What is the base rate for the Horticulture Award?

Base rates for the Horticulture Award (MA000028) start at $25.74/hour for Level 1 and scale up to $29.45/hour for the highest classification. Casual rates include a 25% loading.

Who does the Horticulture Award cover?

The Horticulture Award covers workers in horticulture — including Farm hand, Fruit picker, Packer, Orchard worker. Coverage is determined by the type of work done, not employer preference.

Where is the official Horticulture Award document?

The current consolidated Horticulture Award (MA000028) is published by the Fair Work Commission at fwc.gov.au. Links to the official document are provided on this page.

MA000028Horticulture

Horticulture Award

Who does this award cover?

The Horticulture Award covers employees working in horticulture, including the following common roles:

Farm handFruit pickerPackerOrchard workerNursery handIrrigation operator

Pay rates by classification

Classification	Base (per hour)	Casual (+25%)	Weekly (38h)
Level 1	$25.74	$32.18	$978.12
Level 2	$26.44	$33.05	$1004.72
Level 3	$26.84	$33.55	$1019.92
Level 4	$27.81	$34.76	$1056.78
Level 5	$29.45	$36.81	$1119.10

Rates shown are hourly permanent (base) and casual (base + 25% loading). Always verify with the official FWC document — rates change annually on 1 July following the Fair Work Commission's Annual Wage Review.

Get plain-English answers on the Horticulture Award

Answers grounded on the full MA000028 document — every clause, variation, and classification. Pro is $29.99/mo, cancel anytime.

See Pro

Penalty rates

Public holiday2.00×

Afternoon shift - Monday to Friday1.15×

Night shift - Monday to Friday1.15×

How casual overtime is calculated

One of the most common payroll questions under the Horticulture Award: when a casual works overtime or weekend hours, does the 1.5× or 2× multiplier apply to the base rate, or to the 25%-loaded casual rate? The answer depends on how the award is drafted.

Method for the Horticulture Award

Unresolved — award drafting is ambiguous or we have not verified

Source: — · Inferred from industry pay guides — verify edge cases via FWO PACT

We have not independently verified how this award treats the 25% casual loading when overtime or penalty rates apply. The three possible methods (additive / compounded / separate) can produce materially different pay outcomes. Check the award text at fwc.gov.au or use the Fair Work Ombudsman Pay and Conditions Tool (PACT) for a definitive answer.

Method	Calculation	Hourly rate
Additive	$26.84 × 175%	$46.97
Compounded	$33.55 × 150%	$50.33
Separate	$26.84 × 150%	$40.26

Worked example: casual Level 3 (base $26.84/hr), first block of overtime at 150%. Different awards produce different hourly rates from the same base because the 25% loading is applied differently.

Calculate casual overtime for any scenario →

Break entitlements

Shift length	Meal break	Rest break	Paid?

Want the full MA000028 document?

This page covers the headline rates, penalties, and break rules. The full award has dozens more clauses: allowances, overtime formulas, rostering rules, dispute procedures, and classification descriptors. FairWork Mate answers plain-English questions grounded on every clause, with a citation back to the award on every answer.

Official MA000028 at fwc.gov.au

FairWork Mate AI

Not sure the Horticulture Award is the award that covers you?

“I think I'm covered by the Horticulture Award (MA000028). Is that the right award for my job, and what should I be paid?”

Coverage turns on what your business actually does, not your job title. The advisor checks your situation against the MA000028 coverage clause and the decisions that have tested it.

Ask the advisor →

Pro is $29.99/mo for 150 questions, or a $4.99 Day Pass covers 25 questions over 24 hours. See plans

Get notified when award rates change

Free alerts when the Horticulture Award pay rates are updated (annually on 1 July) or when the Fair Work Commission varies the award.

Free forever. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

← Back to all awards