The lack of rainfall in the north-west of New South Wales is causing work for seasonal employees to dry up. So, if working in this region is included in your itinerary, you might need to consider another route.
Many Brits move over to Oz to follow seasonal work around the country, but the change in weather on the east coast has threatened this job trend as well as the livelihoods of farmers and small business owners.
ABC reported Moree agronomist Brad Cogan saying that this year’s harvest has been small and few additional workers have been needed.
Toby Makim, general manager of Koramba Cotton and Koramba Gin, said his company had reduced its staff from 32 – 15 of whom were usually backpackers – to six.
The ABC report says the amount of irrigated cotton planted in the Gwydir Valley is less than half of a normal year, and there has been a knock-on effect on the local economy. Workers from abroad were spending a lot of money in the town on accommodation, grocery shopping and, of course, beer.
The report adds that farmers believe that insufficient attention is being paid to the effect on small businesses which survive on money spent by agriculture workers.
The north-west may not serve as a destination for seasonal work, but if you can manage to visit there on your time off you’re sure to get a friendly reception from locals.
Seasonal work can still be found in other parts of Australia, and there are plenty of other jobs around for skilled workers in specified industries including construction and mechanics.
So, don’t be disheartened about your move to Oz, but keep your eyes and ears open for changes and opportunities. Your move to Oz can still be as awesome as you imagine.
