Farm work in Bowen, QLD
Between Airlie Beach and Townsville, Bowen is the winter vegetable bowl of the north. Big farms, big crews, and the Whitsundays on your day off.
Jobs around Bowen right now
Casual farm labourers - Tomato picking
Bowen · Award
Casual farm hand labourers
Bowen · Award
Farms in the Bowen area
Worked here? Rate the pay, hours and accommodation so the next backpacker knows.
Hostels and stays near Bowen
The 88 days, straight up
To get a second-year Working Holiday visa (subclass 417 or 462) you need 88 days of specified work in regional Australia, and Bowen qualifies. Plant and animal cultivation counts: picking, packing, pruning, planting. Keep every payslip, check your employer pays award rates, and track your days as you go. Matey has a free 88-day tracker, a scam-spotting guide and backpacker reviews of the farms around Bowen, so you know before you go.
Don't pay for 88-day contact lists
People sell lists of thousands of farm contacts for your 88 days. Most are old phone numbers and farms that aren't hiring. Matey's farm directory and job board are free, and backpackers who worked there can say whether they'd go back.
Good to know
Does farm work in Bowen count towards the 88 days?
Bowen is in a regional area of Queensland, so plant and animal cultivation work here generally counts towards the 88 days of specified work for a second Working Holiday visa. Always confirm the postcode and the type of work with your employer, and keep every payslip.
When is the harvest season in Bowen?
Tomatoes, capsicum, melons and mangoes. Season: April to December, peak May to November. Arriving a couple of weeks before peak season gives you the best shot at the good jobs and beds.
How do I find farm jobs in Bowen?
Matey lists live, checked jobs around Bowen free, no agency fees, no paid "job packs". You can also check farm pages (with reviews from backpackers who worked there, where they exist), working hostels, and post that you're looking for work so farmers find you.
Nearby harvest towns
G'day, matey
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