Senior Sheep Farm Worker

A Senior Sheep Farm Worker oversees the daily management and welfare of sheep flocks on Australian farms, directing other workers and making operational decisions about grazing, health, and breeding. They supervise mustering, shearing, drenching, and marking operations, monitor animal health for signs of disease or injury, and maintain paddock and facility infrastructure. The role requires knowledge of sheep behaviour, pasture management, biosecurity protocols, and WorkSafe regulations specific to agricultural operations.

Muster sheep using dogs, motorcycles, or ATVs and direct station hands to move flocks between paddocks according to grazing and breeding schedules. Assess pasture quality and availability, monitor water supply systems, and decide when to move flocks to maintain optimal nutrition and prevent overgrazing. Identify and separate sick, injured, or underperforming sheep from the main flock and organise treatment or culling decisions in consultation with the farm owner or veterinarian. Supervise shearing contractors or coordinate in-house shearing operations, including pre-shearing preparation (marking, weighing, sorting by wool grade) and post-shearing management. Conduct drenching programmes to control internal and external parasites, record dosages and animal identification, and ensure compliance with withholding periods for chemical residues. Supervise ear-marking, tail-docking, and castration of lambs, ensuring animal welfare standards and working within legislative requirements for age-appropriate procedures. Monitor flock health daily, record observations of behaviour, feed intake, and visible signs of disease, and report concerns to the veterinarian or farm management. Plan and supervise repairs to fencing, water troughs, gates, and shelter structures to maintain secure and safe paddock boundaries.

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 pay ceiling is real and low. Most of the work is physically demanding and happens in all weather: early starts, long days during mustering and shearing seasons, and you're on call for animal emergencies. Drought years and commodity price crashes directly hit your job security and income.

Most jobs are in inland and regional areas: the tablelands, western plains, and pastoral zones where large-scale sheep farms operate. Almost no remote work. You need to live where the flocks are, which limits your location choices if you want steady work.

• Active Listeningcore
• Adaptability and Flexibilitycore
• Administer drugs to facilitate breedingcore
• Administer treatment to animalscore
• Attention to Detailcore
• Incident Reportingcore
• Inventory Trackingcore
• Policy and Procedure Adherencecore
• Problem Solvingcore
• Record Managementcore
• Risk Identificationcore
• Team Collaborationcore
• Time Management and Prioritisationcore
• Verbal Communicationcore
• Workload Self-Managementcore
• Advise customers on appropriate pet care
• Advise on animal purchase
• Advise on animal welfare
• Basic Arithmetic and Numerical Accuracy
• Continuous Learning and Upskilling
• Goal Setting and Planning
• Process Improvement Identification
• Regulatory and Legislative Awareness
• Supplier Communication
• Written Communication

• 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.

Where our numbers come from.

Last updated: 30 October 2026