Nurseryperson
A nurseryperson cultivates and propagates plants in a nursery setting, managing plant stock from seed or cutting through to sale-ready condition. They perform horticultural tasks including watering, fertilising, pest and disease management, potting, and transplanting across outdoor beds, glasshouses, and shade houses.
What this job is
A nurseryperson cultivates and propagates plants in a nursery setting, managing plant stock from seed or cutting through to sale-ready condition. They perform horticultural tasks including watering, fertilising, pest and disease management, potting, and transplanting across outdoor beds, glasshouses, and shade houses. The role requires knowledge of plant biology, Australian growing conditions, and nursery production systems to supply healthy plants to retail outlets, landscapers, and home gardeners.
Are employers advertising this role?
Fewer than 50 vacancies were advertised nationally in the latest month. The numbers are too small to draw a reliable trend.
Source: Jobs and Skills Australia, Internet Vacancy Index.
Day-to-day
Water plants and irrigation systems using hoses, drip lines, and automated controllers, adjusting frequency and volume based on plant type, soil moisture, and seasonal conditions. Propagate plants from seeds, cuttings, and divisions using propagation benches, misting systems, and rooting media specific to each species. Pot, repot, and transplant seedlings and established plants into containers of varying sizes, selecting appropriate potting mixes and compacting soil to specification. Apply fertilisers, soil amendments, and foliar feeds following label instructions and nursery protocols to maintain plant nutrition and growth rates. Identify, monitor, and treat plant pests and diseases using integrated pest management techniques, pesticides, fungicides, and biological controls in compliance with Australian chemical safety regulations. Prune, deadhead, and shape plants to encourage growth form, density, and marketable appearance using secateurs, loppers, and hedge trimmers. Maintain glasshouse, shade house, and outdoor bed environments including temperature control, humidity adjustment, ventilation, and shade cloth deployment. Inspect plants daily for signs of stress, nutrient deficiency, pest damage, or disease, and report findings to nursery supervisor for remedial action.
Who does this now
About 2,600 people worked in this occupation across Australia at the 2021 Census.
What this role asks for
Certificate IV or Certificate III with at least two years of on-the-job training (ABS skill level 3)
Can employers fill these jobs
Employers hiring for this occupation were generally able to find suitable applicants in 2025. This measures how hard employers found it to fill jobs. It is not a count of jobs, and it does not say whether the occupation is growing.
Source: Jobs and Skills Australia, Training Occupation Pathways dataset, March 2026, version 1.0
Jobs and Skills Australia defines an occupation-ready qualification as:
Completing this qualification will provide the skills and knowledge to undertake this occupation. Further training and experience may be required to meet specific industry requirements including licensing and registration.
Jobs and Skills Australia, Training Occupation Pathways dataset, March 2026, version 1.0
Requirements
The standard entry pathway requires a Certificate IV or Certificate III with at least two years of on-the-job training (ABS skill level 3). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.
The honest hard part
Pay is low and capped. You'll also work in heat, humidity, and weather year-round, handle chemicals safely, and do repetitive physical tasks like potting thousands of plants. Automation is slowly replacing some propagation and potting work.
Where the jobs are
Most jobs are outdoor or in glasshouses near population centres. Remote work doesn't apply. Seasonal hiring peaks in spring.
Skills
- Adaptability and Flexibilitycore
- Attention to Detailcore
- Basic Arithmetic and Numerical Accuracycore
- Crop production principlescore
- Customer Needs Assessmentcore
- Execute disease and pest control activitiescore
- Grow plantscore
- Horticulture principlescore
- Inventory Trackingcore
- Pest control in plantscore
- Plant disease controlcore
- Plant speciescore
- Policy and Procedure Adherencecore
- Prepare planting areacore
- Problem Solvingcore
- Risk Identificationcore
- Stock Counting and Stocktakecore
- Team Collaborationcore
- Time Management and Prioritisationcore
- Verbal Communicationcore
- Workload Self-Managementcore
- Advise customers on types of flowers
- Advise on plant fertilizer
- Agronomical production principles
- Agronomy
- Continuous Learning and Upskilling
- Ecology
- Environmental legislation in agriculture and forestry
- Goods Receipt Processing
- Incident Reporting
- Organic farming
- Quality Assurance and Checking
- Record Management
- Regulatory and Legislative Awareness
- Supplier Communication
- Written Communication
Which of these do you have?
Tick the ones you haveCommon questions
Sources
- ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
- ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.
Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.
What Nurseryperson workers move into, from ten years of tax records.
Last updated: 30 October 2026
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