Victoria has some of the biggest fruit regions in Australia: grapes and citrus around Mildura, pears and stone fruit in Shepparton, cherries and berries near Melbourne. All of regional Victoria counts, Geelong included, but not Melbourne.
Plant and animal cultivation and construction count in regional Victoria for both the 417 and the 462. Melbourne’s metro area doesn’t count, including Werribee and most of the Yarra Valley close to the city (Healesville, Yarra Glen). Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, Wandin and Seville, Koo Wee Rup and all the north of the state are eligible.
Where to find farm work in Victoria
Picking / harvestPruning / vineyard workTypical months: weather can shift them by a few weeks.
🍇 Mildura, Robinvale and Sunraysia
Table grapes, wine grapes, citrus, almonds and vegetables: one of the biggest farm work areas in Australia, with work most of the year. Pre-harvest vine work runs from late October to early January.
🍐 Shepparton and the Goulburn Valley
Australia’s pear and stone fruit bowl. Pruning and thinning in winter and spring, then the big summer fruit season.
🍒 Wandin and Seville (Yarra Valley)
Cherries and berries in summer, grapes in autumn. Only part of the Yarra Valley counts: Wandin and Seville do, Healesville and Yarra Glen don’t.
🐄 Gippsland
Victoria’s main dairy region, with large vegetable farms around Lindenow and Koo Wee Rup.
Tips for Victoria
- Close to Melbourne: Wandin, Seville, Koo Wee Rup and Bacchus Marsh are eligible and less than 1.5 hours from the city.
- Sunraysia almost all year: grapes in summer, citrus in winter, vine work in spring.
- Werribee is not regional, even though it has farms. Always check the postcode.
- Meet other backpackers: Melbourne Backpackers · Mildura Backpackers · Shepparton Backpackers
Find farms in Victoria
Most farms never advertise. The WikiFarms Australia app shows around 4,000 farms, working hostels and agencies across Australia on a map, with their contacts.
Sources: Home Affairs, Specified subclass 417 and 462 work (Regional Australia and Northern Australia postcode lists), checked October 2026. Season months are typical and change with the weather: always call farms before you travel.