Regional work

plink

Can anyone give me some advice about regional work for a 2nd year WHV. BF and I are heading over to Perth in less than two weeks and are considering doing the 3 months work straight away to get it over and done with as we dont plan on coming home after just one year.

Has anyone any experience in regional work in WA, particularly in the South West? How exactly does it work..I understand that you can break it up a bit, that you dont have to do the full 3 months together or in the same place?

The Sweeper

All of the below is available in www.immi.gov.au, but here's a synopsis:

You need to work in one of these industries:

Specified work is any type of work described in the list below:

* plant and animal cultivation
o cultivating or propagating plants, fungi or their products or parts
o general maintenance crop work
o harvesting and/or packing fruit and vegetable crops
o immediate processing of animal products including shearing, butchery in an abattoir, packing and tanning
Note: Secondary processing of animal products, such as small goods processing and retail butchery is not eligible
o immediate processing of plant products
o maintaining animals for the purpose of selling them or their bodily produce, including natural increase
o manufacturing dairy produce from raw material
o pruning and trimming vines and trees.
* fishing and pearling
o conducting operations relating directly to taking or catching fish and other aquatic species
o conducting operations relating directly to taking or culturing pearls or pearl shell.
* tree farming and felling
o felling trees in a plantation or forest
o planting or tending trees in a plantation or forest that are intended to be felled
o transporting trees or parts of trees that were felled in a plantation or forest to the place where they are first to be milled or processed or from which they are to be transported to the place where they are to be milled or processed.
* mining
o coal mining
o oil and gas extraction
o metal ore mining
o non-metallic mineral mining and quarrying
o exploration and other mining support services
* construction
o building construction
o heavy and civil enginerring construction
o construction services

To be very specific, examples of eligible specified work:

* picking fruits on a farm or orchard
* feeding and herding cattle which are kept for commercial purposes
* constructing a house
* extracting ore on a mine site.

Examples of ineligible specified work:

* working at a cellar door providing wine tastings
* undertaking an archaeological survey
* working as a caterer or cook on a mine site
* working as an architect or town planner
* working as a cook or cleaner while volunteering through the WWOOF scheme
* helping to construct ships or boats

So eligible work has to be done for three months (88 days). It does not have to be done all in one go. You can add up the days and combine them to make the 88 days.

Here's the link to the accepted postcodes.

http://www.immi.gov.au/visitors/working-holiday/417/postcodes.htm

It's worth noting that my postcode is in that list, and I live a one-hour drive, or one-hour train ride, from Melbourne CBD. In other words, you don't have to relocate to the outback to qualify.

You prove the work you did by supplying payslips or a completed employer verification form.

Voila: second year WHV.

amybabes

hey op,
good idea reg doing the farmwork first.....it'll be winter anyway, so you'll have it done and dusted so you can do beach living for the summer :cool:
Don't have experience myself, but a couple i know did something called woofing in WA, whereby they went to live with different families in regional areas and that counted for their 2nd yr visas - unpaid work but they had no expenses as they were put up and fed as part of the agreement, my mates had a great experience - one of their jobs was on a ranch with a family, the girl did some childminding (kids weren't too young, so just entertaining them really from 9 - 1/2 mon-fri) and the guy did some general chores - cleaning the pool, painting the house, cutting the grass etc. They had days off the whole time, and use of a jeep to go into the nearest town etc.
Might be a good alternative to farm work, not making money but not spending any either - so you'll keep whatever money ye came over with

Good luck!

FreeAnd..

amybabes wrote: »

hey op,
good idea reg doing the farmwork first.....it'll be winter anyway, so you'll have it done and dusted so you can do beach living for the summer :cool:
Don't have experience myself, but a couple i know did something called woofing in WA, whereby they went to live with different families in regional areas and that counted for their 2nd yr visas - unpaid work but they had no expenses as they were put up and fed as part of the agreement, my mates had a great experience - one of their jobs was on a ranch with a family, the girl did some childminding (kids weren't too young, so just entertaining them really from 9 - 1/2 mon-fri) and the guy did some general chores - cleaning the pool, painting the house, cutting the grass etc. They had days off the whole time, and use of a jeep to go into the nearest town etc.
Might be a good alternative to farm work, not making money but not spending any either - so you'll keep whatever money ye came over with

Good luck!

3 Months rural work - in WINTER, in SOUTH WA - You Crazy?

To put this in context - July in South WA - it took us 3 attempts to drive the road to Augusta due to heavy wind and rain and almost being blown off the road...3/4 days in Margaret river spent in the pub hiding from cold wind and rain...planned trip around Albany/Esperance/Kalgorlie cut vastly short due to winter weather...

South WA is not a nice place in winter...feels pretty close to a miserable day in ireland...hoping to get in some time after October this year though might have more luck with the weather

FreeAnd..

amybabes wrote: »

hey op,
good idea reg doing the farmwork first.....it'll be winter anyway, so you'll have it done and dusted so you can do beach living for the summer :cool:
Don't have experience myself, but a couple i know did something called woofing in WA, whereby they went to live with different families in regional areas and that counted for their 2nd yr visas - unpaid work but they had no expenses as they were put up and fed as part of the agreement, my mates had a great experience - one of their jobs was on a ranch with a family, the girl did some childminding (kids weren't too young, so just entertaining them really from 9 - 1/2 mon-fri) and the guy did some general chores - cleaning the pool, painting the house, cutting the grass etc. They had days off the whole time, and use of a jeep to go into the nearest town etc.
Might be a good alternative to farm work, not making money but not spending any either - so you'll keep whatever money ye came over with

Good luck!

Just be aware -none of the above work would count towards getting your second year - see the previous post

Examples of ineligible specified work:

* working at a cellar door providing wine tastings
* undertaking an archaeological survey
* working as a caterer or cook on a mine site
* working as an architect or town planner
* working as a cook or cleaner while volunteering through the WWOOF scheme
* helping to construct ships or boats

Dave!

Anyone done their regional work in Darwin? I didn't realise that that was an eligible location, but it seems all of the NT counts! A mate was tellin me that he was told there's a sh*tload of work in Darwin, and that the pay is really good. I tend to take these kinds of second-hand stories with a load of salt though.

We'd probably be looking to start our regional work in November, ye think we'd get anything in Darwin around then? Would much prefer to go there than somewhere in QLD

edit:

Looks like that's right in the middle of the wet season in Darwin! 400+mm of rainfall in January!

What about Tasmania?

Mahatma coat

I'll be headin up North in a couple of days again, the Waters have receded and the land is acessible again, I'm gonna be out on a few different Stations, so I'll see how many people they need this time.

Also WTF southern WA in Winter, Madness, go North for the winter, I believe theres a fe boardsies in Kuntynurra still.

writetojd

I believe I was the last in "Kuntynurra". Escaped months ago. Made it to Melbourne but now have a job interview in Sydney for Monday.

Mates are trying to get me back. I guess misery loves company!! Maybe if this interview doesn't go well......

Father Damo

Lets just say alot of Irish here who go for a second year have never done farmwork. Or have tried to do farmwork and got utterly shafted. Its a poorly regulated sector with plenty of abuse of privileges by employers. Unless you are certain of well paying work from a decent boss I wouldnt touch it with a bargepole.

mate was tellin me that he was told there's a sh*tload of work in Darwin, and that the pay is really good. I tend to take these kinds of second-hand stories with a load of salt though.

Apparently alot of well paid site labouring up there.

Claasman

Regional work in wa is probably the best payed Australia, but it all depends on experience. Do ye have any farm experience?

plink

no.. I dont have any farm work.. well it was just an idea really, we might think about it after the winter when the weather is better if we dont already have jobs!

Larianne

Dave! wrote: »

Anyone done their regional work in Darwin? I didn't realise that that was an eligible location, but it seems all of the NT counts! A mate was tellin me that he was told there's a sh*tload of work in Darwin, and that the pay is really good. I tend to take these kinds of second-hand stories with a load of salt though.

We'd probably be looking to start our regional work in November, ye think we'd get anything in Darwin around then? Would much prefer to go there than somewhere in QLD

edit:

Looks like that's right in the middle of the wet season in Darwin! 400+mm of rainfall in January!

What about Tasmania?

I worked on 2 Mango Farms in NT. One was an hour south of Darwin and the other was in Katherine which is further south again. The pay is better in NT as it is hard to get people up there to work. Most places either give free or very cheap (very basic) accommodation. Mango work can be tough. If you are out picking the Mangos you have to watch getting Mango Rash or getting burnt by the sap from the stalks. Working in the packing shed isn't as bad.

Have you tried ringing the Harvest Line? We just rang them up and asked them what was in season and for how long.

Father Damo wrote: »

Lets just say alot of Irish here who go for a second year have never done farmwork. Or have tried to do farmwork and got utterly shafted. Its a poorly regulated sector with plenty of abuse of privileges by employers. Unless you are certain of well paying work from a decent boss I wouldnt touch it with a bargepole.

We didn't do to badly with work. I think anywhere along the east coast near Childers is really bad for taking advantage of backpackers, esp. those that can't speak very good English.

Word of advice though: Don't do Bananas.

Work in Western Australia is meant to be okay. Cherries is a good one apparently. But in fairness its all hard work!

tonydatiger

Hey Guys

I currently in a similar position as the OP. I'm in Melbourne for the last 4/5 months and want to go do my farm work/fruit picking ASAP. Problem is I'm having no luck on the Harvest Trail Website or other various agency websites.

I'm getting the impression that you have to be in area the work is being advertised for to be successful?? I'm at a loss here in Melbourne as work here is starting to dry up fast

Any advise appreciated

Larianne

tonydatiger wrote: »

Hey Guys

I currently in a similar position as the OP. I'm in Melbourne for the last 4/5 months and want to go do my farm work/fruit picking ASAP. Problem is I'm having no luck on the Harvest Trail Website or other various agency websites.

I'm getting the impression that you have to be in area the work is being advertised for to be successful?? I'm at a loss here in Melbourne as work here is starting to dry up fast

Any advise appreciated

Have you actually rang them up and spoke to someone?? They have a list of where there is work and put you in direct contact with people.