Does Tassal Mission Beach Prawn Farm count as specified work?

Yes. The work location's postcode 4852 is on the Department of Home Affairs Regional Australia list, and Plant and animal cultivation work can count towards your specified work days.

Tassal Mission Beach Prawn Farm | Specified work in Bingil Bay (Mission Beach)

Specified work eligibility

Use the postcode of the work location — not the company's head office, and not where you live.

✓

This location counts as specified work

Postcode 4852 is on the Department of Home Affairs "Regional Australia" list, and the work type is "Plant and animal cultivation".

Work address

Tassal Mission Beach processing facility, Bingil Bay QLD 4852

Postcode 4852・Tully · Innisfail · Map location is approximate

Open in Google Maps

Work category

Plant and animal cultivation

Harvesting and packing fruit and vegetables, pruning trees and vines, livestock work, and primary meat processing such as slaughtering, cutting and packing. Secondary processing such as winemaking or processed meats does not count.

Within one employer, not every role counts as specified work (for example office admin or cleaning depends on Home Affairs' current temporary concession). Check the label on each role below, and keep every payslip.How specified work days are counted

Note: on 17 September 2026 the government announced second and third visas will move to a ballot. Completing specified work makes you eligible to enter, but it no longer guarantees a visa (start date not yet announced).Details

Jobs

3 casual / seasonal roles. Duties, requirements and required licences are listed separately.

Seasonal forklift driver (Mission Beach processing plant, casual)Forklift Operator - seasonal casual (Mission Beach processing)

Casual Check required

Driving forklifts in warehouses and freezers; supporting dispatch: picking, packing and preparing orders; loading and unloading trucks and containers; keeping stock records; following cold-chain safety rules.

Pay method

Hourly rate
$32.00 an hour or more, including the 25% casual loading (SEEK ad, September 2026).

Hours

Monday to Friday, possibly Saturdays; shift work including early mornings, afternoons and possibly weekends

Requirements

Available to work from early November 2026 until Christmas, Willing to work shifts, including early mornings, afternoons and possibly weekends, Good English; able to understand and communicate about safety, Full work rights in Australia, A reliable way to get to and from work, Fitness assessment and alcohol and drug testing before starting

Licences

A valid forklift licence (High Risk Work Licence) and hands-on experience

Multiple positions; you may move to Proserpine after Christmas. Forklift and dispatch work in the processing plant is support work, and Home Affairs' definition of specified work does not explicitly list prawn farming, so it is marked "To be confirmed" — confirm with Home Affairs before using it for a visa application.

Seasonal harvest / farming team (pond work, paddlewheel maintenance, feeding, in-water harvesting, drivers)Seasonal harvest / farming team (pond operations, paddlewheel maintenance, feed, harvest 'water roles', drivers)

Seasonal (temporary) Check required

Hands-on harvesting in the prawn ponds (you will get wet), pond work, aeration / paddlewheel maintenance, feeding crew, driving.

Pay method

Hourly rate
2022 Proserpine seasonal ad: from $27.39/hour including the 25% casual loading, plus penalty rates and overtime. This is an old 2022 ad and the pay is out of date — rely on the current Award.

Hours

Monday to Friday, possibly Saturdays (forklift ad)

Requirements

Able to stay until the end of the season (May), Australian working rights, Fitness assessment and alcohol and drug testing

Licences

Not required

Based on Tassal's 2022-10-25 Backpacker Job Board ad (Proserpine prawn farm); no experience needed. The official definitions do not explicitly list prawn farming, so it is marked "check required".

Processing attendant (seasonal)Processing Attendant (seasonal)

Seasonal (temporary) Check required

Processing and packing prawns in the on-site plant (both Mission Beach and Proserpine process prawns straight from the farm).

Pay method

To be confirmed

Hours

Monday to Friday, possibly Saturdays (forklift ad)

Requirements

No special requirements / to be confirmed

Licences

Not required

Role types are based on Tassal's "Our Teams" page and its Taleo expression-of-interest form; no current ads for Queensland processing attendants were found. The official definition includes "the immediate processing of animal products" but does not explicitly list prawn farming, so it is marked "check required".

This employer also has 1 other roles that are full-time, permanent part-time, of unknown type, or don't count as specified work. We only list casual roles, so they are not shown.

Work duties

Land-based pond farming of black tiger prawns, harvesting, on-site processing / packing and dispatch (forklifts, freezers). Tassal also has a prawn farm at Proserpine (QLD 4800, eligible postcode, in the Whitsundays — Tassal's largest), with a hatchery and processing plant.

Work environment

Tropical coastal prawn farm with ponds; harvesting means getting wet (in-water work); processing and dispatch are in cold food-processing / freezer conditions; repetitive heavy lifting.

Pay and superannuation

What the employer publishes and the legal minimum are shown separately.

Pay: Mission Beach seasonal forklift: $32.00 an hour or more, including the 25% casual loading (September 2026 ad). 2022 Proserpine seasonal roles: from $27.39/hour including casual loading, with penalties and overtime for weekend / public holiday shifts — an old 2022 ad whose pay is out of date; rely on the current Award.
Applicable Award: Aquaculture Award (MA000114)
Legal minimum hourly rate: Level 1: $32.18/hour
Level 2: $33.05/hour
Casual (including the 25% casual loading), effective from 1 July 2026.Fair Work pay guide
How you are paid: To be confirmed
By law wages must be paid in money (cash, cheque or bank transfer) at least monthly; whichever method is used, the employer must give you a payslip within 1 working day of paying you.
How often you are paid: To be confirmed
Under the Award: Paid weekly or fortnightly (as agreed)
Superannuation: Yes. Your employer must also pay 12% of your wages into your super account — this applies to working holiday makers too, however much you earn. From 1 July 2026 it must be paid within 7 working days of each pay day. You can claim it back after leaving Australia (taxed at 65% for working holiday makers).
Tax: If the employer is registered as a Working Holiday employer, 15% is withheld on the first $45,000 of income. Being taxed 30% suggests the employer may not be registered; without a tax file number (TFN), 45% is withheld.

Statutory figures last checked: 2026-10-05. Your actual pay is what your employer's contract and payslips show.

Hours

Usual hours: Monday to Friday, possibly Saturdays (forklift ad)
Shifts: Shift work
Weather-dependent?: To be confirmed
Additional notes: Rosters include early mornings, afternoons and possibly weekends; a 2022 ad said rosters depend on operations, and weekend and public holiday shifts attract penalty rates and overtime.

When they need workers

123456789101112

The Mission Beach seasonal forklift roles run from early November 2026 to Christmas 2026, with a possible move to Proserpine after Christmas. Tassal's 2022 ad: the prawn harvest runs from October to May, with hiring in November–December (Proserpine).

Hiring seasonal workers now: SEEK posted "Forklift Operators - Mission Beach" seasonal casual roles (multiple positions) around 2026-09-08, $32+ an hour, from early November 2026 to Christmas, with a possible move to Proserpine after Christmas; applications are reviewed daily. Workforce Australia also lists an Aquaculture Farm Attendant - Mission Beach role (full-time, posted 2026-09-24, closes 2026-10-16). The ads require "full working rights" in Australia and do not say whether Working Holiday visas are accepted.

Hiring now

Forklift Operators (November to Christmas) and Aquaculture Farm Attendant (closes 16 October); full work rights required

Hiring status is checked automatically every day; last checked: 2026-10-06.See the job ad

How to apply

Online form on the official website

Apply via online form

Before you apply

The current Queensland seasonal ad, "Forklift Operators - Mission Beach" (SEEK job 94483920, seen via Jora, posted around 2026-09-08): apply with a cover letter and resume; applications are reviewed daily. Other Queensland roles (Aquaculture Farm Attendant - Mission Beach; Aquaculture Technician - Paddlewheel, Proserpine) appeared on Workforce Australia via CareerOne (September 2026). Tassal's Taleo careers site has a general Expression of Interest covering all roles, listing the Queensland prawn farms.

Only apply through the channels listed on this page or published on the employer's official website. Legitimate employers never ask you to pay for a job; for look-alike job sites or people who message you privately, check the official website first.Avoiding illegal work

You will need

Full work rights in Australia (forklift ad); a 2022 ad said "Australian working rights"
A reliable way to get to and from work
Pre-employment fitness assessment plus alcohol and drug testing
Must understand English well enough to communicate about safety
Able to stay for the whole season

Restrictions

The Mission Beach forklift season is very short: early November 2026 to Christmas 2026 (you may move to Proserpine after Christmas)
The ad requires "full working rights" but does not say whether visa holders are excluded; the pages found do not clearly say Working Holiday visas are accepted

Licences required

A valid forklift licence (High Risk Work Licence) and hands-on experience

Each role needs different licences — see the role descriptions above.

Official website: tassalgroup.com.au
Careers page: Go to the careers page

Legitimacy

Make sure it is a registered company that gives payslips and pays super, so your specified work days will hold up.

Company registration: ABN 38 106 324 127・TASSAL OPERATIONS PTY. LTD.・Active
View on ABN Lookup
Employment arrangement: Employed directly by the company
Notes: ABN 38 106 324 127, active since 19 September 2003, registered for GST, main business location TAS 7004. The employer on the Mission Beach and Proserpine job ads is "Tassal Operations". Tassal says it is part of the Cooke family business. No farm certifications were confirmed on the pages found.

How to spot illegal work

Transport

Car recommended. The ad requires "a reliable way to get to and from work"; the plant is at Bingil Bay, north of Mission Beach township.

Getting there without a car

Greyhound stop: Mission Beach Transit Centre (2002 Tully Mission Beach Rd, Wongaling Beach). The nearest Spirit of Queensland station is Tully (Mission Beach is 28.5 km north-east of Tully; the train only stops at Tully if booked in advance). Proserpine (the second site) has a Spirit of Queensland station (Queensland Rail timetable) and a Greyhound stop (Bus Stop, 21 Blair St, Proserpine).

Public transport

No local bus to the plant was found

Nearest airport

Cairns — Mission Beach is about 139 km south-south-east of Cairns (Wikipedia)

Nearest town: Mission Beach (Bingil Bay is 6.8 km north-north-west of Mission Beach)

Accommodation and local amenities

Mission Beach has a Woolworths; the nearest hospital is in Tully (about 30 km).

Accommodation

To be confirmed

None of the Tassal Queensland ads found mention accommodation.

Grocery shopping

Woolworths Mission Beach (38-40 Dickinson Street, Wongaling Beach QLD 4852).

Medical

Tully Hospital (17 Bryant Street, Tully), open 24 hours (about 30 km away).

Other

To be confirmed

Weather

December and January average highs of 31.3°C; July average low 15.3°C; January–March is wettest (608.8 mm in March), annual rainfall 3,311 mm (South Johnstone weather station; no local averages for Mission Beach).

Average maximum temperatureAverage minimum temperatureAverage monthly rainfallUnits: °C / mm (months 1–12)

See monthly figures

Months	Average high	Average low	Rainfall	Days above 35°C
Jan	29.5°C	24.2°C	441 mm	0.3
Feb	29.8°C	24.2°C	474 mm	1.1
Mar	28.9°C	23.9°C	483 mm	0.1
Apr	27.3°C	22.6°C	293 mm	0
May	25°C	20.7°C	228 mm	0
Jun	23.5°C	18.7°C	114 mm	0
Jul	23°C	18.1°C	133 mm	0
Aug	23.7°C	18°C	87 mm	0
Sep	25.3°C	19.8°C	72 mm	0
Oct	27.5°C	21.5°C	79 mm	0
Nov	29°C	22.9°C	90 mm	0.4
Dec	29.5°C	23.8°C	338 mm	0

Data: Open-Meteo historical weather (ERA5 reanalysis), 2016–2025 average, coordinates -17.832, 146.097. Farms in the same area may differ by 1–2°C.

Next 7 days

Loading…

Overall score

Calculated from public information with a fixed formula — not a paid ranking. Ratings from past workers are shown separately in the reviews section.

8.2out of 10
Recommend

Specified work eligibility

10.0Postcode 4852 is on the official "Regional Australia" list

Legal and transparent

8.0ABN active, Employed directly by the company

Pay transparency

9.0Some hourly-paid roles with steadier income

Transport

6.0Car recommended

Accommodation

5.0To be confirmed

Amenities

7.0Basic shopping in nearby small towns

Weather

9.8about 2 days a year above 35°C, Almost no frost

Pros

Australia's largest prawn producer (according to its ads), a large direct employer with two Queensland prawn farms at Mission Beach and Proserpine
The seasonal casual role publishes an hourly rate ($32+, including casual loading)
After Christmas you can move from Mission Beach to Proserpine to extend the season
Both sites' postcodes are eligible
Mission Beach has a Woolworths and a Greyhound stop; nearby Tully has a hospital

Watch out for

Home Affairs' definitions do not explicitly say whether prawn farm / processing work counts — check first
The Mission Beach season is very short (November to Christmas)
Full work rights, alcohol and drug testing and a fitness assessment; forklift roles need a licence
Shift work including weekends; cold and wet conditions
No accommodation; your own transport is recommended

Weights: specified work eligibility 25%, legal and transparent 20%, pay transparency 15%, transport 10%, accommodation 10%, amenities 10%, weather 10%.How it is calculated

Online reviews and past workers' experiences

Compiled from Indeed, Glassdoor, backpacker blogs and the news. Everything is a paraphrased summary — follow the links to read the originals.

3.8/5

Indeed・6 reviews
Tassal company-wide (reviews mostly from Tasmanian salmon sites)

See the original reviews

Common praise

Pay and benefits rated highly (4.8/5)
Safety-focused, with learning opportunities

Common complaints

Long hours; hard, stressful work
A long-term employee said they were disappointed with how the company handled their injury

No staff reviews could be found for the Mission Beach prawn farm; most Indeed reviews are from the Tasmanian salmon business.

Review summary last checked: 2026-10-06. Online reviews are personal experiences and may be out of date or not reflect the whole picture; ratings change over time, so the original sites prevail.

Reviews from past workers

Worked here? Your experience can help the next person avoid mistakes.

Loading reviews…

Reviews on other sites: Indeed (Tassal, 6 reviews) · Indeed (Tassal Group, 9 reviews)

Sources

Last checked: 2026-10-05. If you see outdated or incorrect information, let us know.

Not yet confirmed: Does it count as specified work? In the Home Affairs definitions found for this project, fishing is "the direct catching of fish and other aquatic species", and plant and animal cultivation includes "the raising of animals for sale" and "the immediate processing of animal products". Prawn farming is not explicitly listed, so pond harvesting / farming, on-site processing and forklift / dispatch are all marked "check required". The original research classified the industry as fishing (aquaculture), while this site classifies it as plant and animal cultivation under "raising animals for sale" — either could apply, so confirm with Home Affairs before using it for a visa application.; Working holiday eligibility: the ad requires "full / Australian working rights" and does not say whether Working Holiday visa holders are accepted — ask before applying.; The ad does not say which Award applies; this site classifies it as aquaculture (MA000114), but the employer's contract prevails.; The Mission Beach site's coordinates are Bingil Bay township centre (Wikipedia); Proserpine's coordinates are the Workforce Australia job location. No street addresses are published.; Harvest crew pay and conditions come from a 2022 Proserpine ad (out of date). The postcode 4660 listed on the 2022 Backpacker Job Board ad is the job site's error (Proserpine is 4800).; The originally suggested employer, Pacific Reef Fisheries (Ayr, Lot 1 Trent Road, Ayr QLD 4807), was replaced: its ELMO careers site shows "No jobs found" and no seasonal work information could be found.; The Queensland labour hire licence register was not checked (the site could not be reached) — Tassal is the direct employer.