the distance to shops and the worksite, how you will arrive for early starts, and whether the transport runs on your whole roster. Pack for the actual climate and ask about the workplace’s heat, sun and safety arrangements. A photograph does not prove what a room or job will be like.

Sources: Fair Work · deductions from pay · Safe Work Australia · working in heat

Check visa eligibility for the actual work

Use the approved duties and geographic list for your subclass. A state name, harvest season or employer claim does not decide eligibility. Tourism and hospitality use specific eligible areas; being outside a capital city is not enough by itself.

Keep the actual worksite postcode, employer ABN, employment dates, duties, hours, payslips and bank records. If the work is part-time or irregular, review how to count it before assuming each date in the employment period contributes a whole visa day.

Sources: Home Affairs · specified work for subclass 417 · Home Affairs · specified work for subclass 462

Find a role in Queensland

Browse live seasonal jobs in Queensland and narrow by town, industry, month, pay type, accommodation or transport. Read the full job details and apply with an accurate CV and availability.

Use the pay guide, scam checks and specified-work guide before accepting an offer. The former federally funded Harvest Trail services ended in June 2024; do not rely on old service contacts as a current recruitment pathway.

Sources: Fair Work · hourly pay, piece rates and the minimum wage guarantee · Scamwatch · jobs and employment scams · MADEC · Harvest Trail services ended in June 2024

Common questions

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