AUSTRALIA · JOB GUIDE
Work with livestock, fencing and property maintenance on a cattle or sheep station. First-year roles offer a way in; experienced riding and machinery jobs are a different entry route.
Illustrative photo
You want a rural experience involving livestock, fencing and property upkeep, matched to your existing skills.
Remote living can mean long distances from help, town and friends. Riding and machinery roles may need experience beyond general fitness.
Station work can mix stock handling, checking water, fencing and property maintenance. The balance depends on the property, season and your competence; ask for a realistic first-month duty list.
Distances are large and help may be far away. Follow the station’s communication and vehicle procedures, and establish who supervises unfamiliar livestock or equipment tasks.
Check room sharing, food, internet, transport to town, leave arrangements and the cost of getting home. Remote living can save commuting time but does not guarantee free housing or an easy exit between rostered breaks.
Look for first-year station-hand recruitment. Senior stock, machinery and riding positions require demonstrated experience. Beginners usually learn alongside experienced staff.
Animal handling, fencing, maintenance and driving can all be relevant. Horse mustering and motorbike work are separate abilities; give the tasks you can do rather than just saying you grew up around animals.
A station is both your workplace and home. Meals and accommodation can simplify living costs, but days off do not necessarily mean easy access to a town.
Training depends on your duties: livestock handling, fencing, vehicles and machinery involve different skills. Beginner station roles require supervised practical learning, while roles involving horses or machinery may require existing experience.
Direct employer and specialist recruitment routes. Current vacancies and general expressions of interest are identified in the descriptions.
Queensland and Northern Territory stations
Official station recruitment and expression-of-interest routes. Read the property-specific requirements; livestock skills, accommodation and benefits vary by location. Do not treat a station vacancy as automatic beginner or WHM acceptance.
Australian pastoral properties
Station recruitment through the company careers page. Select a role that matches your livestock and machinery experience and ask about seasonal commitment, meals, housing and travel.
Pilbara, Western Australia
2027 recruitment includes first-year through senior station hands, seasonal or year-round. Private ensuite accommodation, meals and stock-handling training are described. Apply through the form or [email protected].
Put your start date, available months, current location and work rights near the top of your CV. Add relevant hands-on tasks, any licences and whether you need accommodation; this lets the recruiter match you to a workable placement.
Use first-year recruitment if you are starting out. List actual livestock, fencing, mechanical and vehicle skills, and the months you can commit to remote work.
| Classification | Permanent | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| FLH1 entry classification | $25.74/hour | $32.18/hour |
| FLH2 | $26.44/hour | $33.05/hour |
Pastoral Award adult ordinary hourly rates from 1 July 2026, excluding super. Casual rates include 25% loading. Higher duties and experience can move a worker to a higher classification; accommodation is separate from wages.
Pay source and classifications
Bettini Beef’s 2027 recruitment page includes meals and a private ensuite room but does not publish a wage. A comparable current advertised station-hand rate was not verified.
Paraway Pastoral Company recruitment
Sources checked 17 October 2026.
With your permission, Working Backpackers uses Google Analytics to measure visits, page views, general device information and referral sources. Google processes this information and uses analytics cookies to recognise returning browsers. Cookies last up to six months. We do not send your name, email, saved trips, budget entries, search text or account identifiers to Analytics, and advertising features are disabled.
You can decline or withdraw permission here. Your choice is stored on this browser for six months. Essential storage for sign-in and your saved plans is separate. How Google uses this information · Google Privacy Policy