Vineyard Worker

A vineyard worker performs manual labour in vineyards to support grape production and vineyard maintenance. They undertake seasonal pruning, canopy management, harvesting, and vineyard upkeep tasks under the direction of vineyard managers or senior viticulturists. Work is conducted outdoors in varying Australian climatic conditions and involves physical handling of plants, equipment, and harvested fruit.

Prune grapevines using secateurs and hand tools according to vineyard protocols and vine variety requirements. Perform canopy management tasks including leaf plucking, shoot thinning, and branch positioning to optimise grape ripening and disease prevention. Hand harvest grapes using picking baskets or bins, selecting fruit at appropriate ripeness levels and handling bunches to avoid damage. Transport harvested fruit in bins or crates to collection points or processing areas within the vineyard. Operate vineyard equipment including mechanical harvesters, sprayers, and hand tools for maintenance and disease management. Apply certified chemicals and fungicides for pest and disease control following vineyard chemical management plans and safety data sheets. Construct and maintain vineyard infrastructure including trellising, fencing, and post systems using hand tools and basic carpentry. Monitor vine health and report signs of disease, pest damage, or stress to vineyard supervisors.

The standard entry pathway requires a Certificate II or III (ABS skill level 4). 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.

It's seasonal work with long gaps between jobs. You'll get intense 8 to 12 week harvest periods, then months of slower pruning work or nothing. Your body takes a beating: repetitive hand work, bending, carrying heavy bins in heat. Pay reflects the casual nature and physical demands, not career progression. Certification requirements (chemical handling, equipment) add upfront costs.

Work is almost entirely on-site and seasonal. Regional centres are essential: remote work doesn't exist in this role. Most jobs come through direct vineyard hiring, seasonal labour contractors, or harvest agencies rather than online job boards.

• Adaptability and Flexibilitycore
• Attention to Detailcore
• Carry picking work aidscore
• Incident Reportingcore
• Inventory Trackingcore
• Policy and Procedure Adherencecore
• Problem Solvingcore
• Quality Assurance and Checkingcore
• Risk Identificationcore
• Team Collaborationcore
• Time Management and Prioritisationcore
• Verbal Communicationcore
• Workload Self-Managementcore
• Active Listening
• Basic Arithmetic and Numerical Accuracy
• Continuous Learning and Upskilling
• Record Management
• Regulatory and Legislative Awareness
• Stock Counting and Stocktake
• Supplier 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.

What Vineyard Worker move into, from ten years of tax records.

Last updated: 30 October 2026