Poultry Farm Jobs in Australia

Poultry Farm Jobs in Australia. There are currently around 200–280 poultry farm-specific jobs listed on SEEK, with additional listings on Indeed, Jora, Adzuna, and recruiter sites. Nationally, about 3,000 people are employed as Poultry Farm Workers. The industry (chicken meat and eggs) is a major agricultural sector with consistent labour needs in regional areas.

Job Availability

There are plenty of opportunities currently being advertised across major platforms. 6SEEK lists 389 Poultry jobs found in Australia, while 5Recruit.net features 111 poultry farm positions across Australia, from Pace Farm to DA Hall & Co.

Major Companies & Employers

Here are the most active companies currently hiring for poultry farm roles (farm hands, attendants, managers, vaccination crews, etc.):

• Baiada Poultry (Steggles & Lilydale brands): One of Australia’s largest producers. Frequently advertises Farm Hand / Poultry Farm Worker roles focused on broiler chickens. Locations include NSW, Victoria, and other states. Strong emphasis on animal care, hygiene, and biosecurity.1
• Aviagen Australia: Major poultry breeding company. Regularly hires Poultry Farm Workers (multiple concurrent listings). Locations include Victoria (e.g. Scoresby), Queensland (Mount Cotton), and NSW (Goulburn area). Often provides on-the-job training.2
• Inghams Enterprises (Inghams): Large integrated chicken meat producer. Hires for farm hands, hatchery assistants, and related roles. Active in NSW, Queensland, and Victoria. Also has processing opportunities that sometimes link to farm work.3
• ProTen: One of the biggest contract growers in Australia (over 700 sheds). Regularly seeks farm hands, managers, and support staff across VIC (Lethbridge), NSW, QLD, SA, and WA.
• Ellerslie Farms / DA Hall & Co (Millmerran, Darling Downs QLD): Large-scale operation. Hires for rearing/breeder farms, including farm-hands and maintenance roles. Good for regional work.
• Other active employers: Panoramic View Farms (egg production managers – Newcastle NSW region), Hazeldene’s (Victoria), ZMN Poultry (Harlin QLD – breeder egg production, often backpacker-friendly), Pepe’s Ducks (Cobbitty NSW), Farm Pride Foods, and various independent egg/meat producers.4

Specialist Recruiters:
Agri Labour Australia is the standout — they focus heavily on poultry and have placed over 1,140 staff. They cover casual/permanent roles including vaccination crews, clean-out teams, egg collectors, farm attendants, leading hands, and managers. They also handle construction/relocation teams for new sheds. Other recruiters include APG Workforce and Chandler Macleod.5

Typical Job Information

Entry-Level Roles (most common — Farm Hand, Poultry Farm Worker, Attendant, Vaccination Staff, Clean-out/Catcher, Egg Collector):

• Duties: Feeding/watering birds, shed cleaning & litter management, egg collection/grading, biosecurity (footbaths, disinfection), basic animal health monitoring, vaccination, catching birds (sometimes night shifts), waste removal, operating basic farm equipment. Work is physical, dusty, and can be smelly. Early starts or shift work common.
• Requirements: No experience often needed (training provided). Must be reliable, physically fit, have own transport (rural sites), and understand biosecurity. Australian residents, Working Holiday visa holders, and some permanent residents apply easily.
• Pay: Casual $30–$35 per hour (base ~$30–$31.50 + loadings for weekends/shifts/nights). Full-time equivalent roughly $55k–$75k p.a. Some roles offer accommodation.
• Good for backpackers — counts toward 88 days specified work in approved regional postcodes for visa extensions.

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Management / Skilled Roles (Farm Manager, Leading Hand, Production Manager, Supervisor):

• Duties: Staff supervision & training, flock health & welfare, budgeting, record keeping, equipment management, compliance, overall shed/farm operations.
• Requirements: Experience essential (often 2–5+ years), plus qualifications helpful. Some roles list visa sponsorship pathways (e.g. 482, 491, 190) for experienced candidates.
• Pay: $85k–$130k+ (higher end for large operations; some include housing or performance bonuses).6

Career Pathway (from Rural Skills Australia via Poultry Hub):

• Assistant Poultry Hand → Certificate I in Agriculture (Poultry Production)
• Poultry Hand → Certificate II
• Senior Poultry Hand → Certificate III (supervision, specialised equipment)
• Leading Hand → Certificate IV (staff management, budgets)
• Poultry Production Manager → Diploma
• Poultry Business Manager → Advanced Diploma

Additional specialist paths exist in nutrition, veterinary science, QA, marketing, and environmental management. Other classifications include Hatchery Assistant, Stock Hand, Farm Transporter, and Farm Maintenance Worker.7

Market Snapshot

• ~200–260+ poultry farm-related jobs listed on SEEK alone, plus more on Indeed, Jora, Adzuna, LinkedIn, Backpacker Job Board, and recruiter sites. Nationally, about 3,000 people are employed as Poultry Farm Workers (41% part-time, 39% female).
• Concentrated in regional areas: NSW (Tamworth, Griffith, Newcastle, Goulburn, Freemans Reach), QLD (Darling Downs – Millmerran/Oakey, Ipswich/Purga, Harlin, Mount Cotton), Victoria (Lethbridge, Scoresby, Rosedale), SA (Monarto).
• Work is steady year-round due to continuous poultry production cycles.

Best places to apply: SEEK (“poultry farm worker” or “poultry farm hand”), Agri Labour Australia job board, company career pages (Baiada, Inghams, Aviagen), Indeed, and Backpacker Job Board.

Would you like specific live job examples with links, focus on a particular state or role (e.g. manager, backpacker-friendly, visa sponsorship), resume/cover letter tips, pay scales by award, or details on a specific company? Let me know how to narrow it down.

Major Employers Hiring

• Inghams (one of Australia’s largest producers) — 6recruiting a casual Farmhand in NSW – Amarina to contribute to breeder production in a dynamic farm setting.
• Pace Farm — 5proud of strong family values that have guided them since the 1970s, growing from humble beginnings into one of Australia’s largest egg producers.
• Ellerslie Farms Group / DA Hall & Co. — 1an agribusiness that operates one of the largest poultry farms in Australia, employing over 400 people across its farming operations.
• McLean Farms, Southern Riverlands Poultry Trading, and various labour-hire companies.

Locations

Roles are spread across the country, with concentrations in:

• Queensland — 1poultry farms located between Warwick and Toowoomba, on the Southern Darling Downs.
• New South Wales — Cobbitty, West Wyalong, Amarina
• Victoria — 7Strathmerton (Farm Hands and egg collectors), Nathalia/Shepparton
• South Australia — 6Tailem Bend (family-owned, ethical and sustainable business), Milang near Strathalbyn

Things to Know

• Experience often not required. Many roles offer training — for example, you can 4join a supportive team on a thriving poultry farm with no experience needed and full training provided. However, some specialist roles require a 3minimum of 2 years of experience working in poultry farming or livestock management.
• Working rights. Many listings specify that you 1should only apply if you have full working rights in Australia.
• Work environment. Be prepared for physical, hands-on work. You’ll need a 3tolerance for working in a poultry environment, which can be dusty and noisy. Some roles also 3require working on weekends and nights when needed.
• Visa sponsorship. For overseas applicants, some 2026 listings advertise visa-sponsored roles. 16Common options include the Working Holiday Visa (subclass 417/462), the Seasonal Worker Program Visa, and the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) Visa (subclass 482).

To apply, visit SEEK (seek.com.au), Indeed, Jora, or the careers pages of major producers like Inghams and Pace Farm directly. Would you like me to dig deeper into a specific area — such as entry-level roles, a particular state, or visa-sponsored positions?

Salary Overview

Salaries vary significantly by role and source. Here’s the current picture:

Poultry Farm Worker / Farm Hand

• The estimated total pay is $77,500 per year, with an average salary of $70,000 per year (though this Glassdoor figure tends to run higher than other sources).
• ANZSCO data shows that for Poultry Farmers, the typical weekly earnings are $1,242, lower than the all-jobs average of $1,600. This is a small occupation, with around 3,400 workers.
• Indeed lists the average salary for a Poultry Farm Worker as around $54,000–$76,000 depending on the role and location.

Hourly Rates

• Entry-level and casual roles commonly advertise hourly rates. Many positions fall in the $28–$32 per hour range.

Farm Managers

• Management roles pay considerably more — the average for a Poultry Farm Manager sits around $100,000+ per year, with senior managers earning higher.

Job Market & Demand

Industry Size and Growth

The poultry industry is a significant and growing employer. The chicken meat industry alone provides direct and indirect employment for around 58,000 people across the country.

Chicken remains Australia’s most-consumed meat. Australians consume nearly 50 kg of chicken per capita each year, making it the most consumed meat in the country, which sustains strong, ongoing demand for labour.

Worker Shortages

Agriculture broadly faces persistent labour shortages, which works in favour of job seekers:

• The sector has struggled with workforce gaps, particularly in regional areas, and poultry farm jobs are important to Australia’s agriculture industry because they help with worker shortages and food production.
• This shortage is partly why many roles offer training with no experience needed, and why some employers sponsor visas for overseas workers.

Future Outlook (ANZSCO Data)

• For Livestock Farmers (the broader category), employment has been relatively stable, though some agricultural occupations are projected to decline slightly due to automation and farm consolidation.
• However, processing and farm-hand roles remain in steady demand due to high turnover and the physical nature of the work.

Key Takeaways for Job Seekers

1. Entry is accessible — many roles need no experience and offer training, making it a viable entry point into agriculture.
2. Pay is moderate — expect roughly $50,000–$60,000/year for farm-hand roles, with managers earning $100,000+.
3. Demand is steady — driven by Australia’s high chicken consumption and ongoing rural labour shortages.
4. Career progression exists — from Farm Hand → Leading Hand → Assistant Manager → Farm Manager.
5. Visa pathways — some roles count toward second/third-year working holiday visas and offer sponsorship.

Conclusion

Poultry farming remains a stable and accessible sector with consistent demand for workers across regional Australia. Approximately 3,000 people are employed as Poultry Farm Workers nationally, with 200–260+ active job listings at any time (strongest on SEEK). Entry-level roles are plentiful, require little to no prior experience, and offer solid casual pay of $28–$35 per hour (average full-time equivalent around $59,600 per year). The work suits those seeking regional lifestyle, backpackers (counts toward 88 days specified work for visa extensions), and people wanting a pathway into agriculture.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Do I need prior experience?
No for most entry-level farm hand, egg collector, or vaccination roles — on-the-job training and biosecurity induction are usually provided. Reliability, fitness, and a positive attitude matter more. Management positions require 2–5+ years of experience.

2. What is the typical pay?
Casual entry-level: $28–$35/hr (often ~$30–$31.50 base + loadings). Full-time average ~$59,600/year. Managers earn $85k–$130k+, sometimes with housing or bonuses. Rates follow the Pastoral Award with weekend, night, and overtime penalties.

3. Is it good for backpackers / Working Holiday visas?
Yes — very popular. Poultry work in approved regional postcodes usually counts toward the 88 days of specified work needed for a second or third year visa. Some farms offer accommodation. Check current postcode lists.

4. Can I get visa sponsorship?
Rare for entry-level Poultry Farm Worker (Skill Level 4). Sponsorship (TSS 482, 491, etc.) is more common for experienced Poultry Farm Managers or specialised roles. Manager positions occasionally appear with sponsorship noted.

5. What are the working conditions like?
Physical, dusty, and sometimes smelly work involving feeding birds, cleaning sheds, egg collection, vaccination, and catching. Early starts, rotating shifts, and biosecurity protocols are standard. Own transport is almost always required due to rural locations.