Job Descriptions

Country Pub Work

Country Pubs are located in just about every country town in Western Australia. Some towns have several pubs, others just one. They provide accommodation, meals and a place to have a drink for travellers, visiting workers and locals alike.

Country pubs are looking for well-presented, outgoing staff for “all-rounder” positions, meaning that you’ll be doing a bit of everything.  Duties can include working behind the bar, serving customers in the restaurant, helping out in the kitchen, and housekeeping. 

Why choose a country pub job?

• Meals and accommodation are provided; no more crowded dorms or beans on toast!
• It’s a great opportunity to save money
• You will meet authentic Australian characters and experience the many attractions of an area that only the locals know. 
• The chance to become part of a rural community and create lifelong friendships.

We are always looking for outgoing, hardworking and adventurous girls to fill our country pub positions.  If you are eager to get off the backpacker trail, save some money and meet some real Aussie locals, country pub work is a great fit! 

Check out what a country pub job looks like here

Roadhouse Work

A roadhouse is a service station in a rural area specifically aimed to serve passing traffic on a major intercity route.  Roadhouses sell fuel and have an attached café/bar serving food and drinks to travellers.  They may have some motel-style units for overnight stays. 
Work in a roadhouse will consist of serving customers, managing the till, stocking snacks and drinks, cooking, cleaning and anything else that comes up.  To be a good “roadhouse all-rounder”, you need to be able to work at a fast pace and multitask.  The majority of roadhouses are in remote locations, so you must be prepared for small town life.
Why choose a roadhouse job?

• Meals and accommodation are provided
• It’s a great opportunity to save money
• You will meet authentic Australian characters and experience the many attractions of an area that only the locals know. 
• The chance to become part of a rural community and create lifelong friendships.

Check out what backpackers have to say about their roadhouse experience here or view a you tube video here of a couple who saved $12,000 at a roadhouse

Cooking Jobs

There is always demand for people who can cook and we have a variety of  job opportunities for people depending on their skill level.
As a cook or chef you can work in a busy city restaurant or hotel, a country pub, a roadhouse, or on a station or farm.   Upscale restaurants and hotels usually require you to have cooking qualifications, but if you’re handy in the kitchen and have some previous experience, you can usually get work somewhere. 
Keep in mind that when cooking in a small country pub, roadhouse, or on a station, your resources will be limited.  It’s important to be creative and use whatever ingredients you can to cook up delicious meals for your guests.
Why choose a cooking job?

• Meals and accommodation are provided
• It’s a great opportunity to save money
• The chance to learn new culinary techniques and real “Aussie” recipes

Check out what backpackers have to say about their roadhouse experience here

Hospitality

A job in hospitality is a good fit for people who have previous experience working in hotels, bars, cafes and restaurants. Hospitality work may consist of serving customers food and drink, taking orders, managing the till, food preparation and cleaning.  We are always looking for good waitstaff, housekeepers, bar attendants, receptionists, and occasionally bar or restaurant managers. 
Most of our hospitality jobs are in Perth or other cities in Western Australia.  Since the hotels and restaurants we work with are in cities and tend to be very busy, it’s important to have excellent English and the ability to work in a fast-paced environment. 
Why choose a hospitality job?

• The chance to improve your hospitality skills and add experience to your resume
• You will get to work and make friends with Aussie and other international backpackers
• It’s a great opportunity to save money

Check out the job experience of one of our backpackers in a busy city café here and Sarah from Canada who did 6 months in a Subway store here

Agricultural

Farming Jobs

Some agricultural or farming jobs require employees who have a working knowledge of certain types of farm equipment such as large tractors, harvesters / headers, chaser bins, telehandlers and forklifts.  These can be used for planting, harvesting, processing and packing a variety of broadacre crops.
If you would like to apply for a job that requires knowledge of any or all of these machines, please ensure that you have previous experience!  Most employers do not want to train new hands and prefer employees who can operate farm equipment with minimal supervision. 
These jobs are awesome.  Why?

• Your accommodation is provided and in some cases so are your meals.
•  Seeding and harvest times require long hours ( so you get to make heaps of $)
• Living and working in a farming community will allow you to get a real taste of rural Australia and create life long friends
• The work allows you to extend your visa.

Here is what an English backpacker has to say about her farm experience  in Kulin  an Irish guy in Dandaragan

Station Work

Stations are very large farms where sheep, cattle and/or goats are raised.  They are isolated and remote. The hours of work are long and often it is very hot and dusty, but there is no better outback adventure.  Duties on a station vary from day to day – one day you may be mustering cattle on horseback or motorbike, the next you are building fences, yards or a shed. 

Employers prefer backpackers with some previous farming or livestock background and motorbike experience, but a great attitude and willingness to learn go a long way.  Most of the people we have placed in station jobs have loved the experience and consider it one of the most fulfilling and adventurous parts of their trip. Andrew Coldbeck, the owner/operator of The Job Shop, worked on one at age 20 and still claims it was one of the best experiences of his life!

Living and working on a station is an amazing opportunity to experience a completely new way of life while saving money for your travels.

Station life teaches you:

• What it’s like to live in the outback
• How to think on your feet and be resourceful
• To challenge yourself both physically and mentally

To see what one Irish backpacker said about his station experience click here

Kununurra

Kununurra is a town 3300 ks North East of Perth and 1000 ks  South west of Darwin.  There is  a large amount of horticultural and forestry work including, grapefruit, melon, mango  and sandalwood  work.
It’s hot humid and there is some back breaking jobs but you are well paid and can work long hours.
The season commences February and runs through to November..Jobs are usually for immediate starts, so you need to be prepared to travel to Kununurra before you are offered work. Sometimes you will need to wait for a few days ... or a few weeks. The people who are patient and persistent are the ones who find work.
The Job shop has an office in Kununurra and can advise you of the various opportunities throughout the season.
To see what other backpackers have experienced in Kununurra, click here , here and here