Banana Picking Jobs Australia
Year-round farm work in tropical QLD. The most reliable crop for completing your 88 days — start any month, finish on your own schedule.
Why Banana Picking?
Year-Round Work
Unlike most fruits, bananas harvest 365 days a year. Start your 88 days in January, July, or November — there's always work.
Reliable Hours
Banana farms pay hourly (not piece rate). You earn the same on a slow day as a fast one — predictable income.
Pay Rates Explained
Hourly: $25–30/hr (almost all farms)
- Field work (picking/dehanding): $25–28/hr
- Packing shed: $25–30/hr (lighter, indoors)
- Typical day: 8–10 hours = $200–280
Banana work is rarely piece rate. Earnings are stable but you can't boost them by working faster — choose this crop for predictability, not max income.
Banana Work Tips
- • Field vs shed: field work is heavier (30–50kg bunches), shed is lighter
- • Long sleeves + gloves: banana sap stains permanently
- • Wet season Jan–Mar: tropical storms slow some work — book ahead
- • Shoulder rotation: ask to swap field/shed weekly to avoid injury
Top Banana Regions
Tully, QLD
Season: Year-round
Pay: $25–28/hr
The banana capital — over 200 farms in the region. Wettest town in Australia. Great for flexible 88 days.
Innisfail, QLD
Season: Year-round
Pay: $25–28/hr
Major production hub close to Cairns. Mix of small family farms and large producers.
Season: Year-round
Pay: $25–30/hr
Easy to fly into Cairns and travel south to farms. Tourism backup if work slows.
Carnarvon, WA
Season: Year-round (peak Apr–Nov)
Pay: $26–30/hr
Small banana area — also tomatoes and stone fruit. Remote, own car helps.
What to Know Before You Go
Heavy, Tropical Work
Banana bunches weigh 30–50kg. Field work is hard on shoulders and back. The wet season (Jan–Mar) brings cyclones and constant humidity.
- • Bring quick-dry work shirts (3+ pairs)
- • Steel-cap boots or sturdy work boots required
- • Most farms expect 4–6 weeks minimum stay
- • On-site accommodation common ($120–160/wk)
Counts Toward 88 Days
Banana farming is specified work for the second-year WHV. Tully, Innisfail, Cairns, and Carnarvon are all in eligible postcodes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is banana picking work available year-round?
How much do banana pickers earn?
Where are the banana farms in Australia?
How physical is banana work?
Find Banana Picking Jobs
Year-round work in tropical Queensland. Search ABN-verified farms.