Want to do your 88 days without going too far from the city? Most big cities don’t count, but eligible farm areas are often only an hour away. Here are the closest ones, city by city.
Near cities, eligible and non-eligible postcodes are mixed. A farm 10 km away from an eligible town can be outside the list. Check it before you start.
🏙️ Sydney
Sydney doesn’t countNewcastle, Wollongong, the Central Coast, the Hawkesbury and Camden don’t count either.
| Eligible area | From the city | Main work |
|---|---|---|
| Southern Highlands (Bowral 2576, Mittagong 2575, Moss Vale 2577) | 1.5 hours | Vineyards, orchards, nurseries |
| Bathurst 2795, Lithgow 2790 | 2.5–3 hours | Vegetables, orchards, livestock |
| Orange 2800 | 3.5–4 hours | Cherries, apples, stone fruit, pruning |
| Young 2594 | 4 hours | Cherries (Nov–Jan), stone fruit |
| Mudgee 2850, Singleton 2330 | 3–3.5 hours | Vineyards, cattle |
🏙️ Melbourne
Melbourne doesn’t countWerribee, Healesville and Yarra Glen are not regional.
| Eligible area | From the city | Main work |
|---|---|---|
| Bacchus Marsh 3340 | 45 minutes | Vegetables, orchards |
| Wandin, Seville 3139 | 1 hour | Cherries, berries, grapes |
| Koo Wee Rup 3981 | 1 hour | Asparagus, vegetables |
| Geelong 3220 | 1 hour | Vegetables, vineyards, construction |
| Shepparton 3630 | 2 hours | Pears, apples, stone fruit, pruning |
🏙️ Brisbane
Brisbane doesn’t count| Eligible area | From the city | Main work |
|---|---|---|
| Caboolture 4510, Elimbah 4516, Beerwah 4519 | 45 min – 1 hour | Strawberries (Jun–Oct), pineapples |
| Lockyer Valley, Gatton 4343 | 1 hour | Vegetables almost all year |
| Beaudesert 4285 | 1 hour | Vegetables, cattle |
| Toowoomba 4350 | 1.5–2 hours | Grain, cotton, vegetables |
| Stanthorpe 4380 | 3 hours | Strawberries, stone fruit, apples |
🏙️ Gold Coast
Gold Coast doesn’t count| Eligible area | From the city | Main work |
|---|---|---|
| Tweed Heads 2485, Murwillumbah 2484 (NSW) | 30–45 minutes | Bananas, sugar cane, vegetables |
| Beaudesert 4285 | 1 hour | Vegetables, cattle |
🏙️ Perth
Perth metro doesn’t countWanneroo and the Swan Valley are not regional.
| Eligible area | From the city | Main work |
|---|---|---|
| Bullsbrook 6084, Gingin 6503 | 45 min – 1 hour | Blueberries, strawberries, vegetables |
| Mandurah 6210 | 1 hour | Vegetables, construction |
| Harvey 6220, Donnybrook 6239 | 1.5–2.5 hours | Citrus, apples, dairy |
| Manjimup 6258 | 3.5 hours | Apples, avocados, cherries |
🏙️ Canberra
Canberra doesn’t count| Eligible area | From the city | Main work |
|---|---|---|
| Queanbeyan 2620 (NSW) | 15 minutes | Construction, some farms |
| Young 2594 | 2 hours | Cherries, stone fruit |
| Batlow 2730, Tumut 2720 | 2.5 hours | Apples, cherries, pruning |
✅ Adelaide
Adelaide countsAll of South Australia is regional, so farm work in and around Adelaide counts: Adelaide Hills (30–45 minutes), McLaren Vale (45 minutes) and the Barossa (1 hour). Farm work in South Australia →
✅ Hobart
Hobart countsAll of Tasmania is regional: the Huon Valley, Derwent Valley and Coal River Valley are 30 minutes to 1 hour away. Farm work in Tasmania →
✅ Darwin
Darwin counts, hospitality includedDarwin is Northern Australia: farm work around Humpty Doo and hospitality jobs in the city all count. Farm work in the Northern Territory →
✅ Cairns and Townsville
They count, hospitality includedNorth Queensland is regional and Northern Australia: farm work on the Tablelands, in Tully or the Burdekin, and hospitality in the city all count. Farm work in Queensland →
It is possible, but most farms start very early (5 or 6 am) and there is rarely public transport. Unless you have a car, it is usually easier to move to a farming town for 3 months.
Find farms near you
The WikiFarms Australia app shows around 4,000 farms, working hostels and agencies on a map with their contacts, so you can see what is close to where you are.
Source: Home Affairs, Specified subclass 417 and 462 work (Regional Australia postcode list), checked October 2026. Travel times are approximate, by car.