Experience Victoria's iconic Yarra Valley, a stone-throw from Melbourne, among the world's most liveable cities.

At Easy Pickings we offer a fun working environment, with good work based pay, allowing the best pickers to keep the benefits of their hard work with great daily income. 

 
Testimonials
Alessio, Italy

Working for Easy Pickings has been one of the greatest experience I had in Australia, at Easy Pickings you will find a friendly environment and an awesome team that really cares about you making sure you have a great time while getting your second year visa!

Baptiste, France

I got my second year visa by working 88 days for easypickings. Working there also helped me to meet people from everywhere and people to travel with all around Australia. Such a great experience and so many fun moments...I wish I could go back there someday!

Manuel, Italy

You guys were always really kind and friendly, constantly showing your passion towards this job and the effort you put into it. It was a pleasure to meet you and work with you. Thank you for everything and good luck!

Nathan, UK

I am actually sad to be leaving a farming job! The guys running the farm are always there to help and push you along to do better. It is nice to get to know a good bunch of people in such a a short time. There is a lot of job satisfaction here, none more so than giving in your last set of trays after finishing a row.

Thank you for all your help and support from guys who have been in my position before.

Bianca, Italy

When I first started working at easy pickings I thought I would stay for a couple of weeks, not more, but I eventually ended up staying for six months! The atmosphere is just great and everybody’s efforts are appreciated and respected. Not only you get your days signed off for your second year visa, but you also have the chance to earn good money if you are willing to work hard. It has been a great experience for me and I have met tons of lovely people there. I am definitely coming back next year!!

Louise, Sweden

This is the place you wanna work for to get your 2nd year visa. Awesome work environment, fare pay rate and very good management crew. The transportation system from the city is great, make it easy to live in the city and work out in the beautiful Yarra Valley area. Perfect place to work and meet friends from all over the world.

Kate & Ale

Oh Easy Pickings you will be missed! If ever you are looking for a wicked opportunity to not only get your visa days, but also make some incredible friendships with people from around the world, this is the place for you!

Tony

I wanted to thank you for giving me my first experience on a farm. The staff is really friendly and efficient to meet the needs of the backpackers. The working hours are well laid out, a team that motivates us all the time, which gives us the smile, the energy and the will to work. Personally you have answered all my needs in the farm. Thank you again for this great experience and I wish you much success

Gareth, UK

Loved working at Easy Pickings so much so that I went back for a 2nd season! Having worked on various farms in Australia I can honestly say that Easy Pickings has been the best experience. It has the perfect balance of hard work, good money and a fun atmosphere.

 
 

Duties and responsibilities:

You will harvest raspberries and blackberries at the farm and prepare produce for distribution. Day-to-day operations may include but are not limited to the following tasks:

  • Select fruit for picking according to size and ripeness, and separate rotting, over-ripened or imperfect produce
  • Take full responsibility for the assigned rows
  • Carefully pack produce into punnets and trays, taking care to avoid damage
  • Perform general farm labour such as stripping plants for aeration, weeding, thinning, pruning, removing past harvest’s crops and hanging plants for the new season.

Competencies

No previous experience is needed as all training is provided on-the-job. However to be successful in this position, you need to meet the following requirements:

  • Be healthy and physically fit
  • Be honest, reliable and motivated
  • Strong work ethic
  • Enjoy practical and manual work
  • Able to cope with the physical demands of the job
  • Able to work quickly and consistently for long periods of time
  • Willing to work outdoors in all weather conditions
  • Available to work occasional weekends and public holidays
  • Free from skin conditions and allergies
  • A valid driver’s licence is an asset, yet not a necessity.
 
 

Frequently asked questions

For your convenience, our most common questions are answered right here.

Have Other Questions? Contact Us »

 
 

WHAT MAKES A GOOD PICKER?

A good picker is reliable, quick and picks quality fruit. Quality fruit varies depending on variety, but is commonly:

  • Not under ripe (is the correct colour throughout),

  • Not over ripe (is adequately firm),

  • The correct size, and

  • Contains no bruising or cell damage.

Picking fruit correctly allows packing fruit more efficient essentially leading to more picking, more punnets and therefore more money.

How can I apply for a job?

We advertise positions on our Facebook page and Gumtree. To apply for a position, please fill out the application form. Applications via text message or email will be not be taken into consideration.
Due to the large number of applications we receive, we regret that only shortlisted candidates will be notified. If you do not receive a reply to your application within 2 weeks, your file has not been shortlisted.

can I apply with a friend?

Yes, you can apply together with a friend. However each applicant will need to complete the application form. Mention in your application the name of the friend you are applying with. Although we try to keep couples/groups together, we cannot guarantee a position for every applicant of your group. 

How often will I work?

Easy Pickings contracts workers on volume of work available. The amount of fruit available to be picked varies seasonally. However, with our labour contracts completed during harvest we have flexibility in workload, allowing us to offer more consistent days.
As well as fruit available, the frequency of work is dependent on the worker’s overall availability, reliability, and performance. The stronger you are in all three areas, the more work you will receive.
We aim to provide all our workers the opportunity to gain their second year extension to their working visa; therefore we strongly recommend you commence your work with us as early as possible during your primary working holiday. Our priority is to help as many workers as possible gain their visa.

Do you work when it rains or when it is hot outside?

Fruit pickers work outdoors in a variety of weather conditions. Weather conditions can be hot, dusty, humid or rainy, but work usually continues in these conditions to ensure the harvest is completed on time.

How will I be paid?

At Easy Pickings, we pay our employees through direct transfer into their bank account, on a weekly basis (one week in arrears). We do not pay cash in hand.
On pay day, we supply each employee with a payslip detailing what has been earned and the tax and payments made. Easy Pickings retain a copy of each pay slip for collating information, in order to help our pickers complete their Employment Verification (form 1263) during the secondary visa extension process.

 

Does the work qualify for the 2nd/3rd year working holiday visa?

Our contracting farms are conveniently located in the 3139 postal region, which is the closest area code to Melbourne CBD recognised as ‘regional’ by the Australian Government to fulfil your visa requirements. All of our jobs are relevant to 2nd/3rd year visa's and documentation is completed by us once your days are completed or you reach your 88 day threshold.

I am not in the area, could you hold a position for me until i arrive?

We do not guarantee or promise anyone a position. We offer fruit picking work based on the suitability of applicants for work of this nature, their availability and our labour requirements.
Availability is key. Due to the nature of the job the number of open positions needs to be filled within a day or two. Therefore we prefer applicants who are already living or travelling in the area and can start immediately.

how many hours are there in a working day?

A typical day with Easy Pickings will begin on the farm at 7am and end between 2.00-4.00pm.
The number of pickers will be agreed daily based on the fruit available. We aim to find a balance between having the bushes picked to be stocked with quality ripe fruit and giving our pickers the opportunity to earn a respectable amount of money for their hard work.

How will i get to the farm?

Unfortunately there is no public transport close to the farm. If you do not have you own vehicle, we can recommend accommodation providers with whom we’ve worked for many years. They are conveniently located only a 15 min walk down the road from the farm..

What am I required to wear & bring to work?

Working in rural Australia, it is important to be prepared for your environment.
We recommend you bring:
• Water (bring a reusable bottle as you can refill on the farm)
• Sunscreen
• Lunch
Wear appropriate clothing: hat, strong footwear (boots or trainers), garden gloves (preferably rubber and fingerless).
Nail polish on hands must be removed – we are working with food

do you provide accommodation?

Easy Pickings is a labor hire agency and does not offer on-site accommodation. However we do have working relationships with local lodging and can recommend quality accommodation in the area. There are also a number of caravan parks in the area.