How to Attract Reliable Seasonal Workers to Your Regional Business
How to Attract Reliable Seasonal Workers to Your Regional Business
Finding seasonal staff in regional areas can be challenging — but with the right approach, you can attract dependable workers who return season after season. Whether you run a farm, a holiday park, a winery, or a tourism venture, reliable seasonal workers are the backbone of your busiest periods. Here’s how to stand out and secure the talent your business needs.
1. Advertise Early (and Often)
Timing is everything. Many seasonal workers plan their travel and work schedules months in advance, especially those exploring Australia in a caravan or backpacking. List your job well before the season starts — ideally 6–12 weeks in advance — so travellers can align it with their routes.
Tip: Include your start dates clearly in your ad and mention if you’re happy to hold a role for the right person.
2. Use the Right Platforms
Travellers and grey nomads don’t always use traditional job sites. Promote your jobs on niche platforms like Workabout Australia, Facebook groups for working holidaymakers, and regional tourism pages.
Also consider:
- Caravan parks noticeboards
- Local visitor centres
- Word of mouth through other local employers
3. Be Transparent About the Role
The more detail you provide, the better. Reliable workers are more likely to commit when they understand what they’re signing up for. Include:
- Daily hours and pay
- Type of work and physical demands
- Duration of the role
- Accommodation or van site availability
- Any extra perks (meals, fuel allowance, local experiences)
4. Offer a Great Work Experience
Seasonal workers often choose jobs that give them a taste of local life. A welcoming environment, fair treatment, and small perks can go a long way. Think:
- A weekly BBQ or social event
- Opportunities to learn something new (winemaking, animal care, etc.)
- Friendly staff culture and clear communication
Happy workers talk — and word-of-mouth can be your best future recruitment tool.
5. Provide Accommodation or Support
Offering onsite accommodation or a space for a van is a major bonus in regional areas with limited housing. If you can’t provide it directly, help new arrivals find affordable options or connect them with other local employers who might be able to share resources.
6. Stay in Touch with Past Workers
Reliable seasonal staff often become repeat hires. Keep a record of great workers, stay in touch, and invite them back the following season. Many appreciate the stability of returning to a place they know.
“We always go back to the same citrus farm in Mildura — it’s like our second home,” says Jane, a seasoned grey nomad.
7. Highlight Your Location and Lifestyle
Don’t forget to sell the experience. Seasonal workers often choose roles that offer more than just a pay cheque. Showcase:
- Natural attractions
- Community events or festivals
- Proximity to popular travel routes or destinations
- Unique opportunities (like fishing, bushwalking, or wine tasting)
Make your job a lifestyle choice, not just a work gig.
Final Thoughts
Attracting reliable seasonal workers doesn’t have to be a guessing game. With a little planning, transparency, and a people-first mindset, you’ll build a reputation as a great place to work — and that’s the best recruitment strategy of all.
Top 10 Seasonal Jobs You Can Do While Traveling Around Australia
Australia is a vast and vibrant country that attracts thousands of travellers every year — not just for the sights, but for the chance to fund their adventures along the way. Whether you’re chasing the sun, following the harvest trail, or simply exploring life off the beaten path, seasonal work is a fantastic way to earn an income while experiencing all Australia has to offer.
Here are the top 10 seasonal jobs that are perfect for travellers, grey nomads, and working holiday makers looking to combine work and wanderlust.
1. Fruit Picking and Harvest Work
Arguably the most iconic travel job in Australia. From mangoes in the NT to apples in Tasmania, the harvest trail spans the entire country and changes with the seasons. It’s physical work, but it often includes accommodation and is a great way to meet fellow travellers.
📍 Where: Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania
🗓️ Best Time: Varies by region and crop
2. Farmhand and Station Work
Get your hands dirty on cattle stations, sheep farms, or broadacre cropping properties. Duties range from mustering livestock to general maintenance, fencing, and machinery operation. It’s ideal for those who enjoy rural life and aren’t afraid of early starts.
📍 Where: Outback NT, WA, QLD
🗓️ Best Time: Dry season (April–October)
3. Tourism and Hospitality Roles
With tourism booming year-round, especially in hotspots like the Whitsundays, Uluru, and coastal towns, there’s always demand for baristas, bartenders, waitstaff, and cleaners in cafes, resorts, and caravan parks.
📍 Where: QLD, NT, WA, NSW
🗓️ Best Time: Peak tourism periods (school holidays, dry season)
4. Caravan Park and Campground Assistants
Many travelling couples and solo nomads take on roles as park hosts, cleaners, reception staff, or general helpers in return for pay and/or site fees. It’s perfect for those with caravans or campers and a friendly attitude.
📍 Where: Nationwide
🗓️ Best Time: Year-round, depending on the location
5. Fishing and Aquaculture Jobs
Fishing ports and aquaculture farms need hands for oyster shucking, prawn sorting, deckhanding, and fish processing. It’s fast-paced and sometimes cold or smelly work — but often well paid.
📍 Where: SA, Tasmania, WA, NT
🗓️ Best Time: Summer months, seasonal fisheries
6. Event and Festival Crew
Australia hosts a wide range of music festivals, agricultural shows, and sporting events. These short-term gigs may involve setting up tents, working food stalls, ushering, or bump-out.
📍 Where: Capital cities, regional centres
🗓️ Best Time: Spring/Summer
7. Vineyard and Winery Work
From grape-picking to cellar door hosting and wine bottling, vineyards offer work across seasons. Experience isn’t always necessary, and some positions include tastings — a nice bonus!
📍 Where: Barossa Valley (SA), Hunter Valley (NSW), Margaret River (WA)
🗓️ Best Time: Harvest (Feb–April), pruning (June–August)
8. House and Pet Sitting
Ideal for digital nomads or retirees, house sitting allows you to live rent-free in exchange for caring for homes and pets while owners are away. These jobs are increasingly common in regional areas where holidaymakers are heading out.
📍 Where: Nationwide
🗓️ Best Time: Holiday periods
9. Bushfire and Flood Recovery Work
In times of disaster recovery, volunteers and paid workers are needed for clean-up, rebuilding, and support roles. It’s rewarding work that helps hard-hit communities — and a unique way to give back during your travels.
📍 Where: Fire/flood-affected areas
🗓️ Best Time: Post-disaster season (varies)
10. Retail and Delivery Work During Holidays
Major chains and local businesses alike need extra staff over peak periods like Christmas and Easter. You might find work in retail stores, delivery driving, or warehouse packing.
📍 Where: Major towns and regional hubs
🗓️ Best Time: October–January
Ready to Hit the Road?
Seasonal work in Australia offers much more than just an income — it opens doors to local experiences, new skills, and lifelong memories. Whether you’re a backpacker, a vanlifer, or part of the grey nomad movement, there’s a seasonal job waiting for you.
🔍 Explore job listings, connect with employers, and plan your working adventure at WorkaboutAustralia.com.au — your one-stop shop for life on the road.
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Latest Information on Border Restrictions
With lockdowns happening (and lifting) in a number of areas around the country, it is hard to keep up with the latest information.
If you are travelling, you can use these links to find out the most up-to-date advice on border restrictions for each state:
Rural Focus 21 July 2021
Listen to Warren’s latest chat with Tom from the Rural Focus on Triple M’s WA network 21/7/21
Rural Focus 30 June 2021
Catch up with Warren’s latest chat to Tom on Triple M WA’s Rural Focus Show:
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Warren talks with Troy from the Rural Focus show on WA’s Triple M network:
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Check out Warren’s latest catch up with Tom from the Rural Focus show on WA’s Triple M network:
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How to Attract Reliable Seasonal Workers to Your Regional Business
How to Attract Reliable Seasonal Workers to Your Regional Business Finding seasonal staff in regional areas can be challenging — but with the right approach, you can attract dependable workers who return season after season. Whether you run a farm, a holiday park, a...