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Bowen is known as Australia's "Salad Bowl" and is one of the best places for backpackers to complete their 88 days. Located in the Whitsunday region of Queensland, Bowen produces the majority of Australia's winter tomatoes and capsicums.
With work available from April to November and beautiful beaches nearby, Bowen offers the perfect combination of earning money and enjoying the Queensland lifestyle. The town is also close to the Whitsunday Islands for weekend adventures.
Search Bowen Farm JobsSeason:
April–November
Pay:
$25-35/hr piece rate
Tasks:
Picking, sorting, packing, planting
Bowen's main crop. Huge demand for workers. Piece rate means fast workers earn more.
Season:
April–November
Pay:
$25-32/hr piece rate
Tasks:
Picking, sorting, packing
Second biggest crop. Often work both tomatoes and capsicums.
Season:
October–December
Pay:
$26-35/hr
Tasks:
Picking, sorting, packing
Short but lucrative season. Overlaps with end of tomato season.
Season:
May–October
Pay:
$25-28/hr
Tasks:
Picking, packing
Consistent work alongside tomatoes. Less demanding than tomato picking.
Season:
August–November
Pay:
$25-30/hr
Tasks:
Picking, sorting, loading
Watermelons and rockmelons. Physical work but good pay.
Season:
April–October
Pay:
$25-28/hr
Tasks:
Picking, sorting, packing
Various vegetables grown in the region. Steady work.
Work: Tomatoes, Capsicums, Zucchini
Availability: Very High
Best time - 8 months of work!
Work: Mangoes, Late tomatoes
Availability: High
Transition period - good variety
Work: Very limited
Weather: Hot, humid, cyclone risk
Avoid - most farms closed
Arrive in April when season starts. You can complete 88 days by July and still have months of work available if you want to stay.
Horseshoe Bay, Rose Bay. Swim after work. No crowds.
1 hour to Airlie Beach. Weekend trips to islands.
Thousands of backpackers in season. Social atmosphere.
Piece rate work. Fast workers earn $1,500+/week.
Piece rate means your speed determines your pay. Most workers double their speed after 2 weeks.
Job placement, transport to farms. Very popular in Bowen.
Cheaper option. Need own transport. Check Facebook groups.
Budget option. Several parks in town.
Hostels provide transport. Car helpful but not essential.
Yes, all farm work in Bowen counts toward your 88 days for visa extension.
April to November. Arrive in April for the start of season.
Top pickers earn $1,500-1,800/week on piece rate. Most workers improve significantly after 2 weeks.
Very limited. January to March is wet season - most farms close. Avoid this period.
1 hour south. Easy weekend trips to the Whitsunday Islands.
Search verified farm jobs in Bowen. ABN-checked employers, real contact details.
Search Bowen Jobs