Grain receival company Viterra has employed 50 seasonal casuals at its Dooen site, while GrainCorp employed more than 900 across Victoria.
Backpackers Katy Toner, from Ireland, and Paula Gavarro, from Spain, are among those contending with the Wimmera’s rising temperatures to help with harvest operations at Shannon Bros’ Horsham site.
The pair travelled south after working in fruit picking jobs at Queensland.
“We started here a week ago – we’re going to be here all season,” Ms Toner said.
“It’s getting a bit warm, but we’re getting through it okay.”
She said the pair hoped to continue travelling the Great Ocean Road after the harvest season was over.
“We travelled down the east coast and hopefully we will keep travelling along the Great Ocean Road,” she said.
Ms Gavarro said she was relieved to be in Australia where the COVID-19 pandemic appeared more under control compared with her home country.
“This is the first harvest I’ve worked. I love this country, it’s brilliant,” she said.
Beulah site manager Mikayla George said young people and backpackers jumped at the opportunity to work the busy harvest period. “We have a lot of younger workers in year 11 and 12, returning university students who need work during their off-period and backpackers,” she said.
“We have about 15 workers at our Beulah site at the moment.”
Ms George said working harvest presented an ‘excellent’ opportunity for people, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic when people had lost employment or were struggling financially.
“You have to employ people who are willing to work in a quite strenuous labour environment, but during these times in COVID-19 it’s important to employ anyone who is willing to work or give it a crack,” she said.
“You can be working outside for 10-plus hours each day doing bunker work, which includes cleaning up grain, unloading trucks or moving machinery.
“It’s not a walk in the park, but it’s certainly rewarding.”