When is fruit picking work available?

On our orchard the main harvest starts near the end of January. Pear picking continues to the end of February, the peach harvest usually finishes around mid March, and we continue into early April to finish our crop of apples.

How do you pick the fruit on the R J Cornish orchard?

Most fruit pickers work from steel ladders and do not use picking machines. Fruit is picked into a bag which is slung over your shoulders in a harness fashion and then emptied into a bin which is wooden or plastic. A wooden bin holds about 470 kg of peaches. Plastic bins are about 10% smaller.

Do I need to climb a ladder?

Sure do. Most picking is done from steel 3 metre ladders although lower fruit is picked from ground level. You need to be fairly healthy as there is a fair bit of carrying, lifting and walking. If you cannot carry a 3 metre ladder that weighs around 17kg and position it around a tree then this is not the job for you. Don't forget that you are also carrying a fruit picking bag strapped over your shoulders. The bag can weigh around 25kg when full of fruit!

Where do most of the fruit pickers come from?

Our fruit pickers come form all over Australia and countries that have working visa arrangements with Australia. This means that we have many different nationalities working together.

Providing you meet the qualifications for working in Australia we will consider your application for work.

Do you train new pickers?

Before starting work on our orchard you will be required to undertake a health & safety induction session which includes instruction in the correct technique of picking fruit including how to safely use a ladder. By following our instructions you are likely to be more successful (and financial) and you will find that  your body will stand up to the rigors of the work far better.

If you are new to fruit picking you may find it fairly difficult to begin with, but within a couple of days you will find that your tallies are increasing as you develop better technique.

How long do I have to work for you for?

We prefer workers who are going to stay for as much of our harvest as possible. To come to Cobram and leave after a few days is a waste of everyone's time and money. To come with the intention of leaving in a week or two is not a good idea.

Our season lasts from late January to early April so you have a chance to settle into a good work routine to earn money for further travels or study etc.

How much can I earn?

Almost all fruit picking is paid on piece work rates. Put simply this means the more you pick the more you earn.

Some pickers make quite good wages, where as others who are not suited to the job may struggle to make a basic amount.

Pickers who adopt our suggested techniques tend to be more successful.

Fruit picking pay rates are set in agreement with the Australian Workers' Union before each harvest to reflect a fair wage for work of this nature. The rates which we used in our last harvest (2009) are shown below.

Peaches & Pears

$37.40

$33.54

Apples

$33.54

$30.28

Peaches & Pears

$33.66

$30.18

Apples

$30.18

$27.26

Wages are paid directly into your Australian bank account overnight each Thursday evening.