Located approximately 85km south of Townsville, Ayr is main town in the Burdekin Shire. This is sugar cane country with over 80,000 hectares of land producting over a million tonnes of sugar annually. Ayr is also responsible for about 1/3 of Australia’s melons and is a big contributor of other fruits and vegetables . Nearby Alva Beach offers kilometers of beautiful beach, lovely coastline, where you can go for a swim, fish or diving and explore the wreck of the SS Yongala! Did you know Ayr has over 300 sunny days a year !
Fruit Picking Crops in Ayr
May to June – Melons & watermelons picking
May to November – Capsicums, egg fruit, cherry tomatoes, chillies, zucchinis
June to December – Sugar cane
September to December – Melons
November to December – Mangoes
Fruit Picking Jobs in Ayr
Fruit Picking Jobs in Queensland
Where’s Ayr
Getting There
Whether your coming from up north or down south its all about the Bruce Bruce Highway. Its about about a 1 hour drive north to Townsville and 3-4 hours drive south to Mackay! All the major bus routes will service the Bruce so you shouldn’t have any problems getting to Ayr.
Accommodation
Atherton has hotels, motels, caravan parks and ofcourse a backpackers which gives you plenty of options depending on budget/preference. Their is also a hospital and along shops and food stores servicing the 8,000 or so local residents.
Not Fruit Picking – What to do?
Situated on the northern side of the Burdekin river, Ayr is known as a fishing and crabbing hotspot, where trevally, barramundi and mangrove jack are plentiful. The network of creeks and rivers ,wetlands and waterways make Ayr a water lovers dream. Water Skiing, Fishing, Golf, Camping and Birdwatching are great ways to enjoy yourself.
Extending Your Australian Working Holiday Visa
Many harvest jobs will meet the Second Australian Working Holiday Visa eligibility and count towards the 88 days of specified work. Some regional locations and jobs are ineligible which could lead to the Department of Immigration rejecting your application. So remember to confirm whether or not your fruit picking or harvest job will count towards the Second Australian WHV.